Ray Kerkhove

Raymond Constant Kerkhove

AUSTRALIAN

Historian, researcher and writer

Contact : raykerkhove@gmail.com

The University of Queensland

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD); Masters; BA (part-Honours), Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities - Compar Religons, History, Anthropology

ABC Radio interview

http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/soul-train--dr-ray-kerkhove.mp3

Ray Kerkhove first learnt about Meher Baba in 1979. He was fortunate to live and work a total of 7 years on Avatar's Abode (1989-1992, 1996-2000) - the longest-term resident groundsman and general dogsbody there thus far. During this time he helped formulate the current Avatar's Abode library and archives, and conducted academic research on Meher Baba's life, towards a PhD in Religious Studies. This was granted in 2002 and seems to be the first Doctorate thesis on Meher Baba through a secular university.

Since the 1980s, Ray has been writing and researching on Meher Baba - occasionally peer-reviewed articles in academic journals. For example, his "Unstructured Networking" article on the Baba movement in the Australian Association of Religions Review is used as a tertiary source for all students undertaking the study of New Religious Movements at the University of Sydney.

In his "secular" life, Ray works on heritage matters with faith groups and Indigenous communities - mostly in southern Queensland. He was co-founder and Project Manager of ICP Aust Inc, which organised some 30 Aboriginal cultural projects, winning the Telstra Finalist Award for Reconciliation (2009) and the Governor's Gold Award (National Heritage Trust) in 2011. He is currently Director of Q Earth Inc (a bank of heritage experts), Secretary of Brisbane Southside History Network, and an Executive Member of PHAQ (Professional Historians Association of Queensland).

Multi-faith Invisibility - The Case of Meher Baba (1894-1969)

Baba article.pdf

Adobe Acrobat Document 154.2 KB

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Unstructured networking in a charisma-based new religious movement: the ‘Baba lovers’

AASR article.pdf

Adobe Acrobat Document 187.0 KB

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Linkedin

Ray Kerkhove is a professional historian, researcher and writer. He conducts and compiles research into source texts, secondary sources, maps and museum items for various Indigenous and multicultural/ multi-faith projects (historical & cultural).

His area of expertise is small/ lesser-known groups and local groups - e.g. smaller faith groups/ new religions, Indigenous groups (Australian and non-Australian), and localized Indigenous histories. He is especially knowledgeable of these groups' world-views and the material culture (arts and crafts) that emerges from their world-views.

Ray has decades of experience working with Indigenous community groups in southern Queensland. He also has much experience in the disability sector, and in working with arts projects.

Ray is an accomplished grant-writer - over 10 years' experience, securing much funding for disability arts, multi-faith arts and Indigenous cultural projects. He has worked expensively on organisational policies and procedures, and in managing cultural projects.

Most recently in his career, Ray was co-founder and Project Manager for ICP Aust Inc. In this capacity, he oversaw and developed some 30-40 Indigenous cultural/historical projects between 1997 and 2011, including exhibitions (Heart of Earth, Quilpie Regional Gallery), DVD/ film production, event management (e.g. Bringing Kitchener Home - a Stolen Generations project), book production (e.g. Bury Me at Tartulla Hill), school kit production, language research and Indigenous family history research.

Ray is currently working with Indigenous groups on a number of projects revitalizing and reconstructing aspects of their material culture. He is a member of the Heritage Reference group for Sunshine Coast Council, and Director of Queensland Heritage ROC, which assists small museums and community groups in their heritage work.