Chicago Tribune
By Rebecca Johnson
March 10, 2024
A new Scientology church opened over the weekend in Chicago, with its gold and white logo displayed prominently in the middle of a seven-story building in the South Loop. But not everyone in the new neighborhood is laying out the welcome mat.
Bari Berger, a spokesperson for the church, said the new location is called an “Ideal Church of Scientology,” meaning it provides the “ideal facilities to service Scientologists on their ascent to greater states of spiritual awareness and freedom.” She said it also serves as a headquarters for humanitarian initiatives, such as drug and crime prevention and human rights education.