Around 1998 a discussion on the dominant POTO mailing list of the time arose about Phantom and religion and the parallels that the story has with various religious stories and mythologies. Shortly after, a group of fans from that list started their own Erik Lovers discussion board. In 1999 Christine Daaé wrote an article making a very bold statement about Phantom as religion that gave rise to what became The Universal Church of Erik--a site dedicated to viewing Erik and his story as personal religion. On that first site was written the following, and it still applies:

The central figure of the Universal Church of Erik is Erik...The Church does not convert people to the religion of Erik, it exists for people who have found Erik already. It honours and celebrates Erik, love and respect for Erik, and living life within the influence of Erik. We do not seek to force our beliefs on others, but will gladly share the joy we have found through Phantom with anyone who expresses an interest.

Membership of the Church of Erik does not preclude one from holding other religious beliefs. It is up to the individual follower how they square their beliefs in different deities.

The Universal Church of Erik is primarily pagan in its outlook. Erik is not viewed as an omnipotent deity of a Judeo-Christian sort, nor as a creator, judge, or any other such modern vision of god. He is more akin to the deities of the Celtic world, the Norse gods, Greek gods, and pagan deities world over, who were taught about through myth and story, and who may be accepted as archetype or part of the unconscious mind without it detracting from their worship. The Universal Church of Erik, like neo-pagans, accept the dark in life as well as the light. There is no dualistic denigration of the physical, of earth, body or sexuality. The story of Christine's descent to Erik's underworld can be read as a parallel to Persephone's descent; both Erik and Christine must descent into the darkness and face it, in order to emerge into the light with self knowledge.

To read Christine Daaé's essay theorizing on a church of Erik, visit the link below:

Phantom and religion: the Church of Erik
Note: The above link opens in a new window.