Michael Baigent
| Michael Baigent | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Michael Barry Meehan 27 February 1948 Nelson, New Zealand |
| Died | 17 June 2013 (aged 65) Brighton, England |
| Education | B.A. Psychology M.A. in Mysticism and Religious Experience |
| Alma mater | University of Kent |
| Occupation | author and lecturer |
| Known for | Co-author The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail |
Michael Baigent (born Michael Barry Meehan, 27 February 1948 – 17 June 2013) was an author and speculative theorist who co-wrote a number of books that question mainstream perceptions of history and the life of Jesus. He is best known as co-writer of the book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.
Baigent was born in 1948 in Nelson, New Zealand and grew up in the nearby communities of Motueka and Wakefield. His upbringing was Catholic, and he attended church three times a week, as well as being tutored in Catholic theology from the age of five years. His father left the family when he was eight years old and with his mother Jean, Baigent went to live with his maternal grandfather, Lewis Baigent, a sawmill owner, and took his surname. His great-grandfather, Henry Baigent, had founded a forestry firm, "H. Baigent and Sons".
His secondary schooling was at Nelson College, and then he moved on to the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, initially intending to study science and continue in the family career of forestry, but then switched to studying comparative religion and philosophy, studying Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity. He traveled to Australia and Southeast Asia, occasionally living on the street. He then returned to Auckland, receiving a BA in Psychology.
Baigent worked briefly at the BBC photographic department, and worked night shifts at a soft-drink factory. Later in life, Baigent earned an MA in Mysticism and Religious Experience at the University of Kent.
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