Dave Hodges
Founder of the Church of Ambrosia and Zide Door.
Early Life and Activism
Dave Hodges has spent decades at the intersection of religious freedom, plant sacraments, and community building. In 2009, he founded SJRC, the San Jose Cannabis Buyers Collective, where he made case law and became a court-certified expert witness for Proposition 215. Those years of legal advocacy and direct service laid the groundwork for everything that followed.
His work was never purely political. It was rooted in a deep conviction that access to sacred plants is a fundamental religious right, one worth fighting for in courtrooms and communities alike.
A Defining Spiritual Experience
In 2015, a single high-dose psilocybin ceremony changed everything. Three luminous beings appeared and identified themselves to Dave, explaining why his life had unfolded the way it had. The message was unmistakable: he was meant to build a church where entheogenic sacraments could be accessed legally, safely, and in a genuine religious context.
Founding the Church of Ambrosia
Dave founded the Church of Ambrosia in January 2019 in Oakland, California. What began as a small congregation grew with extraordinary speed. The Church now counts over 137,000 members, all united by a shared commitment to entheogenic religious practice and spiritual growth.
He also founded Zide Door, the Church’s spiritual center in San Jose, where members gather for community, education, and access to sacraments under the protection of religious liberty.
Role at the Church
Dave serves as Pastor and Founder of the Church of Ambrosia. His responsibilities span theology, public advocacy, legal strategy, and pastoral care. He delivers an annual Easter sermon at Spirituality & Beyond and remains the Church’s primary voice in media, legal proceedings, and interfaith dialogue.
He is a theologian, an activist, and a pastor. His leadership has guided the Church through legal challenges, rapid growth, and national media attention.
The Church of Ambrosia Podcast
Dave hosts the Church of Ambrosia Podcast, featuring conversations with leading voices in psychedelic science, spirituality, and religious freedom. Notable guests include Rick Doblin (founder of MAPS), Robin Carhart-Harris, and Belen Calder-Harris, among many others.
Featured In
Forbes | NPR | SF Chronicle | NBC Bay Area | Vice | CBS Bay Area
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