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Whilst visiting more than 30 homes around the globe (and associating with close to 1,000
disciples total), Chancellor participated in many aspects of COG/The Family‘s life, and he
gained the confidence of many people, including leaders Maria (founder, David Berg‘s, long-
time partner) and her husband Peter. Participant observation and a close examination of the
literature also contribute to Chancellor‘s research endeavour. Importantly, Chancellor
acknowledges the difficulty that closeness to one‘s subject can bring, and he also addresses
his own position as a religious historian. Furthermore, he understands that his account,
although comprehensive, is still only part of the story, and ―It may be that everyone‘s
personal history undergoes constant reconstruction‖ (pp. xxi–xxii). (This latter insight is
vital to critically evaluating what the ―truth‖ is in any context.) Finally, Chancellor states for
the record that he received no financial remuneration from the group for his work (p. xix).
Chapter 1 presents a history of COG/The Family, tracing the group from its inception in the
late 1960s through its early years, reorganization, and current manifestation. Chancellor
introduces many topics that he revisits in detail in subsequent chapters. Then, in the second
chapter, he explores who joined COG/The Family and why, arguing that those who initially
joined this NRM came from a variety of backgrounds and thus do not comprise a
homogenous group that scholars and others can define (and stereotype) easily. For
example, some of the converts were single and others were married some were college
educated and others were not. Moreover, Chancellor identifies that a range of personality
types joined (p. 34). He does note, however, that several themes emerged during his
interviews, including a ―shallowness in meaningful personal relationships‖ coupled with
loneliness and ―active search[ing]‖ a personal desire to ―follow Jesus‖ and the attraction of
the group‘s communal atmosphere in tandem with its rejection of mainstream religions (pp.
35–36). Most of the converts had a religious upbringing of one type or another (including
Baptist, Jewish, and Catholic) and, of course, once the movement expanded overseas, the
variety of converts‘ backgrounds increased considerably. Notable also is that in some cases
these variables were coupled with more intense problems. Of the 10 interviews that
Chancellor included in this chapter, four of the members stated that they were suicidal when
they joined the group (Lydia, p. 37 Jonathon, p. 48 Priscilla, p. 51 and June, p. 58) and
one other was ―constantly depressed‖ (Faith, p. 49). Thus, from this selection at least, a
pattern of emotional and psychological vulnerability emerges. Nonetheless, Chancellor
provides us with enough background information (through the interviews) to challenge
some of the negative cult-member stereotypes that the popular media has disseminated.
In chapter 3, Chancellor examines some of the core components of the group‘s doctrines,
noting how they have influenced the disciples‘ beliefs and behaviours. Raising the topic of
Berg‘s authority, he notes, ―Once Berg had clarified his status as God‘s unique prophet for
the End Time, all disciples were called upon to submit fully to his absolute spiritual
authority. He left no room for ambiguity at all‖ (p. 65). Chancellor observes also that
―acceptance of The Prophet‘s role and status was a central component of the socialization
process‖ (p. 70). Coupled with these insights, Chancellor explores the variable
interpretations of Berg‘s doctrines and the taken-for-granted assumptions disciples made of
the infallibility of Berg. Moreover, he does a good job of illustrating why many members
were willing to obey Berg completely and commit to his belief system. Contributing factors
to members‘ obedience include their genuine faith in selflessness as a means to bring
people to Jesus and salvation (pp. 59–62), their conviction that Berg was God‘s Prophet (p.
65), their acceptance of an imminent End Time (p. 84), and their perceptions of their own
unique position in God‘s plan (p. 87).
Chancellor addresses the structural abuses of power that occurred, noting the resultant
change of the authority structure (through the Reorganization and Nationalization
Revolution [RNR]), and the more recent implementation of The Love Charter. In his
discussion of the group‘s problems, he notes that the ―trials, trauma, and abuse‖ (p. 92)

Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2006, Page 23
originated not only from Berg and his writings, but also from various levels of leadership
throughout the group, and that abuses and problems happened both before, and after, the
RNR. He observes also that
...even in the face of serious abuse and profound personal loss, disciples
consistently attribute [italics added] these difficulties to the character flaws of
individuals. They do not find fault with the nature of the community, and
especially not with the leadership of Father David.‖ (p. 92)
Chancellor might have explored this attribution process further certainly, others have
tackled it using theories that dissect the role of attribution to religious commitment in
COG/The Family and in other religious settings (see Kent, 1994a Spilka, Shaver, and
Kirkpatrick, 1985).
Chancellor delves into the most controversial facets of COG/The Family‘s life in chapter 4.
Many scholars have debated the impact of Berg‘s sexual ideology and his dissemination of it
to his disciples through the Mo Letters (see, for example, Kent, 1994b Lewis and Melton,
1994 and Van Zandt, 1991). Indeed, in substantial part this subject has contributed to the
polemic surrounding the group. Chancellor describes his work as ―neither an apology nor a
tabloid expose‖ (p. 96)—an accurate statement in terms of his treatment of sexuality
(sexual sharing, FFing, and child sexuality) and of other facets of his research. Many of the
interviews are extremely revealing in terms of members‘ experiences of child sexual abuse
and of the expectations that Berg placed upon the women of the group. The sexual ethos of
the group originated in Berg‘s household, where, by the early 1970s, his ―startling new
conclusions on the relationship between sex and religion‖ (p. 97) soon became part of his
dialogue in the Mo Letters. Ultimately, Chancellor concludes that sexual sharing, instead of
emerging as a communally sanctioned experience, became for some members a painful
period of adjustment.
With the institution of FFing, the role of women in the group came to the fore. Chancellor
interviewed many female disciples on this topic and provides an overview of the extent of its
practice. His discussion, however, lacks a level of critical analysis that one might expect in a
comprehensive text such as this. One gets the sense that the close relationship Chancellor
developed with the women whom he interviewed has prevented him from being fully
analytical (he discusses methodological problems such as subject-researcher closeness early
in his book). For example, he appears to fall just short of describing FFing as prostitution
(pp. 120, 121). Perhaps his hesitancy is borne out of a sense of loyalty to those who
revealed to him what they have discussed with no one else. Accepting the explanations of
the women who describe and rationalize their experiences, Chancellor does not explore
issues of power, patriarchy, authority, and control in terms of the leadership‘s expectations
that women FF—initially as a means to save souls and recruit—but later, also to ―Make it
Pay‖ (Berg, 1978a).
One could argue that the disciples‘ denials that FFing constituted prostitution are testimony
to the success of Berg‘s socialization of the women‘s beliefs and actions previously,
Chancellor noted the extent of Berg‘s authority in the socialization process.4 Moreover, it
may be very difficult for some of the women to accept psychologically that they did indeed
engage in a form of prostitution whereby they exchanged sexual acts for money and other
favours. Miriam Williams‘ (1998) discussion of FFing (which I discuss later) helps to
elucidate the tension between belief, behaviour, and self-perception. Despite Chancellor‘s
reluctance to analyse FFing critically, his account is still a valuable contribution to the
literature that deals with this highly emotive subject.5
Even more contentious than FFing was Berg‘s promotion of adult-child sexual relations.
Although the full extent of this abuse is unknown, the interviewees reveal their knowledge
of its existence. (Many disciples, however, appear in a state of denial or self-deception