Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2, 1986 Page 85
Evangelicals at the Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College, June 2-6, 1987 in Wheaton,
Illinois. Speakers and panelists include George Marsden (Duke University), J. I. Packer
(Regent College), Alva Plantinga (University of Notre Dame), Mary Knoll (Wheaton College),
David Livingstone (Queens University, Belfast), Elving Anderson (University of Minnesota),
James Skillen (Association for Public Justice), David Richardson (University of Wisconsin-
Madison), Carl F. H. Henry, Robert Wuthnow (Princeton University), Mary Stewart Van
Leeuwen (Calvin College), Patricia Ward (Wheaton College), Nicholas Wolterstorff (Calvin
College).
The Growing Dangers of Destructive Cults a conference to be presented on
May 2, 1987 by the Office of Continuing Education and Outreach of the University of Wisconsin-
Whitewater and the UW-Whitewater Psychology Department. Attendees will include parents,
educators, students, clergy, and law- enforcement officials. Conference topics include the
definition of a cult, differences between cults and religions, who gets involved in such groups,
and the effects of totalist organizations on the mental and physical health of members.
A master’s degree with an emphasis on new religions and cults is being
offered by the Denver Seminary. The new M.A. in Philosophy of Religion aims ―to help
students understand and communicate a theistic world view and a Christian belief system
centering in the gospel for purposes of preevangelism, evangelism, and counseling of
people involved in religions and cults new to the West.‖ The faculty includes Gordon R.
Lewis, Professor of Theology and Philosophy and founder of Evangelical Ministries to
New Religions. Program focuses include ―understanding of new religious cults,‖ ―dialogue
with cult adherents,‖ and ―fieldwork possibilities with Evangelical Ministries to New
Religions.‖ Courses offered include Theology of Cults, Christianity and Eastern Religions,
Christianity and the New Age Movement, Christianity and the Occult, and Christian
Counseling and the Cults. Information from Dr. Gordon Lewis, Philosophy of Religion
Department, Box 10,000, Denver, CO 80210.
Occult/Ritualistic Crime in the 1980’s will be the topic of a conference conducted on
January 22-23, 1987 by the Cedar City, Utah Police Department at Southern Utah State College.
Topics include ―Satanism, Violent Abuse of Children with Ritualistic Indicators, Violence
Oriented Occultism/Games &Music, Ritualistic/Occult Related Crimes, Occult Related
Homicides.‖ Speakers included Pat Pulling, Director of Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons,
Cleo Wilson and William Wickensham, detectives with the Denver (CO) Police Department,
and Leslie Floberg, president of Believe the Children, a group addressing issues surrounding
the sexual abuse of children and its ritualistic aspects.
Religion and American Culture, an interest group of the Midwest region of the AAR
will hold its annual meeting on April 5-6, 1987 at Indiana University in Bloomington, with
special attention given to the ways in which religious expression has been mediated through
American culture outside of established religious institutions and schools of thought. For
information contact Roland A. Sherrill, Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University-
Indianapolis, 425 Agnes St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.
Biblical Versus Secular Morality was the subject of Free Inquiry‟s fifth annual
conference held October 31-November 1, 1986 at the University of Richmond (Virginia).
Participants included Free Inquiry editor Paul Kurtz, Professor of Philosophy at the State
University of New York-Buffalo, James Randi, magician and researcher, who spoke on ―Faith-
Healing: How It Is Done,‖ and a number of scholars of religion and theology from major
American universities.
Sect Overview is a two-page production of the Interfaith Witness Belief Bulletin on Sects
and New Religious Movements published by the Home Mission Board of the Southern
Evangelicals at the Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College, June 2-6, 1987 in Wheaton,
Illinois. Speakers and panelists include George Marsden (Duke University), J. I. Packer
(Regent College), Alva Plantinga (University of Notre Dame), Mary Knoll (Wheaton College),
David Livingstone (Queens University, Belfast), Elving Anderson (University of Minnesota),
James Skillen (Association for Public Justice), David Richardson (University of Wisconsin-
Madison), Carl F. H. Henry, Robert Wuthnow (Princeton University), Mary Stewart Van
Leeuwen (Calvin College), Patricia Ward (Wheaton College), Nicholas Wolterstorff (Calvin
College).
The Growing Dangers of Destructive Cults a conference to be presented on
May 2, 1987 by the Office of Continuing Education and Outreach of the University of Wisconsin-
Whitewater and the UW-Whitewater Psychology Department. Attendees will include parents,
educators, students, clergy, and law- enforcement officials. Conference topics include the
definition of a cult, differences between cults and religions, who gets involved in such groups,
and the effects of totalist organizations on the mental and physical health of members.
A master’s degree with an emphasis on new religions and cults is being
offered by the Denver Seminary. The new M.A. in Philosophy of Religion aims ―to help
students understand and communicate a theistic world view and a Christian belief system
centering in the gospel for purposes of preevangelism, evangelism, and counseling of
people involved in religions and cults new to the West.‖ The faculty includes Gordon R.
Lewis, Professor of Theology and Philosophy and founder of Evangelical Ministries to
New Religions. Program focuses include ―understanding of new religious cults,‖ ―dialogue
with cult adherents,‖ and ―fieldwork possibilities with Evangelical Ministries to New
Religions.‖ Courses offered include Theology of Cults, Christianity and Eastern Religions,
Christianity and the New Age Movement, Christianity and the Occult, and Christian
Counseling and the Cults. Information from Dr. Gordon Lewis, Philosophy of Religion
Department, Box 10,000, Denver, CO 80210.
Occult/Ritualistic Crime in the 1980’s will be the topic of a conference conducted on
January 22-23, 1987 by the Cedar City, Utah Police Department at Southern Utah State College.
Topics include ―Satanism, Violent Abuse of Children with Ritualistic Indicators, Violence
Oriented Occultism/Games &Music, Ritualistic/Occult Related Crimes, Occult Related
Homicides.‖ Speakers included Pat Pulling, Director of Bothered About Dungeons and Dragons,
Cleo Wilson and William Wickensham, detectives with the Denver (CO) Police Department,
and Leslie Floberg, president of Believe the Children, a group addressing issues surrounding
the sexual abuse of children and its ritualistic aspects.
Religion and American Culture, an interest group of the Midwest region of the AAR
will hold its annual meeting on April 5-6, 1987 at Indiana University in Bloomington, with
special attention given to the ways in which religious expression has been mediated through
American culture outside of established religious institutions and schools of thought. For
information contact Roland A. Sherrill, Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University-
Indianapolis, 425 Agnes St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.
Biblical Versus Secular Morality was the subject of Free Inquiry‟s fifth annual
conference held October 31-November 1, 1986 at the University of Richmond (Virginia).
Participants included Free Inquiry editor Paul Kurtz, Professor of Philosophy at the State
University of New York-Buffalo, James Randi, magician and researcher, who spoke on ―Faith-
Healing: How It Is Done,‖ and a number of scholars of religion and theology from major
American universities.
Sect Overview is a two-page production of the Interfaith Witness Belief Bulletin on Sects
and New Religious Movements published by the Home Mission Board of the Southern
