Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 15, No. 1, 1998, page 58
Coalition leader is quoted as pointing out that “Jesus was killed because there was no
militia” (p. 165).
Mental health professionals concerned about extremist groups may be disappointed that the
book makes no reference to such relevant concepts as Festinger‟s cognitive dissonance or
Freud‟s thanatos libido, repression, and projection. Cult awareness leaders may be
disappointed with a lack of references to cultlike aspects of the militia movement. Stern, an
attorney with decades of experience in the human rights field, has produced, nevertheless,
a book of very high quality, well researched and referenced, concise and comprehensive,
and a valuable addition to the literature on the militia movement. Highly recommended.
Frank MacHovec, Ph.D.
Center for the Study of the Self
Gloucester, Virginia
Sects and New Religious Movements: An Anthology of Texts from the
Catholic Church. Edited by The Working Group on New Religious Movements,
Vatican City. U.S. Catholic Conference, Inc., 1995, 77 pages.
This anthology of texts dealing with new religious movements (NRMs) will be useful not only
to those in responsible offices in the Catholic Church but also to scholars everywhere who
are concerned with contemporary religious phenomena. It embraces and organizes material
from documents authored by the present Pope and by bishops from around the world.
Catholics will be reassured to discover that those in authority in the Church have been
paying attention to the developments that have often caused anguish to individuals and to
families. In a preamble addressing terminology, the editors confess that the words sects
and cults may have a pejorative sense therefore, a preference is expressed for the
euphemism, “new religious movements.” However in the appendix where the earlier 1986
document appears there is the straightforward use of the familiar “cults.”
As a tool for scholars, the listing of 61 documents will prove very useful. They afford a
worldwide perspective and demonstrate that the Vatican enjoys a unique advantage in
being able to draw to the center experiences from around the globe. Moreover, the editors
acknowledge that the very existence of the NRMs serves as a catalyst to spark study on the
part of mainline churches and synagogues.
In the introduction the reader is reminded that the present Pope, John Paul II, perceives our
modern society as being on a spiritual journey, even, more precisely, on a search. It is a
search which sometimes looks backward in hopes of bringing about a “revival” and
sometimes lurches forward toward radical alternatives. There is also a note of warning that
some of the groups “fail to respect the dignity and freedom of the human person.”
It will not be surprising that many of the contributions have a defensive air about them for
the bishops naturally have a commitment to protect and advance the faith of this 2,000-
year-old church, but their concerns are expressed with a reasonableness and charity which
is influenced by their conviction that we are living in “an age of ecumenical dialogue.” This
attitude so colors their statements that anyone who has spent time in the healing of victims
of thought reform will wonder at the absence of more forceful warnings about the malice of
manipulators. If, indeed, the defense of human freedom is a fundamentally religious issue
then one might expect religious leaders to be very sensitive to the violation of freedom. But,
then, it is only proper to remind ourselves that this anthology takes 61 different quotations
out of their original context where they may have appeared in stronger colors.
The six chapter headings under which these various statements are grouped form a useful
framework in which to capture the insights of the world‟s bishops. They are “Cultural
Context and Causes,” “Diversity of Origin of the Movements,” “Impact and Process of
Coalition leader is quoted as pointing out that “Jesus was killed because there was no
militia” (p. 165).
Mental health professionals concerned about extremist groups may be disappointed that the
book makes no reference to such relevant concepts as Festinger‟s cognitive dissonance or
Freud‟s thanatos libido, repression, and projection. Cult awareness leaders may be
disappointed with a lack of references to cultlike aspects of the militia movement. Stern, an
attorney with decades of experience in the human rights field, has produced, nevertheless,
a book of very high quality, well researched and referenced, concise and comprehensive,
and a valuable addition to the literature on the militia movement. Highly recommended.
Frank MacHovec, Ph.D.
Center for the Study of the Self
Gloucester, Virginia
Sects and New Religious Movements: An Anthology of Texts from the
Catholic Church. Edited by The Working Group on New Religious Movements,
Vatican City. U.S. Catholic Conference, Inc., 1995, 77 pages.
This anthology of texts dealing with new religious movements (NRMs) will be useful not only
to those in responsible offices in the Catholic Church but also to scholars everywhere who
are concerned with contemporary religious phenomena. It embraces and organizes material
from documents authored by the present Pope and by bishops from around the world.
Catholics will be reassured to discover that those in authority in the Church have been
paying attention to the developments that have often caused anguish to individuals and to
families. In a preamble addressing terminology, the editors confess that the words sects
and cults may have a pejorative sense therefore, a preference is expressed for the
euphemism, “new religious movements.” However in the appendix where the earlier 1986
document appears there is the straightforward use of the familiar “cults.”
As a tool for scholars, the listing of 61 documents will prove very useful. They afford a
worldwide perspective and demonstrate that the Vatican enjoys a unique advantage in
being able to draw to the center experiences from around the globe. Moreover, the editors
acknowledge that the very existence of the NRMs serves as a catalyst to spark study on the
part of mainline churches and synagogues.
In the introduction the reader is reminded that the present Pope, John Paul II, perceives our
modern society as being on a spiritual journey, even, more precisely, on a search. It is a
search which sometimes looks backward in hopes of bringing about a “revival” and
sometimes lurches forward toward radical alternatives. There is also a note of warning that
some of the groups “fail to respect the dignity and freedom of the human person.”
It will not be surprising that many of the contributions have a defensive air about them for
the bishops naturally have a commitment to protect and advance the faith of this 2,000-
year-old church, but their concerns are expressed with a reasonableness and charity which
is influenced by their conviction that we are living in “an age of ecumenical dialogue.” This
attitude so colors their statements that anyone who has spent time in the healing of victims
of thought reform will wonder at the absence of more forceful warnings about the malice of
manipulators. If, indeed, the defense of human freedom is a fundamentally religious issue
then one might expect religious leaders to be very sensitive to the violation of freedom. But,
then, it is only proper to remind ourselves that this anthology takes 61 different quotations
out of their original context where they may have appeared in stronger colors.
The six chapter headings under which these various statements are grouped form a useful
framework in which to capture the insights of the world‟s bishops. They are “Cultural
Context and Causes,” “Diversity of Origin of the Movements,” “Impact and Process of
