Countercult Apologetics

Here is another recent article on the Word of Faith Movement:

“The Word-Faith Movement: A Theological Conflation of the Nation of Islam and Mormonism?”, by Kirk R. MacGregor.
Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Vol. 75, No. 1 (March 2007)

Abstract:
A relative newcomer to the world of New Religious Movements, the “Word-Faith Movement” is one of the most understudied developments on the margins of the Christian tradition. Typically dismissed by conservative Protestants and others as a “health and wealth gospel,” such a characterization fails to account for the movement’s theological roots and practical fruits. These roots are located in two historical predecessor NRMs—the Nation of Islam and Mormonism. Using both direct evidence from Faith theological architects of doctrinal appropriation and strong circumstantial evidence of exegetical borrowing on the part of the movement’s leaders, I argue that this identification of the Faith Movement’s parent traditions enhances our understanding of its major cultural fruits, including the personal empowerment jointly driven by gnsis of one’s true identity, and by the bestowal of ultimate concern upon socioeconomic movement via direct correlation with one’s spiritual progress. I conclude with some reflections on what the Faith Movement’s career to date can tell us about New Religious Movements and the state of religion in America today.
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This article maybe of interest to some (if you have access to it):

“The Nature of the Crucified Christ in Word-Faith Theology”, William Atkinson.
Evangelical Review of Theology, Vol. 31, No. 2 (April 2007).

If you want to understand modern Neo-Paganism the CWiPPTHINK conference is one that you don’t want to miss. The conference took place in Feb. of this year in Escondido, CA, but they have put the lectures online here http://cwipp.org/content.asp?id=142894.

Speakers include Peter Jones, James Herrick, Paul Helseth and others.

This Earth Day (Sat., April 21) Gene Cook and Paul Manata stop at Baha’i booth in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Here is a nine minute clip of a conversation with a Baha’i member.

It is amazing how the Baha’i Faith wants to bring people from all faiths together, but this is done by telling Christians they are deceived in how they view the Bible, just as the Jews were at the time of Christ. On the surface, the Baha’i Faith says you can be a Christian and a member of the Baha’i Faith. Don’t by it. It’s impossible from a Christian point-of-view, it is while on the surface the Baha’i make the claim, the truth is Christianity is so radically redifined that it is no longer Christianity.

The following may also be of interest:

Seeking ‘The Glory of God’, Uncovering the Truth About the Baha’i World Faith and the Claims of its founder, Mirza Husayn-’Ali as the ‘Return of Jesus Christ’ Russ Williams (Gospel Truth Outreach, 2005). 413 pg. Send $40 to address listed on GTO Website.

Breaking the Baha’i Code: Understanding and Evangelizing Members of the Baha’i Faith, by Cky J. Carrigan.

Watchman Fellowship’s Profile of the Baha’i Faith.

Jim Valentine gave a talk at this year’s EMNR Conference titled An Evangelical Study of the Baha’i Faith.

Check out Keith Gibson’s recent blog post titled Resurrection the Watchtower Way.

To suppliment the post, you may also want to purchase the MP3 of Steve Cowan’s talk from this years EMNR Conference titled Personal Identity and the Jehovah’s Witness View of Resurrection.

I have been slow in putting notes together for my class on Counterfeit Christianity. I’ve finally finished the notes for class four in which we covered the characterisitcs of cults. Click here for Word doc of notes.

I would also recommend the DVD The Marks of a Cult produced by The Apologetics Group.

I know it has been slow here at the Countercult Apologetics blog, and it’s probably going to remain that way some time.

Last night we signed a contract for the sale of our home. Many of you know we are preparing to move to South Carolina to begin attending Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in the Fall. The sale of our home was one bridge that had to be crossed before we moved. Praise God we were able to do this so quickly (they house went up for sale on Monday).

Over the next couple of months, I will be finishing up (1) three courses I’m taking through Moody Bible Institute, (2) teaching a Sunday School course on Christian Counterfeits (3) packing up our home (and everything else that goes with this), along with continuing to care for my family and continue to work until I can give my two weeks notice.

It is going to be a busy two months! We thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray for us. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I will be going to Greenville full-time, at least for the first year. I’d certaily like to go full-time for all four years, but we’ll see what God has in store. My prayer would be that the Lord would provide the means for us to do this.

Sometime within the next month, I will be taking down my rctr.org site. I do not have the energy, time nor money to keep this site going. I do own the rctr.org URL for the next six years. If anyone is interested in purchasing the URL from me please contact me.

If you want to stay updated on our family happenings check this blog.

I have been blessed over the years with good online friends and friends who have linked to my sites. Well, I’m certainly humbled to have been nominated twice for the Thinking Blogger Award.

I was first nominated by Pastor Howard Sloan. Pastor Sloan shepherds St. Paul’s Reformed Church, Bedford, PA.

The second nomination came by way of The Reformed Baptist Thinker. No doubt we at Countercult Apologetics can forgive John for being a Baptist, after all he is reformed, presuppositional in his apologetics, an MDiv student, former LDS and one who cares for those who have been deceived by false doctrine.

So I now nominate the following individuals and teams:

Green Baggins.

The Triablogue team.

The team over at Grace in the Triad

the team at CADRE Comments and

the Reformed Apologist.

May the Lord continue to bless your blogging and impact for His kingdom!

Who believes and teaches the following?:

Shortly after the death of the apostles, the Church fell away from the truth (an apostasy). God was please to use X to restore true Christianity.

Westminster Theological Seminary (East), currently has Van Til’s Christian Apologetics book on sale, from now until April 22 for only $7.19.

Speaking of Van Til, P&R will be publishing the second edition of Introduction to Systematic Theology (May 2007), edited by William Edgar.

It would be nice to have Van Til’s works in four or five volumes, or however many it would take.

You may also be interested in the discussion Gene Cook, Jr. had with Brant Bosserman on differences between Van Til and Gordon Clark.