Palmistry

Barrett, David V.

Pearson Education Canada

In the mid-1930s Herbert W. Armstrong, an unsuccessful American advertising executive, founded a millennialist Sabbatarian Christian sect with a heterodox theology. Over the next half century, despite a number of setbacks, scandals, criticisms, and attacks from former members and anti-cultists, Armstrong's organization, the Worldwide Church of God, grew to around 100,000 baptized members with a world circulation of over six million for its flagship monthly magazine Plain Truth. In January 1986, Armstrong died. His successor changed most of the church's distinctive doctrines, leading it towards an increasing convergence with mainstream Evangelical Christianity. This created a massive cognitive dissonance in ministers and members: should they accept or reject the authority of the church leadership which had abandoned the authority of the founder's teachings? Groups of ministers left the religion to form new churches, taking tens of thousands of members with them. These schismatic churches in turn faced continuing schism, resulting in over 400 offshoot churches within little more than a decade. In this major study David V. Barrett tells the story of the Worldwide Church of God. He examines the processes involved in schism and the varying forms of legitimation of authority within both the original church and its range of offshoots, from hardline to comparatively liberal. His book extends the concepts of rational choice theory when applied to complex religious choices. He also offers a new typological model for categorizing how movements can change after their founder's death, and explores the usefulness of this model by applying it not only to the Worldwide Church of God but also to a wide variety of other religions.

The Fragmentation of a Sect: Schism in the Worldwide Church of God

Politics & Social Sciences

Sociology

Oxford University Press

In the mid-1930s Herbert W. Armstrong, an unsuccessful American advertising executive, founded a millennialist Sabbatarian Christian sect with a heterodox theology. Over the next half century, despite a number of setbacks, scandals, criticisms, and attacks from former members and anti-cultists, Armstrong's organization, the Worldwide Church of God, grew to around 100,000 baptized members with a world circulation of over six million for its flagship monthly magazine Plain Truth. In January 1986, Armstrong died. His successor changed most of the church's distinctive doctrines, leading it towards an increasing convergence with mainstream Evangelical Christianity. This created a massive cognitive dissonance in ministers and members: should they accept or reject the authority of the church leadership which had abandoned the authority of the founder's teachings? Groups of ministers left the religion to form new churches, taking tens of thousands of members with them. These schismatic churches in turn faced continuing schism, resulting in over 400 offshoot churches within little more than a decade.In this major study David V. Barrett tells the story of the Worldwide Church of God. He examines the processes involved in schism and the varying forms of legitimation of authority within both the original church and its range of offshoots, from hardline to comparatively liberal. His book extends the concepts of rational choice theory when applied to complex religious choices. He also offers a new typological model for categorizing how movements can change after their founder's death, and explores the usefulness of this model by applying it not only to the Worldwide Church of God but also to a wide variety of other religions.

Many people belong to cults and sects which appear strange, frightening or disturbing to others. Aimed at the general reader, this book reveals the beliefs and practices of many modern cults and sects, explaining their origins and attempting to answer the questions raised by their activities.

Sects, 'Cults' and Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook

Religion & Spirituality

New Age & Spirituality

Blandford Pr

Secret Societies: From the Ancient and Arcane to the Modern and Clandestine

For most people, belonging to a special, limited group has an undeniable and irresistible appeal. Uncover the secrets of clandestine societies throughout history, from the ancient Mediterranean civilizations whose tenets continue to influence us today to such familiar associations as the Mafia and the Ku Klux Klan. Consider the power of the clique, of hoarded knowledge, and of particular belief systems. Precisely because of their closed nature, suspicion greeted many of these organizations. Among the circles examined in this revealing study: the Knights Templar, Zoroastrians, Rosicrucians, Freemasons, Chinese Triads, and Nazi occult societies.

History

World

This is a guide to the whole range of alternative religions, movements, organizations and sects, covering all Christian, non-Christian, Eastern, pagan and others.

Sects, `Cults' & Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook

Christian Books & Bibles

Sterling Pub. Co., Inc.

An account of ancient and modern secret societies, which includes a major section on Freemasonry as well as details of criminal, religious and mysterious organisations.

Graphology (Predictions Library)

Occult & Paranormal

Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd.

This wide-ranging book explores the diversity of esoteric and occult beliefs. Neo-Paganism is one of the fastest-growing new religions in the western world where witchcraft or Wicca, Druidry, and Urban Shamanism are thriving. Alongside this there has been an upsurge in New Age ideas of an even wider variety, including astrology, Tarot, numerology, and many others. And then there are members of various schools of occult science, practicing High Magic. Why this new interest in old beliefs? Why are millions of educated people today abandoning both the established religion of their parents and 21st century scientific rationalism and turning to magic and esoteric teachings? In their search for spirituality those who follow these paths claim to be applying ancient wisdom to the modern world. A Brief Guide to Secret Religions, a companion book to A Brief History of Secret Societies, looks at the history and variety of these esoteric movements, where they came from and what they tell us about the world today.

A Brief Guide to Secret Religions

Running Press

Throughout history there have been societies of closed membership and covert purpose. From the Knights Templars to the freemasons, an intimate look at the inner workings of secret societies.

A Brief History of Secret Societies: An unbiased history of our desire for secret knowledge

Historical Study & Educational Resources

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Barrett, David V.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Barrett, David V.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Barrett, David V.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Palmistry

The Fragmentation of a Sect: Schism in the Worldwide Church of God

The Fragmentation of a Sect: Schism in the Worldwide Church of God

Sects, 'Cults' and Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook

Secret Societies: From the Ancient and Arcane to the Modern and Clandestine

Sects, `Cults' & Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook

Secret Societies: From the Ancient and Arcane to the Modern and Clandestine

Graphology (Predictions Library)

A Brief Guide to Secret Religions

A Brief History of Secret Societies: An unbiased history of our desire for secret knowledge