Encountering New Religious Movements: A Holistic Evangelical Approach

by Irving Hexham (Editor)

This groundbreaking work showcases a new approach for reaching new religious movements, cults, and sects. Countless new religious movements (NRMs) have sprung up across the United States and around the world in the last century. The many scholars and pastors contributing to this book have found that the best way to approach these groups is not to point out Biblical heresies and doctrinal aberrations, but instead to view NRMs as mission fields, much like we view foreign people groups. The authors of this volume demonstrate that the gospel needs to be contextualized for NRMs and that evangelists will want to be incarnational in their approaches. Using historical accounts and biblical basis, these top missiologists present their methodology and practical advice for reaching out to groups such as the Latter-day Saints, New Age, New Spirituality, Wicca, Mother Goddess, and Satanism.

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Irving Hexham (born 1943) is a Canadian academic and writer who has published twenty-three books and numerous articles, chapters, and book reviews in respected academic journals. Currently, he is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, married to Dr. Karla Poewe who is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of Calgary. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship.

Hexham was born in Whitehaven, Cumberland, England. After leaving school at the age of fifteen he spent six years (1958–1964) as an apprentice gas fitter with the North Western Gas Board, and obtained his City and Guilds and advanced diplomas in Gas Technology. After the completion of his apprenticeship he was offered a management position with the Gas Board. During his industrial career he also served as a union representative.

Hexham qualified for university matriculation by correspondence study and entered the University of Lancaster in 1967 where he majored in Religious Studies with minors in History and Philosophy. He graduated with a B.A.(Hons) in 1970. He then proceeded to post-graduate studies, obtaining his MA "with commendation" in religious studies and theology from the Bristol University in 1972. His MA was based on anthropological methods and theories and involved a short dissertation on Glastonbury. He obtained a PhD in History from the University of Bristol in 1975. His PhD thesis was on Afrikaner Calvinism and the origins of apartheid as an ideology. In the course of his studies he lived in the Republic of South Africa and studied the languages of German and Afrikaans. His MA supervisor was F.B. Welbourn; his PhD supervisor was Kenneth Ingham. When he was in South Africa Elaine Botha at Potchefstroom University was appointed his local supervisor by the University of Bristol.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will be a useful resource for years to come.