James A. Beverley - Nelson’s Illustrated Guide to Religions

2009 by James A. Beverley

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Scripture quotations in this book are from:

HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

HOLY BIBLE: KING JAMES VERSION.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES 1961 Watchtower Society. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request

ISBN-13: 9780785244912
ISBN-10: 0785244913

Printed in the United States of America

09 10 11 12 13 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to
my wife, Gloria;
our adult children,
Andrea and Derek;
our son-in-law, Julien;
and our granddaughter,
Dorothe

with all my love.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Appendix C: Introduction to Brainwashing
and Deprogramming

Appendix D: Resources on World and
New Religions

In a general sense this work is a product of over thirty years of study and teaching in the worlds of religion and philosophy. More to the point, I began specific work on this project during a sabbatical in 19992000. Two earlier books (Understanding Islam and Religions A to Z) resulted from the research for this larger work, but I have kept returning to this book as one of my major academic and spiritual tasks of the last decade.

Though the introduction provides an outline of my perspective onreligion, let me make more personal observations up front. This book illustrates my dual citizenship as a member of the academic world and an evangelical Christian. While these two worlds sometimes collide, I feelat home in both. I realize that my Christian perspective will create tensions at certain points with followers of other religions or with academics of no religious persuasion. My criticisms of various groups and leaders are offered with a deep recognition of my own fallibility. Consequently, I welcome input on what I have written though I also ask for civility in dialogue.

Like any author, I also hope that readers will grant me benefit of the doubt as regards motives and basic decency. When I offer negative verdicts on various theories or individuals it is not done in malice or in any sense of hate. As I state in the introduction, whatever critique is offered is done because I believe that it is both true and necessary. It is not my intention to minimize the good in almost every religion. Likewise, critique is not meant to support those who crush religious liberties in various parts of the globe.

I owe much to a circle of friends, both past and current, who provided encouragement as the research and writing continued on this project. So, thanks to John and Trish Wilkinson, Marta Durski, Annie McKeown Bain, Gary and Peg LeBlanc, Kevin and Sandy Quast, Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne, John Axler, Larry and Beverly Matthews, Carol Greig, Rick and Darlene George, Frank Beckwith, Stephen andDawn Stultz, Siddiqi Ray, Doug and Pat Markle, Larry Willard, Ken and Miriam MacLeod, Ralston and Cheryl Nickerson, John and Teresa Reddy, Tom Dikens, Randy and Cindy McCooeye, Sam Mikolaski, Bob and Mary Gunn, Norm Keith, Kevin and Jill Rische, Dave Collison, Rick and Charis Tobias, Clark Pinnock, Rick Love, Gladys Chan, Gary Habermas, Bruxyand Nina Cavey, Mike Homer, Bob and Ann Young, Daveed Gartenstein Ross, Terrance and Berry Trites, Pat Minichello, Reg and Linda Horsman, Phil Sherwood, Randy and Susan Campbell, Jim Penton, Cheryl Geissler, Bryan and Jeannie Taylor, Wade Wry, Jerry and Karen Reddy, Sharon Geldart, and Bill and Mary-Lynne Rout.

I also want to acknowledge the influence of several academics inmy life. Eileen Barker, Massimo Introvigne, Todd Johnson, Don Wiebe, and Gordon Melton are valued friends and constant sources of learning about the world of religion, even when we disagree. Since 2003 I have worked with Gordon as Associate Director of his Institute for the Study of American Religion. In 2007 I became friends with Martin Gardner, the famous author, and his interest in my work has been wonderful. I am also grateful for continuing encouragement from Hans Kng, my former professor during Ph.D. work at the Toronto School of Theology. His breadth of learning and courage in theological life is a source of inspiration.

Tyndale Seminary has been my academic home since 1988. I am grateful to Tyndale administration for their support: Brian Stiller, Janet Clark, Winston Ling, and Randy Henderson. Thanks also to two former deans, Ian Rennie and Brian Cunnington, for their enthusiasm and interest in this work. All of my faculty colleagues over the years have been supportive but a special nod to John Kessler, David Sherbino, Victor Shepherd, and Kaarina Hsieh. Thanks also to Andrew Smith and Toby Goodman of the I.T. department at Tyndale. I owe a lot to current and former administrative assistants, including Tina Kim, Dahlia Fraser, Cathy Nguyen, and Lynda Marshall.

I am very grateful to several friends who have provided academicassistance and help in research: Agnes Choi, Rachel Collins, Darren Hewer, Chad Hillier, and Rebekka Ries. I also am in debt to key personnel at Thomas Nelson who have assisted me during the past decade. It was great to work with Robin Crosslin, a magnificent designer and typesetter, and with The Bates Corporation, whose team provided excellent editorial suggestions and proofreading skills.

Some of the material in this book first saw light in magazine format.Thanks to Christianity Today editors David Neff and Mark Galli for their support and the same thanks to Gail Reid and Bill Fledderus, editors at Faith Today magazine. Lee Grady at Charisma magazine has been very supportive of my writing on charismatic Christianity. I am also so grateful to scholars around the world who helped me in their particular areas of expertise. Thanks also to those scholars and others who sent photos foruse in the book.

I am surrounded by a great circle of relatives, including Bill and Margaret Bulman, Reta Lutes, Norman and Phyllis Gillcash, my stepmother Mary Beverley, David and Darlene Keirstead, Gerry and JudyGillcash, Cindy Beverley, James A. Beverley (my namesake) and Mary Jo Beverley , Lorne and Linda Gillcash, Billy and Nancy Bulman, Jack and Grace Stultz, and Keith and Mary Beverley. My twin brother Bob Beverley is a constant source of love and enthusiasm. As ever, and most important, I am so grateful to my immediate family to whom this book is dedicated: my wife Gloria, our adult children, Derek and Andrea, and Julien, our son-in-law. And, during the last year of research and writing, our granddaughter Dorothe arrived and she is a wonderful gift from God.

James A. Beverley
Professor of Christian Thought and Ethics
Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, Canada