067. Bromley David G., and Richardson James T., eds. The Brainwashing/Deprogramming Controversy: Sociological, Psychological, Legal and Historical Perspectives. Studies in Religion and Society, no. 5. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1983.
Twenty essays grouped by the disciplines mentioned in the book's subtitle. The authors are scholars who have studied new religions for several years and as a group have provided some of the most significant research in this area. The book strongly rejects a simplistic mind-control model of conversion in favor of more complex models that the authors' research supports. Nothing really new here, many essays are reprints, but this is an important compilation representing a solid body of research. It should become a standard in the field. One good bibliography at the end.
068. Bryant M. Darrol, and Richardson Herbert W., eds. A Time for Consideration: A Scholarly Appraisal of the Unification Church. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1978.
Contributors include Harvey Cox, Herbert Richardson, Richard de Maria, Warren Lewis, and others. Another version of Cox's essay appears in Needleman and Baker Understanding the New Religions [item 073]. Richardson, Bryant and Lewis appear here as apologists for the Unification Church. Testa's article is a good critique of newspaper reportage. De Maria's analysis of conversion notes the need in our society for vision, which he says is being met by Unification Church ideology and community, but he is also critical of the church's methods and ideology.
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