*A Summary Critique*
*Another Gospel: Alternative Religions and the New Age Movement* by
Ruth A. Tucker (Zondervan Publishing House -- Academie Books, 1989)
Many textbooks on cults and new religions have been published
since Walter Martin's classic, _The Kingdom of the Cults,_ first
appeared in 1965. The first such textbook to conceivably rival
Martin's work appeared on bookshelves roughly the same week as
Martin's death in June 1989. Ruth Tucker's _Another Gospel_ covers
much of the same ground and is typeset, organized, and bound in
fairly obvious imitation of _The Kingdom of the Cults._
*TUCKER AND COUNTERCULT WRITERS*
In the first half of her book, Tucker expresses strong
criticisms of Walter Martin's views. Martin's opinion that the role
of women in founding some of the cults corroborates Paul's view of
women as more prone to deception (1 Tim. 2:11-14) is denounced by
Tucker as "unthinkable," "preposterous," and a "perversion of
Scripture" (p. 25). Tucker offers other criticisms of Martin --
some of which have merit, others that seem to border on carping
(pp. 89, 122, 146, 182, 218).
Otherwise, Tucker rarely mentions Martin (pp. 112, 113, 222),
and even her citations from him in footnotes are sparse, except for
her chapter on the Children of God cult, in which she cites him
seven times (pp. 231-39).
Furthermore, Tucker never cites any published works of persons
other than Martin associated with Christian Research Institute. Nor
is reference ever made to the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL.
Apparently, Tucker either was unaware of CRI and the JOURNAL when
she wrote her book, or else has the same low opinion of CRI as she
has of Walter Martin.
On the other hand, Tucker does draw frequently on the work of
various persons presently or previously connected with Spiritual
Counterfeits Project (SCP) in Berkeley, California -- Ronald
Enroth, Brooks Alexander, Robert Burrows, and others. She also
cites several times from Jack Sparks, who was associated with SCP
in its early days. Others whom she cites include J. K. Van Baalen,
Bob Larson, Anthony Hoekema, Douglas Groothuis, Texe Marrs, and
Josh McDowell. Most of these writers are soundly evangelical and
basically on track in their analysis of cultic movements, though
some can be superficial and/or sensational in their treatment....
Source File: crj0072a.txt
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