Out of the Cults and into the Church: Understanding & Encouraging Ex-Cultists

Rating:
Summary: Gain sympathy for the adjustments an ex-cultist must make
Review: Janis Hutchinson has done Christians and ex-cultists all a favor in describing the lengthy adjustments to life and Christianity after leaving a cult--invaluable information for pastors and evangelists.

Written with empathy (Hutchinson is a former Mormon), she helps Christians understand why it takes so long to leave a cult behind and fully embrace Christianity. She also gives suggestions at the end of every chapter in supporting and mentoring former cult members on their way out. (Hutchinson highly recommends support groups.)

Yes, the word "cult" may be provocative, but that is the only detraction I might find in this much-needed volume.

Rating:
Summary: Foundation of Sand
Review: The term "cult," in the sense that it is used by Protestant fundamentalists, conveys no defensible, definable meaning. It is merely a pejorative word, explosive and with four letters.

Janis Hutchinson never offers a satisfying, historically justifiable definiton of the word that lies at the absolute heart of her book, and it's all downhill from there. This book has the appearance of cogency, but not the substance.

Rating:
Summary: Informative and Accurate
Review: This book addresses the common problems encountered by individuals who are coming out of cults, or controlling or abusive groups, looking for a more healthy belief system, and how the church can reach out and minister to them. Those exiting such groups go through predictable stages of grieving as they assess their losses--their friends and sometimes their family, their identity, their sense of purpose, their understanding of everything that is right and true, and in fact their entire belief system, all of which can leave deep psychological wounds. Janis Hutchison addresses these losses and their effects in chapters on understanding the trauma and understanding cult losses. The author also describes the process of coming to grips with and moving beyond the deception which the former member has experienced, a process which she calls divorcing deadly doctrines. Hutchison further addresses the steps necessary to make the transition from false teaching to the truth of the gospel of grace. Highly recommended.