False religions: Kingdom of cults by Walter Martin

Today I'm adding 'Kingdom of cults' by Walter Martin (Available from Amazon) to the Master Reading List under the category of 'False religions'.

In John's gospel Jesus taught that he is the only way to the Father. 

Yet many do not believe Jesus is the only way and have developed their own different ways to the Father.  Thus the Christian is left in great confusion about many of these ways, particularly when they seek to evangelise people from false religions.  Without knowledge of their adversaries, the Christians are usually poorly equipped to fight.

So how does one learn about the many false religions, cults and sects that are out there, particularly when many are secretive and not honest about their teachings? 

That's where the 'Kingdom of Cults' steps in as a helpful resource.  Walter Martin's work has become quite a classic, initially appearing in 1965, and receiving revisions in 1985 and 2003.  (Disclaimer: I have read the 1985 edition cover to cover and flicked through the 2003 edition).

Initially the book spends three chapters helping the reader to understand cults in general, including the psychological nature of them.

Then individual chapters are dedicated to:
(i) Jehovah's Witnesses;
(ii) Christian Science;
(iii) Mormonism;
(iv) Spiritism;
(v) The Theosophical Society;
(vi) Zen Buddhism;
(vii) The Baha'i Faith;
(viii) The Unity School of Christianity;
(ix) Herbert Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God - Anglo-Israelism;
(x) Unification Church;
(xi) Scientology;
(xii) Eastern religions;
(xiii) Islam;
(xiv) Cults on the World Mission Fields;

Then three chapters at the end give advice on how Christians can evangelise those enslaved in cults. 

There is also an appendix examining:
(i) Seventh Day Adventism;
(ii) Unitarianism;
(iii) the Rosicrucian Fellowship;
(iv) Swedenborgianism.

The book is excellent. 

The research into the cults is often copious and evidence for what the cults teach is not paraphrased but quoted to assure the reader that Martin's views are not contrived. 

Moreover, Bible passages are regularly quoted throughout the chapters to show the inexperienced Christian how a particular cult's teaching is false in light of the Scriptures.

My only problem with the book is that it doesn't dedicate enough space to some cults.  This is understandable as in writing such a book one would have to choose which cults of the many to concentrate on and how much detail to give.  I'm guessing that Martin chose to spend more time on those cults that are a considerable challenge to the English-speaking Western Christian audience and so this decision is reflected in the book.  But as this book was first written in 1965 it shows its age.  For example, Islam may not have been more than a blip on the radar of Martin in 1965, but today it is of great importance to the Western Christian.  To illustrate, in the 1985 edition Islam receives only 4 pages of treatment compared to the 88 pages on Jehovah's Witnesses (the 2003 edition appears to try and rectify this problem by including 30 pages on Islam, but nevertheless this is in comparison to 100 pages in that edition on Jehovah's Witnesses).  Thus you should be aware that some chapters will leave you begging for more.

But as an introduction to many of the cults, Martin's work will help you lovingly bring many from false ways to 'the' way.