Reading and Writing Scripture in New Religious Movements

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

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2. Introduction: Canons, Scriptures, and New Religions

   1. Introduction: Canons, Scriptures, and New Religions

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 1-11

3. New Visions

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 13-18

      PDF

   2. A Teenaged Prophet, a Golden Bible, and Continuing Revelation

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 19-40

   3. The Lamb of God and the Chosen Vessel: A Prophetic Lineage in the Adventist Tradition

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 41-61

   4. Straight from the Devil: Holy Books in Contemporary Satanism

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 63-84

4. New Readings

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 85-90

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   2. Aliens and Adams: Reimagining Creation

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 91-112

   3. Black and White and Read All Over: Rereading the Ten Commandments

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 113-132

   4. Beyond the Gospels: New Visions of the Life of Jesus

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 133-155

   5. The End of the World as They Know It: Revelations about Revelation

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 157-177

5. New Writings

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 179-185

      PDF

   2. Guidance for a New Age and a New Paganism

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 187-207

   3. A Moorish Koran and a New Age Bible

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 209-229

   4. It’s All in the Mind: Christian Science and A Course in Miracles

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 231-251

6. Conclusion: New Religions, New Bibles

   1. Conclusion: New Religions, New Bibles

      • Eugene V. Gallagher

      Pages 253-262

7. Back Matter

   Pages 263-307

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New religious movements both read the Bible in creative ways and produce their own texts that aspire to scriptural status. From the creation stories in Genesis and the Ten Commandments to the life of Jesus and the apocalypse, they develop their self-understandings through reading and writing scripture.

• apocalypse
• Bible
• dance
• god
• Jesus
• miracle
• Paganism
• tradition
• understanding
• writing

Eugene V. Gallagher is the Rosemary Park Professor of Religious Studies at Connecticut College. He is the co-author of Why Waco? Cults and the Battle for Religious Freedom in America and other books and articles on new religions. He serves as co-general editor of Nova Religio and associate editor of Teaching Theology and Religion.

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