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1、AResponsetotheChristianResearchJournal’sRecentDefenseofthe“LocalChurch”MovementNormGeislerandRonRhodesTheBackgroundoftheChristianResearchInstituteDefenseoftheLocalChurchTheLocalChurch(LC),knownforitslitigiousactivityinthreateningtosue(and1actuallysuing)
2、individualsandgroupsthatcallthema“cult,”hasbeensuccessfulinforcingmanyorganizationstoretracttheword“cult”inreferencetothem,aseventhe2recentChristianResearchJournal(publishedbyCRI)admits(page45).NotedcultresearcherEricPementhaslistednumerousexamplesofChr
3、istiangroupsthatwerethreatenedorsuedbytheLC,mostofwhichCRIdidnotevenattempttorefuteinitsJournalarticles(45).ItisafactthatthelitigationsoftheLCdroveamajorcountercultmovementcalledSpiritualCounterfeitsProject(SCP)intobankruptcy.Thelistofothergroupsthreate
4、nedwithlawsuitsincludeChristianLiteratureCrusade,ChristianHeraldBooks,MoodyBibleInstitute,SalemKirban,EternityMagazine,InterVarsityPress,TyndaleHousePublishers,JimMoranandLightofTruthMinistries,BereanApologeticsResearchMinistry,andDanielAzuma(45).Mostre
5、centlytheysuedJohnAnkerbergandJohnWeldoninreferencetotheirEncyclopediaofCultsandNewReligions(ECNR),alongwiththeirpublisher(HarvestHouse),for$136million.Hadthesuitbeensuccessful,itwouldhavebankruptedbothorganizations.Pementrightlycommented,“Idoubtthatthe
6、MormonsandtheJehovah’sWitnessescombinedhaveissuedasmanylawsuitsandthreatsoflawsuitsagainstevangelicalChristians”(45).Inthewakeofthis,“alonglistofevangelicaltheologians,apologists,andleaders”(7)sentan“OpenLetter”protestingtheaberrantteachingsoftheLC(15),
7、urgingthemtorecanttheirunorthodoxstatements“thatappeartocontradictor3compromiseessentialdoctrinesoftheChristianfaith”(15).Further,theyaskedtheLCto“disavowandceasetopublishtheseandsimilardeclarations”(15).Inaddition,theyrequestedthattheLCdesisttheirlitig
8、iousactivitiesagainstevangelicalgroupsthatdonot1Ouruseoftheword“cult”inthisdocumentisnotintendedtobetakenasaninflammatoryorpejorativeterm.Definedtheologically,acultis“agroupofpeople,whichclaimingtobeChristian,embracesaparticulard
