Christian cults

The word Cult is a familiar and popular word used within a variety of settings in today's western societies. However, within Christian evangelical circles and for the purpose of this article the expression Christian Cult shall refer to the groups of people, organisations and belief systems which have deviated from a traditional set of biblical, evangelical or Christian doctrinal standards.

Christian Fundamental Beliefs

The majority of Christian churches and denominations throughout the world have a diverse understanding of the teaching of Christ, his life and biography and what is considered by many to be biblical truth. However, regardless of the differences between these Christian groups there are fundamental agreements which form the basis of unity and what is considered to be Christianity.
The omission of one or more of the following fundamentals beliefs would be considered to be at least theological error and possibly lead to the consideration by main stream churches, groups and organisations that the views are not Christian in nature, regardless of terminology used.

  1. The Full Deity and Humanity of Jesus (in Hebrew called Yeshua the Messiah).
  2. The Virgin birth of Jesus also known as Immaculate Conception.
  3. The Physical Resurrection (in bodily form) of Jesus Christ
  4. The Substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ
  5. The divine inspiration of scripture

Although the expression of the mainstream Christian Evangelical organisations through out the world May Be slightly different the sentiment remains the same. 123 4

Christian cults might be those Churches and Religious organisation not accepted by "mainline Christian Churches". The reason for non acceptance might be doctrinal. All "mainline Christian Churches" for example accept the doctine of the Holy Trinity. Some classifications of Christian Cults would include those groups which reject that doctrine.

Christian "mind control cult"

Christian cults is one designation used to distinguish between two types of "mind control cults": those having an apparent Christian basis, and those with no such basis. This definition is based on the secular cult opposition definition of "cult".

According to this schema, a Christian cults would be defined as any religious tradition that has the following characteristics:

  1. A body of doctrine that is at least nominally based on the Christian Bible.
  2. A societal organization that includes the totalitarian thought-reform and life-control tactics normally considered characteristic of a cult.

Some Christian authorities extend the definition to include any organization based on nominally Christian doctrine that is aberrant from some benchmark definition of Christianity, but this definition is not accepted outside certain conservative and evangelical circles as being overly slanted and inflammatory.

The "Christian" qualifier distinguishes these groups from groups such as Scientology, which critics say fit the classic cultic pattern but are not based on Christian doctrine.

See also

  • List of groups referred to as cults

simple:Christian cults