The Branch Davidians of Waco: The History and Beliefs of an Apocalyptic Sect [Hardcover]

Kenneth G. C. Newport (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0199245746 | ISBN-13: 978-0199245741 | Publication Date: June 22, 2006 | Edition: 1St Edition

What were the beliefs of the Branch Davidians? This is the first full scholarly account of their history. Kenneth G. C. Newport argues that, far from being an act of unfathomable religious insanity, the calamitous fire at Waco in 1993 was the culmination of a long theological and historical tradition that goes back many decades. The Branch Davidians under David Koresh were an eschatologically confident community that had long expected that the American government, whom they identified as the Lamb-like Beast of the book of Revelation, would one day arrive to seek to destroy God's remnant people. The end result, the fire, must be seen in this context.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An extended, well-documented, analytical treatment." --Nova Religio

"Acknowledging the passionate engagement with theological ideas that always characterized the small but intense membership of teh various splinter groups of the Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) church that made up the Davidian and Branch Davidian traditions, Newport's history patiently disentangles and lays out for examination their complex understandings of the Bible." --Journal of the American Academy of Religion

About the Author

Kenneth G. C. Newport is Professor of Christian Thought, Liverpool Hope University College.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1St Edition edition (June 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199245746
• ISBN-13: 978-0199245741
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,630 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thorough, factual, well worth reading, November 7, 2009

By 

Brian K. Miller "Greyhawk" (Wooster, Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Branch Davidians of Waco: The History and Beliefs of an Apocalyptic Sect (Kindle Edition)

If you are looking for one complete study of the events leading up to the deadly fire of April 19, 1993, then this is the book you want to read. It reviews the founding of the Davidian sect, the breaking down into the various branches still with us today, and carefully tracks the development of Branch Davidian theology from its roots in the Seventh Day Adventist sect into the last days and hours of the siege itself. Despite the lack of written material available to researchers, there are dozens of audio tapes recorded during Bible studies led by David Koresh as well as interviews with many people who heard him speak, including survivors of the fire. The amount of material the writer worked through in creating this book is daunting, to say the least, and lends a great deal of credence to his conclusion.

By the time you read the last page, the writer will have convinced you that the fire at Mt. Carmel was all but inevitable. The only real question was when it would occur, not if it would occur. Due in no small part to inexcusable mistakes by the B.A.T.F.E (A.T.F. at the time of the fire) and the failure of the F.B.I. Hostage Rescue Team to bring in the appropriate expertise, the fire occurred much sooner than it needed to and probably took far more lives than it would have in different circumstances. However, hindsight is always 20/20 while foresight is blind, which is something this book makes abundantly apparent. In this case, as in many such cases, asking "what if" is not only foolish, it leads into useless speculation. A far better question is "why", and that is the question this book answers in crystal clarity.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Insights into the Branch Davidians, June 23, 2006

By 

Karla Poewe "Karla Poewe" (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Branch Davidians of Waco: The History and Beliefs of an Apocalyptic Sect (Hardcover)

This is a truly excellent book that exposes the myths around the Waco tragedy and the Branch Davidians. It is essential reading for anyone interested in New Religious Movements. A thoroughly scholarly work this book removes the blinkers so many scholars wear when discussing religion. It clearly shows that while some religions may be good others are bad. Highly recommended

Karla Poewe, Professor of Anthropology, University of Calgary

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clearing the Fog, June 23, 2006

By 

Irving Hexham - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Branch Davidians of Waco: The History and Beliefs of an Apocalyptic Sect (Hardcover)

This superb book clears away the fog of intellectual confusion created by endless conspiracy theories all seeking to show who and why the Branch Davidian compound in Waco went up in smoke. Surprise, surprise, the evidence presented by Professor Newport shows very clearly that there was no conspiracy other than one dreamed up in the head of David Koresh and played out by his fanatical followers. This is an excellent book that challenges all Religious Studies scholars to seriously rethink the prevailing consensus that all New Religions are by definition misunderstood and essentially good.

Professor Irving Hexham, Department of Religious Studies, Univrsity of Calgary