CULTS – THE WAY INTERNATIONAL– BELIEFS AND CONTROVERSIES
OFFICIAL NAME OF THE SECT – THE WAY INTERNATIONAL
DATE / LOCATION OF ORIGIN – Headquarters – New Knoxville, Ohio. 1942
FOUNDER / LEADER Victor Paul Wienwille SCRIPTURE / TEXTS – MAIN BELIEFS A Christian Bible study sect, taking its name from the New Testament book, Acts Of The Apostles. PRACTICES – Intense Bible studies, Glossolalia (speaking in tongues), ORIGINS AND HISTORY The Way began as a Christian radio broadcast show called Vesper Chimes, presented by Wienwille, and featuring his church sermons and religious Gospel choir singing. He released a compilation book of his sermons in 1945, called Victory Through Christ.
Further publications followed, including the 1953 magazine, The Way. The Church adopted the name The Way in 1955. Weinville fell out with the organizers over some aspects of their missionary work in India, which he witnessed on a fact finding trip. He later established his own similar church, The Way International, from his home, in New Knoxville.
Weinville was to expand his ministry in the 60’s and 70’s through the Born Again hippy Jesus movements of San Francisco. Billy Graham’s teachings had made Christian evangelism very in vogue. Many sects capitalized on that. The Way International thrived through it.
CONTROVERSIES
Wieinwille claimed to have personally spoken with God and to have witnessed miracles like snow on a cloudless day.
Many details Wienville gave of miracles are contradicted in other accounts, including descriptions by his wife, Dorothea Wienwille. He described a snowstorm that kept him grounded at an airport where he met a man who influenced his speaking in tongues practices. Dorothea says it was a different airport where the other man was transferred from that was snowed in. Weinwille changed his story to one where an angel told him of the snow, and says the conversation with the angel was over the phone. (the sort of detail you’d think he might have remembered the first time???).
Much of Wienwille’s teachings may have been plagiarisms. He often attended other people’s Bible classes in the early years then ran classes of his own giving virtually the same lessons.
FURTHER READING
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_International
Arthur Chappell
Talking to angels on the phone eh’. Red alert! These con-artists always have a special kooky story that no-one can verify. Good report here.
Yep! It is a Cult.
Cheers folks