The Way launched an intensified effort to close ranks during the 1990s. The group purged followers who were hesitant to give unreserved allegiance to President Martindale, terminated the annual Rock of Ages festival, replaced Wierwille's classes with classes by Martindale, and refused to sell publications to people who are not active in a New Knoxville-sponsored twig.
In this "Review" section we will offer reviews of Way classes and publications, including those which are "secret" and restricted.
Martindale launched this class as a placement for Wierwille's Power for Abundant Living classes. He tried to keep the content of the class secret from potential critics by offering it only to Way followers who had shown faithfulness to The Way by regular participation in a New Knoxville sponsored twig (home group) and financial donations.
Here we offer a review and evaluation of portions of the class. (Look for reviews of more
segments in the future.)
What NOT in WAP is as important as what IS in it. What essential thing is missing from Segment
4? (Available July 1999)
The Aramaic New Testament produced by The Way actually refutes Way teaching in many
places.
One of the most pivotal speeches by a Way leader was "The Passing of a Patriarch," which helped
throw Way leadership into the confusion and suspicion later known as "the fog years." However,
few Way followers ever heard or read it. What did "Passing..." say, and why were people so
upset about it? Our review can tell you....
Chapter 1 of V. P. Wierwille's book "Jesus Christ is not God" claims to be a serious study of early
church history and argues that early Christians never held to Trinitarianism until pagan influences
overwhelmed the Church with pagan trinitarian doctrine. This review takes a careful look at its
arguments, sources, and understanding of history.
Way leaders once ordered followers to have nothing to do with this Bible research paper. Many
Way leaders, including author John Schoenheit (who was on staff with TWI's Research
Department at the time), were fired because they had read it. Why was it so disturbing?
Just after John Lynn was fired from the top level of Way leadership, he described the events that led to the splintering of TWI-- including Geer's paranoid egotism, the Trustees' errors, and rampant adultery.
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