The Christian Fascination with"Ex-Occultist" Narratives

Christians are fascinated by conversion stories of ex-occultists, particularly Witches and Satanists. From Mike Warnke and Bill Schnoebelen in the past, to contemporary figures like John Ramirez, these stories help confirm the faith identities and worldview of Christians in a battle of good vs. evil. Douglas Cowan and Joseph Laycock unpack various aspects of this phenomenon, and how they fit into contemporary satanic panic. Doug Cowan is a professor of Religious Studies and Social Development Studies at Renison University College at the University of Waterloo. For many years he was a co-general editor of the premier journal of new religions study, Nova Religio, and chair of the New Religious Movements Group of the American Academy of Religion. Joseph Laycock is an assistant professor of religious studies at Texas State University. He has written several books on new religious movements and American religious history. He is also a co-editor for the journal Nova Religio.

Douglas Dowan: https://uwaterloo.ca/renison/about/people/douglas-e-cowan

Joseph Laycock: https://faculty.txst.edu/profile/1922193

Related resources:
Selling Satan: The Evangelical Media and the Mike Warnke Scandal by Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott
https://www.amazon.com/Selling-Satan-Evangelical-Warnke-Scandal/dp/0940895072

Evil Incarnate: Rumors of Demonic Conspiracy and Satanic Abuse in History by David Frankfurter
https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Incarnate-Demonic-Conspiracy-Satanic/dp/0691136297/

Raising the Devil: Satanism, New Religions, and the Media by Bill Ellis
https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Devil-Satanism-Religions-Media/dp/0813121701/

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