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03/02/93
Cult veers from mainstream in leader's claim of divinity
By Daniel Cattau / The Dallas Morning News
Branch Davidian members may be far outside mainstream religion, but their emphasis on the "end times' has a long tradition in the history of Christianity and is present in many evangelical churches today.
Where the followers of David Koresh differ from the mainstream, however, is not only in their use of violence but also in the leader's claim that he embodies the Second Coming of the Messiah, theologians say.
As the year 2000 approaches, many Christians are focusing on the Second Coming of Christ, which they believe will be the beginning of a 1,000-year reign of the Messiah before the Last Judgment.
"We're in the year 1993,' said Russ Wise, who has studied cults and New Age movements with Probe Ministries of Dallas, a Christian research organization. "They're looking for something to happen in the spiritual realm in the next seven years.'
Mr. Koresh's emphasis on the Seven Seals in the book of Revelation the series of judgments that will come upon the world-is an attempt to link his authority with that of Christ, according to scholars.
"It's very easy for someone to come in to claim what these secrets really mean,' said Dr. Craig Blaising, who teaches systematic theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. "He's making use of the mysterious language of the text and then claims to have the secret interpretation of that portion without using the text as a whole.'
He added, "But the biggest problem is this guy's claiming to be Christ.'
Although Branch Davidian has almost invariably been referred to in news reports as a "cult,' experts in the field are divided.
Dr. Lonnie Kliever, professor of religious studies at Southern Methodist University, said he classifies the Branch Davidians as a sect.
"A sect withdraws from a parent body for the sake of purifying the beliefs and practices of that religious group,' he said.
"A cult is a religious group that breaks with the dominant religion and forms a new religion,' he said.
"The journalistic and popular definition of a cult is that of a totalitarian religious community,' Dr. Kliever said.
But Dr. Robert A. Pyne, who teaches a course on cults at Dallas Seminary, said it is Mr. Koresh's claim to be Christ that pushes the Branch Davidian members from the sect to the cult classification.
"A cult not only distinguishes itself from tradition,' he said, "but it also violates it.'
The Branch Davidians grew out of a split with the Seventh-day Adventist Church more than 60 years ago. The church has repeatedly disavowed any connection to the Branch Davidians.
Mr. Koresh has an apocalyptic vision that makes himself the primary vehicle for the end times.
"This fellow was looking to make it happen,' Mr. Wise of Probe Ministries said.
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