- Richard L. Dowhower
Infobox Person
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name = Richard L. Dowhower
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birth_place =United States
death_date =
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occupation =Pastor , Educator
spouse =
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children =Richard L. Dowhower is an educator and religious scholar. He was actively involved in educating both his parish and the public about what he defined as "
cult s". In 1979, testified at a hearing on cults convened by thePennsylvania state legislature, and also before his own denomination's department of Church in Society [ [http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_profile/dowhower_richard.asp Dowhower profile] , ICSA.] .Dowhower's has focused his work on educating
military chaplain s. He has presented toU.S. Navy chaplains inPhiladelphia in 1979, in Groton-New London,Connecticut , in 1981, and at their school inNewport, Rhode Island in 1985-198, and 1990. The United States Navy Chaplains School considers Dowhower as a "Subject Matter Expert" on the subject ofdestructive cult s [ [http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/cultsect/mdtaskforce/dowhower_testimony.htm Prepared Presentation to The Task Force to Study the Effects of Cult Activities on Public Senior Higher Education Institutions] , Maryland Cult Task Force, Reverend Richard L. Dowhower, D.D.,June 7 ,1999 ] .Dowhower has also given presentations at the Pastors' Conference of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, the Bowie Interfaith Clergy Association,
Maryland , and the Lutheran Social Services ofAllegheny, Pennsylvania Region.Dowhower has also worked with campus pastors and college students
Bucknell University ,Dickinson College , and Thiele colleges,Pennsylvania State University , and the University of Maryland. He has also worked with high school students in the central Pennsylvania communities of Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Shippenburg, Hamburg, and Lansdale. Rev. Mr. Dowhower continued hisparish work and cult education ministry while serving as pastor ofAll Saints Lutheran Church inBowie, Maryland , and as an active member ofInternational Cultic Studies Association 's Clergy Education Committee.Dowhower has served as a consultant to
Germany on their "Commission on So-Called Sects and Psycho Groups". In March 1998 he met with the commission as Maryland House Joint Resolution #22 was in the midst of the legislative process [ [http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/cultsect/mdtaskforce/dowhower_testimony.htm Prepared Presentation to The Task Force to Study the Effects of Cult Activities on Public Senior Higher Education Institutions] , Maryland Cult Task Force, Reverend Richard L. Dowhower, D.D.,June 7 ,1999 ] .In April 1999, Dowhower was interviewed by
60 Minutes II on a story they were doing onMichael Bray , who advocates death for physicians who perform abortions [ [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3942/is_199906/ai_n8853642 The Lutheran] , ELCA, June 1999] .He has counseled former members of controversial groups including
Scientology ,Lifespring , ritual abuse victims, andInternational Church of Christ .Education
*
A.B.
*Doctor of Divinity ,Thiel College , 1958Publications
Books
*"Cults on Campus: Continuing Challenge", 1996, Contributor
*"", W. W. Norton & Company, 1995, Contributor
*"Lord, speak to us that we may: A devotional guide for church councils and committees", 1989Other
*"The necessary urgency for growth": A keynote address by Richard L Dowhower",
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , 1986Articles
* [http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/cultsect/mdtaskforce/dowhower_testimony.htm Prepared Presentation to The Task Force to Study the Effects of Cult Activities on Public Senior Higher Education Institutions] , Maryland Cult Task Force, Reverend Richard L. Dowhower, D.D.,
June 7 ,1999 ( [http://www.culticstudiesreview.org/csr_articles/mdtaskforce_full.htm Entire Task Force Testimony] )
*"Cults on Campus", September 1995 issue, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
* [http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_articles/dowhower_richard_religion_versus_cult.htm Religion versus Cult]
* [http://www.faithresource.com/SpiritualAbuse/ArticlesSpiritAbuse/DowhowerCultSurvey.htm Clergy and Cults: A Survey] , "Cult Observer", Vol. 11, No. 3 (1994).
* [http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_articles/dowhower_richard_what_clergy_should_know.htm Cults: What Clergy Should Know]
* [http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_bookreviews/bkrev_apologeticsinthenewage.htm Book Review] , "Apologetics in the New Age: A Christian Critique of Pantheism", Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1992
* [http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_bookreviews/bkrev_guidetonrms.htm Book Review] , "A Guide to New Religious Movements", "Cultic Studies Review ", Vol. 4, No. 3, 2005
*"Confronting the Cults," a two-part article, "LCA Partners", (Feb. and Apr. 1982)
*"The Dangers of Pseudo-Religious Cults, a Statement of Pastoral Concern for Parents and Youth by Catholic and Protestant Religious Leaders.", Pennsylvania Conference on Interfaith Cooperation, 1979References
ee also
*
List of cult and new religious movement researchers
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