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BOOK REVIEWS 165 Westbrook, Donald A: Among the to avoid publishing studies of Scien- Scientologists: History, Theology, and tology outside the esoteric realm of Praxis (Oxford Studies in Western specialised scholarly journals until Esotericism). New York: Oxford relatively recently. University Press, 2019, 352pp. However, the CoS changed its tactics around the time of the now Foolishly perhaps, but determined famous 2005 episode of South Park, none the less, I have high hopes of ‘Trapped in the Closet’, which smashing my name into history so caricatured Scientology’s once violently that it will take a legend- secret teachings. This programme ary form…. represented an important threshold — L. Ron Hubbard in that, contrary to expectations, the CoS did not sue its producers. Some It seems that L. Ron Hubbard, Sci- observers have argued that the new entology’s founder, is getting his hesitancy to use lawsuits or their wish to have his name smashed into threat to silence critics represents a history – but not as he imagined. conscious strategic shift. To the general public the Church of However, the topic of Scientol- Scientology (CoS) is the worst kind ogy has become white hot as a conse- of destructive cult, founded by a quence of the Church’s (losing) bat- science fiction writer who decided tle with the Internet and increasing to get rich by inventing a fake reli- media coverage. We are on the verge gion. What most people know about of experiencing a small tsunami of Scientology is often confined to what new scholarship on Scientology in they learned from the South Park the form of new articles, disserta- episode which focused on the CoS’s tions, monographs, and anthologies. confidential teachings about the One of the best overviews of cosmic dictator Xenu. Additionally, the CoS to emerge from this new the public is aware that Tom Cruise scholarly activity is Donald A. West- and other celebrities, especially in brook’s Among the Scientologists: the film industry, are Scientolo- History, Theology, and Practice. In gists. This, unfortunately, is the full contrast with researchers who have extent of most people’s knowledge drawn their information primarily of Scientology. from published sources Westbrook The Church of Scientology has spent years talking with active Scien- acquired a reputation as a litigious tologists and attending events with organisation, ready to sue critics or the cooperation of the church. The anyone else who portrays the church result is a respectful and insightful in an unfavourable light. Partly as a treatment of the organisation. consequence of this fierce reputa- Following a general introduction tion, and partly because in the past in which he discusses his research the CoS has tried to interfere with project and his methodology, West- scholarship, academics have tended brook’s first chapter, ‘Preliminary 166 BOOK REVIEWS Conclusions from Interviews and his death and the church’s transi- Fieldwork’, takes the unusual step tion to the leadership of David of presenting some of his conclu- Miscavige (referred to internally as sions as a frame for the balance of COB, Chairman of the Board). In his monograph. Chapter two ex- his conclusion Westbrook reflects amines the founder’s background on the future of Scientology and its in the post-war era and traces the academic study. steps in the development of the While there are many points one Dianetics movement, Scientology’s could take up with respect to West- predecessor, and the beginnings of brook’s treatment of Scientology, the Scientology. issue his volume presents for New The third chapter, ‘“Keeping Religious Movement researchers Scientology Working”: Features of is that of the researcher’s relation- Systematic Theology’, presents a ship with her/his informants. When general overview of Scientology as studying a religious group, this a religious system, but this overview relationship is usually regarded as provides more than the sum of its unproblematic with any mainstream parts. Focusing on the period when religious denomination like the the church was headquartered in United Methodists, and only mod- the United Kingdom at Saint Hill erately problematic when studying Manor in East Grinstead, Westbrook less controversial religious move- demonstrates that it was during this ments. But what about when one period that Hubbard systematised conducts research on a highly con- his ‘theology’ in terms of his philo- troversial religion like Scientology? sophical anthropology, views of In his celebrated ‘Theses on education, ‘sin’, and ‘evil’. Method’ the prominent historian of The fourth chapter, ‘“We Come religion Bruce Lincoln asserts that Back”: Past and Present of the Sea ‘When [in the course of studying a Organization’, focuses on the next religious community] good man- period, when Hubbard shifted his ners and good conscience cannot activities to Scientology’s ships. be reconciled, the demands of the Shortly before this move he formed latter ought to prevail’: if you think the Sea Organization. It was also the truth demands it, don’t hesitate during this period that Hubbard to step on your informants’ toes. began developing the Church of This is, of course, easy enough to Scientology’s upper level ‘Operat- say for someone like Lincoln, who ing Thetan’ (OT) teachings, which mostly studies the dead religions of would later become the source of so the past. The situation is different much controversy. for anyone who studies a living reli- Chapter five, ‘“Build a Better gion, whose members will probably Bridge!”: From LRH to COB and read what one writes about them. Beyond’, covers the final phase of Whatever one says needs to be said Scientology under Hubbard until respectfully to ensure the religious BOOK REVIEWS 167 community will allow one to return Zhang Xinzhang to conduct future research – and Zhejiang University, China other researchers to approach the same community. James R. Lewis We thus deeply appreciated UiT—Norway’s Arctic University Westbrook’s quandary in studying the Church of Scientology. Although Zhang Xinzhang is Associate Professor of not uncritical overall, he does pre- Marxist philosophy at Zhejiang University, China. E-mail: [email protected] sent the church’s account of events whenever a controversial situation James R. Lewis is Professor of Religious from the past is discussed – and we Studies at UiT—Norway’s Arctic University. do not think he is wrong to do this. E-mail: [email protected] Indeed, we appreciated knowing exactly how the CoS describes the contested events of its history. This concern aside, Westbrook’s treatment raises Scientology stud- ies to an entirely new level. Just as all prior research on this group has had to refer to Roy Wallis’s classic study, The Road to Total Freedom, all future research will have to refer to Donald A. Westbrook’s Among the Scientologists. Among the Scientologists: His- tory, Theology, and Practice will be of interest to scholars of religion, especially new religious movements specialists. It will also be attractive to a general readership curious about this group and why it has been so controversial..

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