Dr. Walter Martin and Friends
A select bibliography.
Dr. Walter Martin and friends, a select bibliography.
Link:
1. Dr. Walter Martin's posthumous website: https://waltermartin.com/whatsnew.html
Dr. Walter Ralston Martin (1928-1989) was the United State's most prolific counter-cult apologist during the late 1960s to late 1980s Christian revival period (i.e. Jesus movement). He dedicated his life to informing the general public as to what was within orthodoxy (i.e. biblical truth) and why, and what existed outside of orthodoxy (i.e. biblical truth) and why.
His college education consisted of four earned degrees including a Master of Arts in Philosophy from New York University and a Ph.D. from California Coast University. He also was ordained as a Baptist Christian minister and authored 12 books, a number of booklets, and many articles which were translated into different languages reaching millions around the world.
Dr. Walter Martin influenced a number of Christians to engage in counter-cult apologetics, many of whom became well-known in their own right. Examples include John Ankerberg, Hendrik "Hank" Hanegraaff, Kurt Van Gorden, Alan W. Gomes, Craig Hawkins, J. Isamu Yamamoto, Todd Ehrenborg, George Mather, Larry A. Nichols, Bob Passantino, Gretchen Passantino, E. Calvin Beisner, Robert M. Bowman Jr., Ron Rhodes, Andre Kole, Terry Holley, etc. along with various Christian organizations that formed to pursue counter-cult apologetics. Together, they published a large body of scholarly literature that continues to inform readers.
Reader’s note: An essayical introduction to orthodoxy, heresy, and doctrinal disputes within orthodoxy is available in my book Essays You Need to Read: On Christianity.
A sample of this literature follows:
Ankerberg, J., & Weldon, J. (1996-1999). In defense of the faith series (2 volumes). Harvest House.
Ankerberg, J., Weldon, J., & Burroughs, D. (2008-2009). The facts on series (8 books). Harvest House.
Gomes, A. W., Hawkins, C., Yamamoto, J. I., Ehrenborg, T., Mather, G., Nichols, L. A., Passantino, B., Passantino, G., Beisner, E. C., Bowman Jr., R. M., Rhodes, R., Kole, A., & Holley, T. (1994-2016). Zondervan guide to cults and religious movements (14 books). Zondervan.
Martin, W. (1957). Christian science. Bethany House.
Martin, W. (1981). Jehovah of the Watchtower. Bethany House.
Martin, W. (2008). The kingdom of the occult. Thomas Nelson.
Martin, W. (2019). The kingdom of the cults: the definitive work on the subject. Bethany House.
Martin, W., & Rische, J. M. (2020). The Kingdom of the cults handbook: quick reference guide to alternative belief systems. Bethany House.
Pivec, H., & Geivett, R. D. (2022). Counterfeit kingdom: the dangers of new revelation, new prophets, and new age practices in the Church. B & H Books.
Also, a good deal of Christian apologetics material exists related to this subject. Here are just a few examples:
Geisler, N. L., & Rhodes, R. (2005). Correcting the cults: expert responses to their scripture twisting. Baker Books.
Moreland, J. P., & Craig, W. L. (2017). Philosophical foundations for a Christian worldview. IVP Academic.
Samples, K. R. (2007). A world of difference: putting Christian truth-claims to the worldview test. Baker Books.
Samples, K. R. (2017). God among sages: why Jesus is not just another religious leader. Baker Books.
Reader’s note: Dr. Walter Martin founded the Christian Research Institute (CRI) in 1960 which specialized in general evangelical apologetics and counter-cult apologetics. However, there is some controversy today around whether or not the organization has maintained the high standard that Dr. Walter Martin set for the organization with respect to defending orthodoxal purity in at least one specific case.
For more information:
See the open letter titled "A Response to the Christian Research Journal's Recent Defense of the 'Local Church' Movement" by Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes.”
See Got Questions article titled “Are the teachings of Witness Lee and the Local Church biblical?”
Source: Walter Martin’s Religious InfoNet. (2019). https://waltermartin.com
Source: Wikipedia contributors. (2025, January 24). Walter Ralston Martin. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 28, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walter_Ralston_Martin&oldid=1271462119