The Guardian – My life in a religious cult: ‘The most dangerous place in the world is the womb of an ungodly woman

August 30, 2017: Books – The Guardian – 30/08/2022 My life in a religious cult: ‘The most dangerous place in the world is the womb of an ungodly woman By Lilia Tarawa After her childhood in a secretive cult founded by her grandfather, New Zealand woman Lilia Tarawa risked hellfire and damnation to…

Moving on from Gloriavale

March 31, 2017: | Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu |Anna Brankin | Gloriavale Christian Community claims to be a haven where like-minded individuals can practice their faith and enjoy a wholesome lifestyle free from the pressures of the modern world. The community is self-sufficient, preparing their food onsite and supporting themselves by means…

How Gloriavale’s leadership structure works

March 31, 2017: | Stuff | Henry Cooke | There is probably no religious group New Zealanders have seen more of over the last decade than Gloriavale. The West Coast Christian community has been featured in a series of documentaries and many news reports. The allegations made against the community by former members have been…

Gloriavale report: Have we learned nothing from Centrepoint?

March 30, 2017: By Anke Richter – The Spiinoff – 30/03/2017 For an ex-member of New Zealand’s one and only ‘sex cult’, the parallels between Centrepoint and Gloriavale raise some serious questions about the government’s handling of sexual abuse accusations in religious communities, writes Anke Richter. Three years ago I spent many afternoons…

Gloriavale: Nine questions we can answer, and one we can’t

March 29, 2017: By Charlie Gates – Stuff – 29/03/2017 Allegations of sexual assault, physical abuse and coercive treatment have swirled around the Gloriavale religious community for many years. A government investigation into the West Coast religious group, released under the Official Information Act this week, offers insight into the allegations, reveals new…