David Christopher Lane is an academic who has specialized in the critical study of new religious movements, and this Del Mar Press book is his investigation into the actual origins of Eckankar and its founder Paul Twitchell, set against the movement's own traditional account of an ancient Eck lineage passing through Twitchell. Its strength is documentary, Lane traces Twitchell's earlier career and his borrowings from other contemporary spiritual writers, building a case that directly contests Eckankar's own origin story. Its limit is that this is one outside researcher's critical reconstruction, self-published through a small press rather than an academic publisher, so while its specific documentary claims are widely cited, a claim sourced to Eckankar's own scripture should be checked against this critique rather than assumed settled by it alone.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier2
Published by Del Mar Press, a small independent press, as David C. Lane's critical biographical account of Paul Twitchell; a secondary account rather than a major academic press monograph, hence the middle tier. NotesDavid Lane's critical study of Eckankar's founder Paul Twitchell and the movement's actual origins, challenging Eckankar's own account of its history. Use to document this critical outside investigation of Twitchell's biography and Eckankar's formation; it directly contests, rather than confirms, the movement's own traditional account, so a claim sourced to Eckankar's own scripture should be checked against this critique where the two differ.
Citation
AuthorDavid C. Lane
PublisherDel Mar Press
Publication Year1983
Source Typebook
Claims Backed By This Source (41 claims)
This source backs 41 claims across the atlas. As facts: 32 well-attested, 1 popular myth - corrected. As cited relationships: 1 connected. Plus 7 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Articles, 10 claims: 8 well-attested, 1 connected, 1 general references.
- Scriptures & Texts, 10 claims: 9 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Sources, 7 claims: 7 well-attested.
- Historical Figures, 6 claims: 4 well-attested, 1 popular myth - corrected, 1 general references.
- Practices, 3 claims: 2 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Religions, 3 claims: 2 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Religious Roles & Titles, 2 claims: 2 general references.
Popular myth - corrected
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