“A specific challenge might not have a precedent in the sacred text but the spirit for discerning ‘good from evil’ was part of the apostolic heritage. The thesis of our study is that such a spirit or ideology survived the centuries of challenges the faithful faced” (29)

who were “the faithful”?

• “Simply asserting that one’s preferred movement was ‘led by the Holy Spirit’ is insufficient unless the argument also explains why other Christian groups claiming the same guidance should be excluded.”

• “The claim that a particular group was uniquely directed by the Holy Spirit requires more than internal conviction; it also requires demonstrating why similar claims made by other Christian communities are unpersuasive.”look also at the Emotionalism page for quotes