University of Illinois Press

On Wednesday, July 28, from 10:00pm until midnight, co-authors Gordon and Gary Shepherd will appear on Milt Rosenberg’s WGN radio program Extension 720 to discuss their new book Talking with the Children of God: Prophecy and Transformation in a Radical Religious Group.

A unique study of the radical religious movement now known as The Family International, the book draws on face-to-face interviews with the group’s leaders and administrative staff. One of the most controversial groups emerging from the Jesus People movement of the 1960s, the Family originally was known as The Children of God. Under leader David Berg, members proclaimed an apocalyptic “Endtime,” shunned secular occupations, lived communally, and adopted unusual sexual practices that led to abuse scandals in the 1970s and 1980s. Following Berg’s death in 1994, the organization began to dramatically alter its evangelization efforts and decision-making processes.

Gordon and Gary Shepherd will be Milt’s guests for the full two hours and will take listener phone calls in the second hour of the program.