Cooperite Community, Cooperites. The Cooperites are a self-sufficient group, possibly best regarded as a sect (although that is being reviewed), of about 520 members. They are based at Gloriavale Christian Community on the West Coast of the South Island, where they moved in 1991 (the move continuing through to 1995) from their former location at Springbank Christian Community near Cust, North Canterbury (also known at that time as Cust Christian Community and Christian Community Church). The group was founded in 1969 by Neville Cooper (deceased), who changed his name to Hopeful Christian. His second-in-command and secretary/treasurer is Fervent Stedfast (formerly Alistaire Barret), and "Overseeing Shepherd's Appointed Successor" is Howard Temple (formerly Smitherman). Howard Temple is the present leader of the community. The contact person for the Gloriavale Christian Community School is Faithful Pilgrim. The community is mostly self-sufficient, and under the auspices of Christian Church Community Trust is said to run at least four export businesses selling products such as sphagnum moss and cervine meal. Businesses and building projects were directed by Steady Standtrue (deceased). The Cooperites hold very conservative Christian principles, apparently with an emphasis on sex within marriage. The median age of the community is 15.

The group has been labelled a sect ("sectarian religious movement") by Dr Nick Thompson, a lecturer in theology at the University of Auckland, because of the way they have separated themselves from the outside world, and the New Zealand Cult List agrees. However, there are strong signs the community may be a cult, including a single unquestionable leader (the now deceased Neville Cooper/Hopeful Christian), exclusivism (salvation is only possible within the group, although they officially say they tolerate other churches; the outside world is evil; members who have left have fallen away from truth and will not be seen in Heaven – all of these points are theologically incorrect), fear, guilt and intimidation (leaders are not to be questioned, members are made to feel guilty for having doubts), information control (restricted access to newspapers and Internet; no knowledge of common technology such as cellphones or ATMs; members do not know why the founder was imprisoned; teaching the KJV is superior to other Bible versions), relationship control and shunning (birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas are not celebrated; members are named/renamed with names very unusual outside the group thereby reinforcing group identity; restricted contact with the opposite sex and the outside world; completely barred contact with former members, even spouses and parents of young children). Interviews with former members from April 2015 highlight some of this. As mentioned in this NZ Herald article, Campbell Live (reporter John Sellwood) also asked former members "a series of questions related to the definition of a cult, to which they responded "yes" to each one in relation to Gloriavale." The interview is here on the 3 News site. The group incorrectly believes "Baptism [by immersion] is essential to salvation from sin", and calls it "the start of a person’s life in Christ." See the PDFs Waterworks and Water Baptism and Salvation for refutation.

Contradicting this (media driven?) view of the Cooperites being a cult is sociologist Andrew Sepie of the University of Canterbury, who has visited the community, and is reported as saying it cannot be described as a cult because its ideology is based on the Bible and Christianity. He is quoted as saying "The main fundamental rule of a cult is it must develop its own ideology and religious doctrine, they [Gloriavale] are using Christianity – that excludes them from being a cult ... By a technical definition they could never be a cult." In saying this, it is clear that Mr Sepie has a very different understanding of what a cult is to many cult researchers and the New Zealand Cult List: The main way that a religious or non religious group is classed a cult is because it has significant detrimental sociological impact on its members through widespread use of mind control techniques to manipulate and control its members. Sociological definitions of cults started developing in the early 1930s and are now widely accepted. A group's Christian theology being doctrinally sound does not preclude it from being a cult. This particular group's religious views (however orthodox or heretical they may be) and its social practices are seldom far apart. For example, very sadly the group uses religious justification for the way it affects relationships. Apologetics Index states "In our opinion this organization is a cult, both theologically and sociologically."

The Cooperites are now rated Danger for their use of mind control techniques, especially (but not limited to) the breaking up of families because of the total separation involved with shunning.

	Danger: The group/person or belief/practice is considered dangerous due to mind control or particularly bad doctrine. These groups (or people) have a strong tendency to damage their members/followers.
	Hot Topic: The group/person or belief/practice has recently featured in the secular news media, has generated notable correspondence, is a popular conversation topic, etc. Note that this rating has nothing to do with the "cultishness" of a group.

Printed on 20 January 2021 at www.cults.co.nz.
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