Synopses & Reviews
An anonymous caller tells a detective in a small Oregon town that a woman has just bitten off a man's finger. But the man is not the victim, the caller says. The woman is. She's being held by a group of faith-healing fanatics who are trying to cure her depression with violent exorcisms. Then the detective gets an even more ominous message: Children in the church have been dying mysteriously for years, and now several more are in immediate peril.
The caller, a church insider, risks everything to work with detectives and prosecutors to stop faith-based child abuse, joined by a mother who'd suffered a faith-healing tragedy herself and dedicated her life to saving others from it. Masterfully written by Cameron Stauth, In the Name of God is the true story of the heroic mission that exposed the darkest secret of religious fundamentalism, and the political deals that let thousands of children die at the hands of their own parents — legally. Faith-healing abuse still continues around the country, but the victory in Oregon has lit the path to a better future, in which no child need die because of a parent's beliefs.
Review
“In the Name of God shows how wrong people can go when they fail to recognize that medical technologies are gifts from God, too, and that ‘medical miracles' are just that. Cameron Stauth deserves loud applause for uncovering the truth. He deserves our prayers that what he has found will help expose the differences between religions that empower people and cults that weaken them and, sometimes, kill them.” Keith Ablow, MD, New York Times bestselling author
Review
"In the Name of God takes you to an America where religious extremism practiced in isolation leads to deadly consequences for children. Fortunately this unforgettable book also brings us heroes who refuse to let the ignorant and the malevolent use faith to escape their crimes. If you are concerned about the balance between religion and justice you must read this book.” Michael DAntonio, author of Mortal Sins
Review
“America has a number of fascinating criminal subcultures that remain all but hidden from public view. One of them has now been exposed in a startling new book by Cameron Stauth. In the Name of God is a definitive account of the secret, deadly history of faith healing in the U.S. Stauth's research has uncovered some of the worst things people do to one another under the guise of religion, casting much-needed light on this criminal darkness.” Stephen Singular, author of When Men Become Gods
Review
“Only a bold, highly gifted writer could take a sickeningly true crime story like this one, and with the delicate skill of a high-wire artist craft it into a non-judgmental nail-biter. Under the author's sensitive, yet humorous pen, the colorful personalities in this eye-opening drama pulse with lifeblood. This is a vitally important book. Historically accurate accounts such as Cameron Stauth's breathtaking masterpiece, In the Name of God, rip the skin off of America's stench-filled underbelly, bringing the gasping promise of healing, fresh air, and the determined assurance of a better tomorrow.” Susan Ray Schmidt, author of Favorite Wife: Escape from Polygamy
Review
“Powerful, moving and painstakingly researched, Cameron Stauth's In the Name of God illuminates the little-known culture of faith healing in America, and shows us why it is so important for all Americans to stand together and demand action and intervention to save the lives of its youngest victims. These children have no voice, so they need all of us to advocate on their behalf.” Lisa Pulitzer, New York Times-bestselling author
Synopsis
A shocking but ultimately triumphant story of the battle to end the deadly tradition of faith healing, and change the laws that protect its practitioners.
In a small Oregon town, American criminal history reached a tipping point when a series of sensational trials exposed the darkest side of American fundamentalism. Over the past decades, thousands of children had died at the hands of their own parents — legally. Local authorities knew why it was happening, and who was responsible — but did nothing — because faith-based neglect was not a crime.
In the Name of God tells the story of how police, prosecutors, and a lone church member triumphed over religious zealotry. Though the fight against faith healing continues around the country, the triumph in Oregon shows a path towards a better future, in which no child needs to die for the sake of a parents faith.
About the Author
Cameron Stauth is author or coauthor of 25 books. He has been editor of The Journal of Health Science, editor-in-chief of The Journal of the Nutritional Academy, a columnist for Natural Health, American Film, L.A. Business, and California Business, and his articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, People, The Saturday Evening Post, Prevention, Good Housekeeping, and many other publications. He lives in Portland, Oregon, and Sun Valley, Idaho.
Table of Contents
Prologue: Genesis
Part One: The Book of Matthew
1. The Serpent
2. God's Perfect World
3. Death and Dismemberment
4. The Exorcist
5. The Crime Family
Part Two: The Book of Judas
6. Betrayed with a Kiss
7. The Getaway
8. The Snitch
9. Crime Scene Investigators
10. Guilt and Innocence
11. The Wages of Sin
12. The Love of Judas
Part Three: The Book of Revelation
13. The First Great Awakening
14. Sacrificed on the Altar
15. Angel Baby
16. Police Work
17. Clackatraz
18. Tender Mercies
19. Healing the Blind
20. The Father, The Son
21. It Is Finished
Epilogue: Exodus
Index