Constance Cumbey
Encyclopedia
Constance Cumbey
is a lawyer
and activist Christian
author.
, and raised as a Seventh-day Adventist
.
She was the first of seven children born to her parents. Her paternal grandparents were both raised as Quakers (Society of Friends) but after their marriage converted to the Church of the Nazarene. Her paternal grandmother was a Church of the Nazarene Sunday School teacher for upwards of 50 years. Her father's cousin, the Rev. Russell Butler, was a longtime Quaker pastor
in Indianapolis
. On her maternal side, Cumbey's mother, Margaret, as well as an uncle joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church
as adults.
She served as one of nine members of the Speaker's Staff of the Michigan House of Representatives, holding the title of "Administrative Assistant and Legislative Analyst to the Speaker of the House."
from 1970 to 1972. She graduated from the Detroit College of Law, now known as the Michigan State University College of Law
in 1975 with a Juris Doctor degree.
Cumbey has been a practicing attorney
since 1975 and before writing her books was an active a member of the American Bar Association
. Since returning to the active practice of law in the 1980s, she is an active member of the Macomb and Wayne County Bar associations as well as the mandatory State Bar of Michigan affiliation.
From 1992 to 2004, she hosted a Detroit radio program , focused on legal affairs, known as Law Talk on a Christian station.
movement. She gave up her law practice for a while to dedicate herself to writing and public speaking to this end.
Cumbey offered the first major criticism of the New Age movement from a Christian perspective in The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow: The New Age Movement and Our Coming Age of Barbarism (1983). In 2006, she accused Christian writer Texe Marrs
of plagiarizing material from her book.
Her rejection of New Age spirituality was based on her understanding of Christian teachings regarding the role of Christ as saviour, and of Biblical prophecy. She has also in her writings, expressed and documented her concerns that the European Union
's foreign policy chief Javier Solana
could have potentially dictatorial potential.
is a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and activist Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
author.
Background
Cumbey was born as Constance Elizabeth Butler to a family of English, German, and French ancestry in Fort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
, and raised as a Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
.
She was the first of seven children born to her parents. Her paternal grandparents were both raised as Quakers (Society of Friends) but after their marriage converted to the Church of the Nazarene. Her paternal grandmother was a Church of the Nazarene Sunday School teacher for upwards of 50 years. Her father's cousin, the Rev. Russell Butler, was a longtime Quaker pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. On her maternal side, Cumbey's mother, Margaret, as well as an uncle joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
as adults.
She served as one of nine members of the Speaker's Staff of the Michigan House of Representatives, holding the title of "Administrative Assistant and Legislative Analyst to the Speaker of the House."
Legal career
Cumbey began law school in 1972. While attending law school, she was employed as a consultant to the Governmental Efficiency Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee for the Michigan State Senate. She was the first Charter appointee as Executive Assistant to the mayor of the City of Highland Park, MichiganHighland Park, Michigan
- Geography :According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 16,746 people, 6,199 households, and 3,521 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,622.9 per square mile . There were 7,249...
from 1970 to 1972. She graduated from the Detroit College of Law, now known as the Michigan State University College of Law
Michigan State University College of Law
The Michigan State University College of Law is a private law school located in East Lansing, Michigan which is affiliated with Michigan State University...
in 1975 with a Juris Doctor degree.
Cumbey has been a practicing attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
since 1975 and before writing her books was an active a member of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
. Since returning to the active practice of law in the 1980s, she is an active member of the Macomb and Wayne County Bar associations as well as the mandatory State Bar of Michigan affiliation.
From 1992 to 2004, she hosted a Detroit radio program , focused on legal affairs, known as Law Talk on a Christian station.
Writing career
Cumbey began a secondary career as a researcher and writer in 1981, to write about the New AgeNew Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
movement. She gave up her law practice for a while to dedicate herself to writing and public speaking to this end.
Cumbey offered the first major criticism of the New Age movement from a Christian perspective in The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow: The New Age Movement and Our Coming Age of Barbarism (1983). In 2006, she accused Christian writer Texe Marrs
Texe Marrs
Texe W. Marrs is an American conspiracy theorist, who runs a Christian ministry called Living Truth Ministries, based in Austin, Texas.He was previously an officer in the United States Air Force and a faculty member at the University of Texas....
of plagiarizing material from her book.
Her rejection of New Age spirituality was based on her understanding of Christian teachings regarding the role of Christ as saviour, and of Biblical prophecy. She has also in her writings, expressed and documented her concerns that the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's foreign policy chief Javier Solana
Javier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
could have potentially dictatorial potential.
Published work
- The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow: The New Age Movement and our Coming Age of Barbarism (1983)
- A Planned Deception: The Staging of a New Age Messiah (1986)
Further reading
- John DraneJohn DraneJohn William Drane is a theologian who is probably best known for his two best-selling books on the Bible, Introducing the Old Testament and Introducing the New Testament . He studied in the University of Aberdeen where he was a student of I...
, What is the New Age Still Saying to the Church? (London: Marshall Pickering, 1999). - Douglas R. GroothuisDouglas GroothuisDouglas R. Groothuis is currently Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary.Groothuis was a campus pastor for twelve years prior to obtaining a position as an associate professor of philosophy of religion and ethics at Denver Seminary in 1993. He was educated at the University of...
, Unmasking the New Age (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1986). - Irving Hexham, "The Evangelical Response to the New Age," in Perspectives on the New Age, James R. Lewis and J. Gordon Melton, eds., (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992), pp. 152-163.
- Elliot Miller, A Crash Course on the New Age Movement (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989).
- Bob and Gretchen Passantino, Witch Hunt (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1990).
- John A. SalibaJohn A. SalibaJohn A. Saliba is a Maltese-born Jesuit priest, a professor of religious studies at the University of Detroit Mercy and a noted writer and researcher in the field of new religious movements.Saliba has advocated a conciliatory approach towards new religions...
, Christian Responses to the New Age Movement: A Critical Assessment (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1999). - SCP Staff, "The Final Threat: Cosmic Conspiracy and end times speculation," in The New Age Rage, Karen Hoyt and J. Isamu Yamamoto, eds., (Old Tappan: Revell, 1987), pp. 185-201.