Sins of the Father

The Long Shadow of a Religious Cult

The disturbing story of the ruthless exercise of power in a New Zealand religious cult.Charismatic, driven and self-righteous, Neville Cooper set up his own brand of Christian utopia on earth: a reclusive community on the West Coast of New Zealand. For the 400 inhabitants of Gloriavale, his word is law � despite his 1995 conviction for sexual abuse. His son Phil Cooper, as headstrong as his father, had to escape. But Phil�s wife Sandy was bound to the will of Neville and his brand of eternal salvation. And so began the monumental tug-of-war between father and son: a son who wanted to give his children a chance in the world. This is a true story of power and control, of abductions and night raids, of hearts broken and those trying to mend. It�s also the story of the long shadow cast by the unyielding vision of one man, and the hope and resolve of one family to restore its shattered past.