Christian Research Institute
[8] Stephen Board, in his study of the history of evangelical periodicals, has observed that during its first decade of publishing Eternity was built around Barnhouse's personality and his own particular causes.
However, Martin also wrote book reviews, examined general apologetics and doctrinal issues, and also considered social questions such as alcoholism.
Barnhouse wrote the foreword to The Christian Science Myth, and his support for Martin's ministry was crucial in legitimating countercult apologetics to the wider church constituency.
[13] Walter Martin subsequently gave this summary profile about CRI: "The Institute's purpose is to supply primary data on all the cults, and non-Christian missionary activities, both here and abroad.
It is the function of this Institute to index the major cults and to supply resumes of their origin, history, and doctrines, with bibliographical material aimed at specifically evangelizing and refuting their respective teachings.
Martin also developed a profile on radio initially as a co-host of Barnhouse's Bible Study Hour, then as a regular panel guest on the Long John Nebel show in the 1960s.
He encouraged the development of a bureau of speakers associated with CRI, which in the 1960s included figures such as Walter Bjorck, Floyd Hamilton, James Bjornstad and Shildes Johnson.
[20][21] CRI produced various tracts about the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, distributed tapes, books and booklets by Martin, and initially ran a periodical in 1961–62 known as Religious Research Digest.
[23] In 1968, a symposium of scholars was convened in Austria where the plans for CRI's computerized apologetics data bank were presented in lectures by Martin and John Warwick Montgomery.
[26] Martin also became part of the teaching faculty of the newly formed Melodyland School of Theology in Anaheim, where countercult apologetics was integrated into the curriculum and the 13,000 volumes of CRI's library was housed there.
[28] During the 1970s and 1980s a number of younger apologists were mentored by Martin through CRI and included Cal Beisner, Todd Ehrenborg, Craig Hawkins, Carole Hausmann, Kurt Van Gorden, John Weldon, George Mather, Paul Carden, Rich Poll, Robert M. Bowman Jr., Kenneth Samples, and Elliot Miller.
[29] The profile of CRI increased with the widespread sales of Martin's book The Kingdom of the Cults (now with approximately 750,000 copies sold[citation needed]), his audio-tape albums, his radio ministry, and his appearances on national television.
[citation needed] In 1977, CRI launched a new quarterly periodical called the Christian Research Institute Newsletter, which in 1978 was retitled Forward.
[citation needed] In 1983 CRI established the Instituto Cristão de Pesquisas (ICP), an affiliate ministry in São Paulo, Brazil.
[citation needed] Both at the time of Martin's death and then in the immediate years to follow, a number of staff researchers associated with CRI began to emerge as authors of various countercult apologetics books.
[citation needed] Due to the controversial nature of the Christian countercult movement, both Martin and CRI have been involved in various theological and social conflicts.
[42][43] For a short time in the late 1970s CRI and Martin were involved in a controversy over claims that apologists had located part of the manuscript of the Book of Mormon, which allegedly had been plagiarized from a novel by Solomon Spaulding.
Co-authors Cowdrey, Davis, and Vanick attempt to show that Sidney Rigdon did in fact visit Pittsburgh, the last residence of Spalding, before 1820.
