Catherine Wessinger on the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Branch Davidian Tragedy

April 19, 2023 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the fire which ended the standoff between federal agents and members of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. Much has been learned about this tragedy over the last few decades, and it continues to be relevant to events in politics and religion. Catherine Wessinger is our guest sharing her expertise in this area.

Catherine Wessinger is the Rev. H. James Yamauchi, S.J. Professor of the History of Religions at Loyola University New Orleans. She is the author of How the Millennium Comes Violently: From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate (2000); editor of Millennialism, Persecution, and Violence: Historical Cases (2000); editor of The Oxford Handbook of Millennialism (2011); editor of three Branch Davidian survivor autobiographies for Bonnie Haldeman (David Koresh’s mother), Sheila Martin, and Clive Doyle. She has served as a co-general editor of Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions since 2000.

 

She has written a number of book chapters and a journal article on the Branch Davidians-federal agents conflict outside Waco, Texas.

Among the most significant is the 2009 journal article, “Deaths in the Fire at the Branch Davidians’ Mount Carmel: Who Bears Responsibility?” in Nova Religio; and a chapter titled, “The FBI’s ‘Cult War’ against the Branch Davidians,” in the 2017 edited volume,The FBI and Religion.

 

Her YouTube channel—Catherine Wessinger—is devoted to interviews with people involved with the Branch Davidians-federal agents conflict at Mount Carmel Center, outside Waco, Texas, as well as video footage of the 1993 conflict, and video of past Branch Davidian memorials.

 

She is one of four scholars who are featured in the 2020 film titled The Waco Branch Davidian Tragedy: What Have We Learned or Not Learned? produced by Reunion Institute, published on her YouTube channel. The separate chapters of this nearly three-hour film are also available on her YouTube channel.

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