The Way CHANGES the 1972 story in Whiteside's book, The Way: Living in Love

Greetings, readers. In 1972, The Way International published a book, The Way: Living in Love, by Elena Scott Whiteside. I call it TWLIL. The Way now says they republished it. The following description is from their website: The Way: Living in Love – The Way International Bookstore

"First published in 1972, The Way: Living in Love is being re-released for a new generation of readers. Whether you’ve been part of our ministry for decades or are just discovering it, this beloved book offers a vivid glimpse into the early days of The Way International—through the lens of one unforgettable day at Headquarters. It’s a portrait of a community where God’s Word was lived with boldness, joy, and love—and where people from all walks of life came together around their love for God’s Word."

I ordered and received two copies recently, and I'm telling you they DID NOT republish the original book. They changed it. 

The republished version of the book

Again, I say that the new republished version of TWLIL is NOT the same story from the 1972 book that The Way claims it is in their description. They changed the text. 

One major change: they omitted a section showing Wierwille, who died in 1985, making damming comments about women. I just published this example on my blog: What Did Victor Paul Wierwille Say About Women?

The original book

I think the original book, as well as this new version, is a compelling piece of propaganda. Especially skewed are parts in which Wierwille tells his personal story, his journey to organizing The Way. He makes himself look humble, good, and of chosen by God to do what he's doing. Read it with caution, skepticism, and remember who is telling his story. I knew him. He trained me to be a leader, promoting his work, selling his Bible classes. By the time I escaped The Way in 1987, I'd discovered what kind of man he really was.

I have an ad flyer about the original book

The flyer shows the original book came out in 1972 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Way. Photos of the flyer are at the end of this post.

Today, in 2026, The Way International sells their scrubbed version of this TWLIL book using American Christian Press, their in-house publishing department. The original book, from 1972, was also published by them. I know this because I was there. And I am in the book.

Who else is in the story?

Of course, Wierwille is the main character. Whiteside interviews him extensively and includes in the book his chatty style of answering her questions. Sometimes they were driving around in a car. She was a trained journalist getting to ask him whatever was interesting to her.

Whiteside also interviewed some of us loyalists living at Way headquarters at the time—1971, 1972. She included a lot of real names and recruitment stories.

Ironies

Ironies: Many of us portrayed in the TWLIL story have either abandoned the organization and its goals, currently run competing offshoot ministries based on Wierwille's teachings, or speak out about the abusive character, cavalier plagiarist, and shameless self-promoter, Victor Paul Wierwille. Others in the story, like Del Duncan, have passed away. 

Another irony: Not only am I in the story, I'm in one of the photos on the cover of both versions of TWLIL. It's a small one showing a circle of believers outdoors. I'm in the upper right, sitting in a chair, facing the camera. A photo of the two covers come after the brochure photos below.

How did I get the TWLIL brochure?

In 1972, I was in The Way Corps leadership training program at The Way International headquarters (HQ) in New Knoxville, Ohio, at the same time Whiteside wrote her book. After it was published, I got a copy along with the little brochure pictured below. It's been paperclipped inside the book ever since.

Who was Elena Scott Whiteside?

Whiteside was an experienced writer from New York. (see her bio on the flyer). She'd recently taken Wierwille's Bible class, Power for Abundant Living. A fire burned in her. She was hooked.

Because Whiteside lived at Way HQ while writing the book, I spent time with her. She lived in a trailer across the lawn from Trailer Six, where I lived with other Corps women. I appear in the book during the lunchtime scene. There, you find out some of my recruitment story. 

If you want my version of how I was recruited, it's in my own book, Undertow.

When I think of Whiteside, I remember a very nice and kind woman who was an ultra-enthusiastic Way believer highly motivated to write about what she saw and heard at Way headquarters from Wierwille and those of us she decided to include in the story.

Nothing could stop her mission. Until The Way changed what she wrote. Did they ask her first?

The first 4 photos are of the 1972 promo brochure for The Way: Living in Love:

1. The 1972 flyer advertising TWLIL

 2. Whiteside's bio in the flyer

 3. Description of TWLIL in flyer

 4. Back of ad flyer for TWLIL

The following photo: 1972 paper dustcover on the hardback TWLIL:

Charlene is in the third photo down on the right side.


This last photo: cover of the 2025 paperback, "republished" TWLIL

Charlene is in the third photo down on the right side.










Why I write on Blogspot about The Way

I want to offer another side of the story about The Way to people thinking of fellowshipping with The Way, people thinking of leaving the organization, concerned family members of committed Way followers, and former members curious about how things have been going with The Way lately.

Related reading

Charlene Lamy Edge Speaks about The Way International

Thanks for reading,

Charlene Lamy Edge

Bio

Charlene Edge is the author of the award-winning memoir, Undertow:My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International. Charlene grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in a Roman Catholic family. In college, students recruited her into The Way International, a Bible-based cult; she gave it the next seventeen years of her life.

After escaping The Way International™ headquarters in New Knoxville, Ohio, in 1987, she earned a BA in English Literature from Rollins College in Florida, graduating summa cum laude, and worked for more than a decade as a writer in the software industry.

She is a published short-short story writer, an award-winning poet, and a member of the Florida Writers Association, The Authors Guild, and the International Cultic Studies Association. Edge also serves on the FWA Speakers Bureau.

Charlene lives in Florida with her husband, Dr. Hoyt L. Edge, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Rollins College.

 


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