Making a Case for Religious Freedom: The Church of Scientology Responds to Claims Made in an Unauthorized Biography of Tom Cruise

ABSTRACT This article examines a 14-page statement released by the Church of Scientology in response to author Andrew Morton’s unauthorized biography of Tom Cruise, one of Scientology’s most notable celebrity adherents. Placing this situation within the larger context of media coverage of new religious movements, the study uses a modified version of Burke’s (1973) “cluster-agon” analysis to show how the Scientology statement attempts to define the church’s legitimacy in opposition to what they portray as baseless character defamation by a journalist of questionable credibility. Analysis of the statement also reveals an interesting attempt by the Church of Scientology to access shared cultural symbols by portraying itself as a persecuted religion seeking sanctuary in the American tradition of religious freedom.