Exploring New ReligionsAn objective, well-researched history of contemporary new religions and cults.New religious movements - popularly known as cults - arouse strong public opinion and most books on the subject are polemical, giving hostile reaction rather than informed exploration. Exploring New Religions provides an account of a wide variety of new religions, focusing on their origins, beliefs and practices, which are set out in a dispassionate way, leaving readers to form their own value judgements. George Chryssides provides important analysis of the killer cults-the Jonestown People's Temple, Waco, the Solar Temple and Heaven's Gate-examining the factors that made their followers willing to die for their cause. Older groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are discussed, and Chryssides traces the development of a variety of strands of spirituality, ranging from New Thought, Spiritualism and Theosophy. Subsequent chapters include the Baha'i, the Family (formerly Children of God), the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON), the Jesus Army, the Rastafarians, the Church of Scientology, Transcendental Meditation (TM) and the Unification Church ('the Moonies'). Lower profile groups are also discussed including: EST (Erhard Seminar Training), the New Kadampa Tradition, Brahma Kumaris, Sai Baba, Subud and the Western Buddhist Order. A study of the New Age phenomenon, and an account of societal responses to new religions at religious, societal and political levels is also included. |
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Contents
| 1 | |
| 33 | |
3 The old new religions | 77 |
4 The New Christian movements | 120 |
5 New religions in the Hindu tradition | 164 |
6 New forms of Buddhism | 204 |
7 Independent new religions | 244 |
8 The Human Potential Movement | 278 |
9 New Age witchcraft and Paganism | 315 |
10 The countercult movement | 342 |
Statistical data | 366 |
Compendium | 370 |
| 377 | |
| 392 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accept According activities appeared associated attempt authority Baba Baha’i became become believed belong Bible body Book of Revelation Britain Buddhism called Christ Christian Church claim commitment concerned continued course critics cult death described divine early enable established example existence expected experience fact faith Family final followers further gained give groups Hindu human ideas important initiation interest involved ISKCON Jesus Jones known Krishna leader living mainstream material means mind Mormon movement nature NRMs offer one’s organization original particularly physical possible powers practice problems received recent referred regarded religion religious remain Revelation Scientology scripture society soul spiritual suggested taught teachings Temple tend term thought tradition Transcendental Meditation true truth universe various western Witnesses writings
Bibliographic information
| Title | Exploring New Religions Issues in Contemporary Religion |
| Author | George D. Chryssides |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing, 1999 |
| ISBN | 0826438903, 9780826438904 |
| Length | 416 pages |
| Subjects | › Religion / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |