Exploring New ReligionsBloomsbury Publishing, 1999 M12 1 - 416 pages An 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. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 69
Page 2
... became clear that a general introduction was needed that presented their fundamental tenets in as impartial and empathetic a manner as possible - something akin to Walter Martin's The Kingdom of the Cults ( 1965/1985 ) , but with much ...
... became clear that a general introduction was needed that presented their fundamental tenets in as impartial and empathetic a manner as possible - something akin to Walter Martin's The Kingdom of the Cults ( 1965/1985 ) , but with much ...
Page 11
... became apostate through the passage of time . The question of whether a religious group is an authentic expression of an ancient and lost tradition is notoriously difficult to settle , and is partly historical and partly theological ...
... became apostate through the passage of time . The question of whether a religious group is an authentic expression of an ancient and lost tradition is notoriously difficult to settle , and is partly historical and partly theological ...
Page 36
... became a student pastor in Sommerset Southside Methodist Church ; however , the congregation did not support his quest for racial integration , and Jones felt that he had no option but to leave . His search for a community of like ...
... became a student pastor in Sommerset Southside Methodist Church ; however , the congregation did not support his quest for racial integration , and Jones felt that he had no option but to leave . His search for a community of like ...
Page 40
... became Jonestown was situated in an isolated part of Guyana , some 140 miles from Georgetown , the capital . An advance party was sent out in 1974 to explore the possibility of developing 300 acres of land offered by the Guyana ...
... became Jonestown was situated in an isolated part of Guyana , some 140 miles from Georgetown , the capital . An advance party was sent out in 1974 to explore the possibility of developing 300 acres of land offered by the Guyana ...
Page 41
... became a virtually self - sufficient community , with its own educational system and its own caring facilities for the old and the sick . The community intended to lead a pure lifestyle , and alcohol , tobacco and drugs were not ...
... became a virtually self - sufficient community , with its own educational system and its own caring facilities for the old and the sick . The community intended to lead a pure lifestyle , and alcohol , tobacco and drugs were not ...
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 |
Bibliography | 377 |
Index | 392 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
anti-cult Applewhite avatar Baba Baba's Baha'i Baha'u'llah baptism became become believed Bible body Brahma Kumaris Britain Buddha Buddhism ceremony Christ Chryssides Church of Scientology claim counter-cult cult Dalai Lama death devotees Dianetics disciples divine doctrines Dorje Shugden Erhard evangelical example existence faith Family Findhorn followers founder-leader Glastonbury God's gohonzons groups Hindu Hinduism Holy human important ISKCON Jehovah's Witnesses Jesus Army Jesus Fellowship Church Jones Jonestown Jouret known Krishna latihan Latter-day Saints leader lifestyle living Maharishi mainstream Christianity Mambro mantra marriage means meditation membership messiah mind mission Mormon Nichiren Nichiren Shoshu NRMs offer one's organization original Osho physical powers Prabhupada practice priesthood problems prophet Rajneesh Rastafarians regarded relationship religion religious movements Revelation Sangharakshita sannyasins scripture sect seminars sexual Society Soka Gakkai Solar Temple soul spiritual Subud Subuh taught teachings Tibetan tradition truth Unification Church Wicca worship