The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements

The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements

Olav Hammer, Mikael Rothstein, 2012

Overview

New religious movements emerge through charismatic leadership or schisms, often introducing novel doctrines and behaviors that can be perceived as controversial. In recent years, these movements have been increasingly studied as complex cultural phenomena, akin to established religions, involving myths, rituals, and canonical texts. This companion offers a systematic and comparative perspective on key features of new religious movements, drawing on forty years of research. It examines movements that have garnered significant media attention, including Scientology, New Age, Neopaganism, the Sai Baba movement, and Jihadist movements in the post-9/11 era.

Who it's for

• Students of religious studies
• Scholars of history of religion
• Students of sociology and anthropology
• Researchers in the psychology of religion

Key features

• Language: English
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 346
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Year: 2012
• ISBN: 9780521145657