Wiley-Blackwell Cults and New Religions: A Brief History (Wiley Blackwell Brief Histories of Religion)

Review "Cults and New Religions is an excellent book that is highly informative and enjoyable to read. the book not only accomplishes the goal of Blackwell s series to provide volumes that are readily understood by general readers , but also would function as an ideal introductory textbook for an undergraduate course on new religions." ( Religion, June 2009) "There is a wealth of accurate and up to date information in a compact and user–friendly format.... As a source of clear factual description of these groups, this is an outstanding book." (Reformed Theological Journal, November 2008) Product Description An overview of the development of new religions and the controversies surrounding them in late modern society. A stimulating, course–friendly overview of the history and development of new religious movements (NRMs) in the late twentieth century Explores eight cults and NRMs, including the Church of Scientology, Transcendental Meditation, Unificationism, The Family International, the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, the Branch Davidians, Heaven s Gate, and Wicca Each chapter reviews the origins, leaders, beliefs, rituals and practices of a NRM, highlighting the specific controversies surrounding this group Covers debates including what constitutes an authentic religion, the validity of claims of brainwashing techniques, the implications of experimentation with unconventional sexual practices, and the deeply rooted cultural fears that cults engender. Review "This is a remarkably good book. It is probably the best introduction to the study of new religions available, providing a concise yet surprisingly comprehensive and thoughtful description of the very groups, issues, and controversies that most scholars and students wish to understand better. Engagingly written, and impeccably researched, the book shatters stereotypes and captures the true diversity of new forms of religious life in modern western societies." Lorne L. Dawson, University of Waterloo "This well written book provides the busy reader with a reliable introduction to the complex and often highly emotionally charged issue surrounding the discussion of cults, sects and new religions. Anyone with limited time needing to understand the crux of the issue will find a wealth of resources and valuable insights in this excellent book." Irving Hexham, Liverpool Hope University From the Back Cover Cults and New Religions offers an overview of the history and development of eight new religious movements in the late twentieth century: the Church of Scientology, Transcendental Meditation, Unificationism, The Family International, the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, the Branch Davidians, Heaven s Gate, and Wicca. The book profiles each new religion, describing its origins, doctrines and rituals, leadership and organization. Each chapter includes a discussion of one of the major sources of controversy surrounding these movements, controversies that have led to them being popularly regarded as cults : whether they are indeed authentic religions, the validity of claims that brainwashing techniques are used to gain and retain members, their potential for violence, the implications of experimentation with unconventional sexual practices, and the deeply rooted cultural fears they engender. About the Author Douglas E. Cowan is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Social Development Studies at Renison University College, the University of Waterloo. He is the author of Cyberhenge: Modern Pagans on the Internet (2005), The Remnant Spirit: Conservative Reform in Mainline Protestantism (2003), and Bearing False Witness? An Introduction to the Christian Countercult (2003). He has also edited Religion Online: Finding Faith on the Internet (with Lorne L. Dawson, 2004) and Religion on the Internet: Research Prospects and Promises (with Jeffrey K. Hadden, 2000). He is one of the co–general editors of Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions. David G.