New Religions: Emerging Faiths and Religious Cultures in the Modern World
2 volumes. All religions were once new religious movements! Dictionary arrangement of entries for significant people, new religious movements in various countries, but especially the U.S., with a historical approach. So there are entries on, for instance, Amish, Christian Science, Bahai, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Ghost Dance Movement, Heaven's Gate. Also entries on conjunction of religious movements and other subjects, such as art and music. Chronology of significant events back to 1614. Entries are a from a long paragraph to several pages and have further reading references. There are 2 authors, both U.S. professors of religious history.
Handbook of UFO Religions Main BL 65 .U54 H36 2021
24 chapters by international scholars. Chapters on religious engagement with UFOs; methods and themes; case studies:individual proponents; new UFO religions emerging from the American context; new UFO religions emerging from the global context. Editor is a prof. at Lake Forest College and chair of religion dept. there.
Bloomsbury Companion to New Religious Movements Main BP 603 .B57 2014
29 chapters by well-published international scholars present balanced interpretations and sources. A research guide, rather than an encyclopedia or dictionary. Deals with issues ranging from research methods to resources. Has an A-Z list of major topics. 43 page bibliography.
Controversial New Religions Main BP 603 .C66 2014
"Scholarly, dispassionate look at those groups that have generated the most attention, including some very well-known classical groups like The Family, Unification Church, Scientology, and Jim Jones' People's Temple; some relative newcomers such as the Kabbalah Centre, the Order of the Solar Temple, Branch Davidians, Heaven's Gate, and the Falun Gong.... Each essay combines an overview of the history and beliefs of each organization or movement with original and insightful analysis."
Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements BP 601 .C47 2012
Chronology. Bibliography. Author is a specialist in NRMs. Entries for organizations, significant persons, publications, movements, some general topics. Entries from several paragraphs to a few pages.
Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements Main BL 80.3 .E539 2006
Historical Dictionary of New Age Movements. Main BP 605 .N48 Y675 2004
In the Scarecrow Press series of historical dictionaries of religion. These, and this one, contain a chronology, dictionary, and bibliography. Entries on topics, persons, concepts. For examples: Eastern Mysticism, Eddy, Mary Baker, and Feng-Shui. Bibliography is minimal and not annotated.
Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements. Main BP 603 .H36 2004 and 2016
Lengthy chapters signed by scholars with extensive further reading references. Not the standard dictionary-type organization. Comprehensive introduction to new religions. Has four sections: 1) the role that modernization, science, and technology have played in contemporary new religions. 2) Social conflict, legal dimensions, violence, anti-cult movement, France, Satanism and ritual abuse, conversion and “brainwashing.” 3) Social and psychological dimensions, millennialism, mythic dimensions, women and children in NRMs. 4) Neo-pagans, UFO religions, esotericism in NRMs, alternative spiritualities and “New Age,” NRMs in East Asia, witches and wiccans.
New Religions a Guide, New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities. Main BP 603 .N492 2004
Signed entries. Covers new religions, sects, and alternative spiritualities with roots in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Indian religions, East Asian religions, indigenous and pagan traditions, Western Esoteric and New Age traditions, and modern western cultures. Color illustrations. Minimal bibliography; no further reading references. Within each of the faiths or movements listed here are a series of articles on NRMs that have emerged from that faith. Under Christianity, for example, find articles on Mormonism, Christian Science, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Unity, Rastafarianism. Under Judaism find Lubavitch movement. Under Islam find Bahai, Sufi, and Nation of Islam. Under western esotericism find Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, Theosophy, Anthroposophy. Under modern western cultures find Scientology and Heaven’s Gate. These are just the more recognizable ones.
Dictionary of Atheism, Skepticism and Humanism Main BL 2705 .C66 2006
Voodoo Encyclopedia: Magic, Ritual, and Religion
Historical Dictionary of Shamanism Main GN 475.8 .H27 2016
Covers both historical and contemporary Shamanism. Shamanism is not an established church or an international organization, has no holy book or cross-cultural beliefs, and has been suppressed through the centuries by more evangelistic religions. Despite this, it is culturally vibrant among people marginalized by colonialism and modernity. Its practices have been both mis and re-interpreted. Its practices vary widely. Not a New Age Movement, but alternative, which is why the book is in this section. Dictionary approach with many biographical articles. Also topical articles. Large bibliography.
New Encyclopedia of the Occult Main BF 1407 .G74 2003
Entries explain aspects of all the occult sciences, astrology, numerology, necromancy and more, but only reference 20th c. information on these topics. There are entries putting the subjects in historical context and there are biographical entries on the major players in this field. 22 pp. bibliography at end, with references in the articles to this bibliography.
Handbook of Scientology Main BP 605 .S2 H35 2017
Founded by L. Ron Hubbard, the core of Scientology teaching lies in the belief that "each human has a reactive mind that responds to life's traumas, clouding the analytic mind and keeping us from experiencing reality." Scientologists undergo auditing to discover sources of this trauma, believing that re-experiencing it neutralizes it and reinforces the ascendancy of the analytic mind, with the final goal believed to be achieving a spiritual state that Scientology calls "clear." (from Wikipedia). MSU Libraries has a great deal of Scientology material in Murray and Hong Special Collections as part of our Radicalism Collection. Search our online catalog by subject scientology.
From Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Many religious sites on the web deal with what are commonly called "cults." There are many misconceptions about these religious communities and the dynamics of joining and leaving such groups. Several sociologists of religion have very good sites and articles devoted to educating the public about new religious movements. This section contains links to what we consider to be the best of these sites. We also provide several articles on the topic.
Site not currently available, I don' t think, June 21, 2023. A goal of this web site is to promote religious tolerance and appreciation of the positive benefits of pluralism and religious diversity. Site's original author was Jeffrey K. Hadden, now emeritus professor of sociology, University of Virginia, whose research interest was in new religious cults and movements. This site provides information on and links to religious cults and movements and controversies about them. Includes bibliographies.