New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities

by Christopher Partridge (Editor), J. Gordon Melton (Foreword by)

From Christian Science and the Jehovah's Witnesses to Soka Gakkai, Wicca, and Falun Gong, the last century and a half has seen an unprecedented growth of new religious movements, sects, and alternative spiritualities.
New Religions offers an authoritative and lavishly illustrated guide to more than two hundred of these wildly varied groups and movements. The volume is organized according to an entirely new method of classification, which associates movements, sects, and spiritualities with the religious
traditions from which they arose. Rastafarianism, for example, is shown to have its roots in Christianity, while Bahai is an offshoot of Islam. Included are both long-established groups like the Seventh-Day Adventists and the Hutterites and more recent movements like Santeria, the Unification
Church, and ISKCON (the "Hare Krishnas"). In addition to Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Indian Religions, and the Religions of East Asia, sections are devoted to movements and groups inspired by Indigenous and Pagan Traditions, and by Western Esoteric and New Age Traditions.
Particularly fascinating is the discussion of the religious offspring of Modern Western Culture, including Scientology, UFO-based groups (such as the Raelians), and even the worship of celebrities like Elvis and Princess Diana. Each entry clearly and concisely explains the history, beliefs and
practices, and status in the world today of the movement or group in question. Special entries highlight broad topics such as New Religions in China as well as intriguing subjects such as Cargo Cults, Martial Arts, Astrology, and Feng Shui.
Written by specialists, New Religions is a fascinating and colorful guide to the bewildering array of religious and spiritual options available to the modern seeker.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Reference, Spirituality

448 pages, Hardcover

First published May 6, 2004

About the author

Dr Christopher Hugh Partridge is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Lancaster, Lancashire, England.

Partridge (born 1961) is an author, editor, professor, and founding Co-director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Popular Culture. According to Gordon Lynch, Partridge is a leading scholar of topics in popular culture.

Reviews

[Ihor Kolesnyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Хороше, лаконічне видання із ілюстраціями. Витримано релігієзнавчу традицію і толерантність щодо релігійних рухів та течій. Для загального уявлення, що робиться у сфері сучасної релігійності, пасує людям без відповідної освіти та підготовки. Популярне видання.

[Erwin Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Religions A Guide by Christopher Partridge is a compilation of over 200 religious entries that ranges from “Christian Science and the Jehovah’s Witnesses to Soka Gakki, Wicca, and Falun Gong.” These accounts are marked by “an unprecedented growth of new religious movements, sects, and alternative spiritualities.”
Each movement is classified, and organized in categories in the various religious traditions. Entries spell out the history, beliefs, practices, and their present-day characteristics. These descriptions are all documented and written by religious and international experts. And this volume provides a wide array of religious and spiritual options available to readers on a quest to learn more about these new faith traditions. Relevant pictures of founders, adherents, and religious symbols also grace this edition.

[Melanie Rippon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent resource from Lion, though not in the "flexback" format (which I really like) of their various Handbooks. Does a great job of explaining where various newer religious movements have come from, accessible without "talking down" to the reader, but enough detail to interest the serious student as well as the merely curious.