New Religious Movements
World-rejecting NRMs
World-accomodating NRMs
World-affirming NRMs
Evaluation
Growth of the New Age
Postmodernity and the New Age
Women and the New Age
Drane
Wallis
As women are associated with a healing role they are more attracted to New Age than men
Wallis
Heelas
Wallis
Wallis
Example of World-rejecting
Moonies, Children of God, The Manson Family and People's Temple
Several characteristics
Has clear notion of God.
Critical of outside world and expect radical change
To achieve salvation, members must make sharp break from former life
Members live communally
Example of World-accomodating
Neo-Pentecostalists or Subud
Characteristics
Breakaway from existing mainstream churches
Neither accept nor reject the world
Focus on relgious matters than worldly.
Seek to restore spiritual purity of religion
Example of world-affirming
Scientology, Soka Gakkai, TM and Human Potential
Characteristics
Accept the world as it is
Non-exclusive and tolerant of other religions
Offer additional special knowledge that enables followers to unlock own spriritual powers.
Most are cults : followers are customers
New Age appeal is part of shift towards postmodernity.
Postmodern : loss of faith
Modernity and the New Age
Bruce
Growth of the New Age is a feature of latest phase of modern society
Modern society : values individualism
Heelas
New Age & modernity link in 4 ways
Source of identity
Consumer culture
Rapid social change
Decline of organised religion
Heelas and Woodhead
80% of participants in holistic milieu in Kendal were female
Bruce
Women's experience with child-rearing makes them less aggressive and are more cooperative and caring
New Age also emphasises importance of being 'authentic' rather than acting out roles
Individual sphere
Third sphere : individual autonomy and personal growth rather than role performance
Class differences
Personal growth and control appeal to MC women
Passive roles attractive to WC women
2,000 activities and 146,000 practitioners
in the UK
Activities are loosely organised audience or client cults
Diverse and eclectic
Include belief in :
UFOs and aliens
Astrology
Tarot and crystals
Alternative forms of medicine and psychotherapy
Yoga and meditation and magic
These are useful ways to classify new religious movements
However, not clear if it categorising them according to movements teachings or individual members beliefs
Stark and Bainbridge
Reject idea of constructing typologies
We should distinguish between religious organisations using just one criterion.