ABSTRACT

The twentieth century has been marked by an unprecedented outburst of religious activity on a world-wide scale, and in particular by a mushrooming of numerous religious movements. This work, first published in 1987, takes a fresh approach to the understanding of this phenomenon, an approach which takes into account new concepts of human nature and of religion.

chapter 1|10 pages

The problem of new religious movements

chapter 2|4 pages

Religion and sociology

chapter 4|5 pages

Human nature

chapter 5|12 pages

Church—sect and cult

chapter 6|15 pages

Cults and social movements

chapter 7|14 pages

Religious creativity

chapter 8|8 pages

Charisma and organisation

chapter 9|11 pages

Membership—recruitment and retention

chapter 10|16 pages

The rise of new religious movements

chapter 11|9 pages

The functions of new religious movements

chapter 12|4 pages

The social problem of new religions

chapter 13|7 pages

World-wide creativity

chapter 14|4 pages

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