ABSTRACT
Since the end of the 1980s the countries of Eastern Europe have been confronted by a new phenomenon: the appearance and growth of new religious and para-religious movements (NRMs). Theories explaining religious change and the growth of NRMs are formulated and tested mainly on empirical evidence from Western and Third World countries, with almost no reference to Eastern Europe. Younger, better educated and urban segments of the population are among those most receptive to both secularization and religious renewal, especially in its alternative forms. The development of intra-church Catholic movements has been one of the most significant factors responsible for the change in the Polish religious scenery during recent years. The ‘organicist’ reaction apparently predominates in Eastern Europe, and it is supported by the traditional churches and by political organizations for which a blend of national and religious elements is central to their ideologies, especially in mono-religious countries.
