ABSTRACT
A distinctive approach to the categorization of New Religious Movements (NRMs) is that advanced by Eileen Barker who classifies them according to the religious tradition from which they are ultimately derived. Eileen Barker's classification of NRMs informs outline of the beliefs and practices of a number of the major movements. Those chosen in this chapter are among some of the largest and are selected as representative of their kind. The Jesus movement emerged in the late 1960s in California and subsequently spread throughout the USA, to Europe, and beyond. The Family claims to have representation in 106 countries worldwide and a membership of just over 10,000 drawn from some 90 nationalities. The Messianic Communities has a membership as high as 1,500. The Jesus Fellowship emerged in 1968 as a consequence of a Pentecostal-style revival based at a Baptist chapel just outside Northampton, England.
