Researching New Religious Movements

Abstract

Researching New Religious Movements'The most important "first" that this book achieves is its bold questioning of the whole intellectual apparatus of the sociology of religion as it has been applied to the understanding of the new religious movements. I am confident that Elisabeth Arweck's study will quickly become required reading in the sociology of new religious movements.'

New Religious Movements and Alternative Spirituality as an Academic Research Field in Sweden – Some Reflections

“…For a long time research on new religious movements and alternative spirituality was also a marginalized and stigmatized area internationally. Elisabeth Arweck (2006) writes that the new religious movements posed a challenge for the study of religion, as they conflicted with the traditional sect theories. It is clear that there were many in the religious studies establishment who held ideas about what "real" and "authentic" religion was, and who felt that it was the "authentic religions" which could and should have the attention of academic research.…”

“…The anticult movement has also spread rumors that Finyar is not objective, but rather favors the new religious movements, which at times and in certain circles has led to problems with legitimacy. Elisabeth Arweck (2006) suggests that academics may have problems of legitimacy as we often use the new religious movements' own language to explain their religious worlds, instead of using terms such as "bizarre," "strange" and "sick." In that way we may be perceived as being in favor of the groups we study, or lacking a "critical approach," as "critical" has come to mean evaluating in a negative way.…”

La sociologie de la religion

“…Les scientifiques indiquent ces changements-là quand ils discutent le déclin de la religion institutionnalisée dans la société occidentale dans la seconde moitié du XXe siècle, aussi bien que l'émergence de spiritualités alternatives, parfois dedans mais le plus souvent en dehors des institutions religieuses, et depuis les années soixante du vingtième siècle l'apparition de grands nombres de nouveaux mouvements religieux (NRMs) (Beckford, 1986 ;Hunt, 2003 ;Robbins, 1988 ;Schäfer, 2008). L'accueil de nouveaux mouvements religieux dans le monde occidental varie substantiellement : dans certains pays on les regarde avec indifférence, dans d'autres ils sont opposés ouvertement ou de manière voilée par les organisations anti-cultes, par les églises établies ou par les autorités légales (Arweck, 2006 ;Lucas et Robbins, 2004). Souvent les rapportages tendancieux et sensationnels dans les média ont formé la perception publique qu'ils constituent un menace aux valeurs et aux institutions traditionnelles et que ceux qui s'y joignent sont sans doute faibles d'esprit ou ont eu un lavage de cerveau.…”

Stepping out of the Ivory Tower: A Sociological Engagement in ‘The Cult Wars’

“…Innocently, I thought that the information I was gathering would be of interest to FAIR, a 'cult-watching group' that had been set up in England in 1976 with a particular focus on the Unification Church (Beckford 1985;Arweck 2006). 6 I was wrong.…”