title: New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities
author: Christopher Partridge
description: Partridge, Senior Lecturer in theology and contemporary religion at Chester College, England, has compiled an encyclopedic work covering more than 200 religious movements. He defines a "new religion" as "a religion, sect or alternative spirituality that emerged or <i>rose to prominence</i> during the 20th century," which allows the inclusion of groups like Freemasonry and the Baha'i Faith, with roots in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sixty-three scholars, each with impressive academic credentials, contribute to the book, which organizes groups by the major religious tradition in which the movement is founded. Included are studies of Christian groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science, Muslim groups such as the Nation of Islam and the Sufi Community and various controversial bodiesHeaven's Gate, the Branch Davidians and others. Partridge deliberately selected contributors whose work centers in religion and philosophy but who have no personal connection to the group under consideration. Treatment of each movement is characterized by both brevity and fairness. The various writers provide brief historical and doctrinal sketches, avoiding value judgments and criticism. Larger articles called "features" treat broader themes (e.g. "Celtic Christian Spirituality" or "Chinese New Religions"), providing helpful background for the shorter entries and helping the reader to understand each sect within a larger historical context. Dozens of illustrations, many of them in color, and a thorough index add to the book's usability. Intended for a general audience, this volume is a welcome addition to the available literature. <br />Copyright  Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
zlib_text: Encyclopedia of New Religious 
  Movements 
  New Religious Movements (NRMs) can involve vast numbers of followers and in many 
  cases are radically changing the way people understand and practice religion and 
  spirituality. Moreover, they are having a profound impact on the form and content of 
  mainstream religion. The Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements provides uniquely 
  global coverage of the phenomenon, with entries on over three-hundred movements from 
  almost every country worldwide. Coverage includes movements that derive from the 
  major religions of the world as well as neo-traditional movements, which are often 
  overlooked in the study of NRMs. 
  In addition to the coverage of particular movements there are also entries on broad 
  classifications and themes, and key topics, thinkers and ideas—the New Age Movement, 
  Neo-Paganism, gender and NRMs, cyberspace religions, the Anti-Cult Movement, 
  Swedenborg, Jung, de Chardin, Lovelock, Gurdjieff, al-Banna, Qutb. 
  The marked global app