NRMs

During the 1970s, scholars coined the phrase “new religious movement” (NRM) because the former terms of “cult” and “sect” had lost their sociological distinction and become pejorative labels.  The new term has enabled scholars of new religious movements to continue our work without casting value judgments on the groups that we study. I use the term with historical awareness, recognizing that “new” is a slippery concept, and that most new groups claim ancient lineages. 

Resources for the Study of NRMs

There are several excellent websites that can aid the study of new religious movements, as well as a few resources on this website.

Advice for Graduate Students Interested in the Study of New Religious Movements (Local Resource)

Annotated Bibliography of Research on Heaven’s Gate (Local Resource) Coming Soon!

CESNUR: Center for Study on New Religions

Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions

The Religious Movements Database at the University of Virginia (This database was destroyed by hackers, but there is a link at its former location to access an archived version.)

Networking Religious Movements. A website that “maps” NRMs and other groups through time and space. It aims to be a “hub of research.”

NRMs.net

I hope to eventually make this site a clearinghouse for links to internet scholarly resources on new religious movements, with an intended audience of undergraduate and graduate students as well as scholars.  This is a long-term goal.