Description
Book SynopsisDeploying a distinctive disaggregative approach to the study of religion', this volume shows that spiritual movements with extensive counterfactual beliefs have been much more creative than one might expect. Specifically, Wayne Hudson explores the creativity of six spiritual movements: the Bahá'ís, a Persian movement; Soka Gakkai, a Japanese movement; Ananda Marga and the Brahma Kumaris, two reformed Hindu movements; and two controversial American churches, The Church Universal and Triumphant and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of these movements have counterintuitive features that have led Western scholars making Enlightenment assumptions to dismiss them as irrational and/or inconsequential. However, this book reveals that these movements have responded to modernity in ways that are creative and practical, resulting in a wide range of social, educational and cultural initiatives. Building on research surrounding the ways in which spiritual movements engag
Trade ReviewA refreshing and probing approach to new religious movements that makes one think again about their cultural and social productivity. * Garry Winston Trompf, Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, University of Sydney, Australia *
This book takes a fresh look at new religions, demonstrating that if one looks beyond the clichés and the negative publicity, new religions have under-appreciated cognitive resources, meaningful spiritual practices, innovative organizational features and unexpected creativity, producing cultural and social formations that may have much to teach the rest of the world. * Moojan Momen, independent scholar, UK *
Table of Contents1. Rethinking the Terrain 2. The Bahá’ís: Prosociality and Global Civilisation 3. Soka Gakkai and Cosmic Humanism 4. Ananda Marga and Bengali Futurism 5. Brahma Kumaris: Between Apocalypse and Modernism 6. The Church Universal and Triumphant: Democratic Fictionality 7. The Latter-day Saints: Charismatic Restoration 8. Conclusion Bibliography Index
