Charisma and Authority in New Religious Movements

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Prophet
Keyword(s):  
Management Theory ◽  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
Optimal Conditions ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
The Relationship

Using examples from new religious movements ranging from the Children of God to Sahaja Yoga, the chapter takes a multi-disciplinary approach, reviewing insights from sociology, psychology, anthropology, and management theory. It focuses on charisma as the authority to lead and transform religious traditions, reviewing not only identified qualities of leaders, but also the role of followers in creating and maintaining a collective myth, as well as the importance of the situation and culture in which the relationship develops. Key concepts include legitimation strategies, charismatization, and the role of the “charismatic aristocracy.” Attention is paid to factors contributing to instability and violence, particularly related to the institutionalization of charisma known as routinization, as well as optimal conditions for “benevolent” and “diffuse” charisma.

Dialogue or Confrontation?

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ringo Ringvee
Keyword(s):  
National Identity ◽  
Religious Identity ◽  
The State ◽  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Neoliberal Governance ◽  
Religious Associations ◽  
Liberal Attitude

The article focuses on the relations between the state , mainstream religions and new religious movements in Estonia from the early 1990s until today. Estonia has been known as one of highly secular and religiously liberal countries. During the last twenty years Estonian religious scene has become considerably more pluralist, and there are many different religious traditions represented in Estonia. The governmental attitude toward new religious movements has been rather neutral, and the practice of multi-tier recognition of religious associations has not been introduced. As Estonia has been following neoliberal governance also in the field of religion, the idea that the religious market should regulate itself has been considered valid. Despite of the occasional conflicts between the parties in the early 1990s when the religious market was created the tensions did decrease in the following years. The article argues that one of the fundamental reasons for the liberal attitude towards different religious associations by the state and neutral coexistence of different traditions in society is that Estonian national identity does not overlap with any particular religious identity.

On the Volatile Relationship of Secularization and New Religious Movements

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Holland
Keyword(s):  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Christian Science ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Action ◽  
Public Square ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter considers the complex relationship between secularization and the emergence of new religious movements. Drawing from countervailing research, some of which insists that new religious movements abet secularizing processes and some of which sees these movements as disproving the secularization thesis, the chapter presents the relationship as inherently unstable. To the extent that new religious movements maintain a precarious balance of familiarity and foreignness—remaining familiar enough to stretch the definitional boundaries of religion—they contribute to secularization. However, new religious movements frequently lean to one side or other of that median, either promoting religious power in the public square by identifying with the interests of existing religious groups, or emphasizing their distinctiveness from these groups and thus provoking aggressive public action by the antagonized religious mainstream. This chapter centres on an illustrative case from Christian Science history.

scholarly journals GENERAL LEGAL AND THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF COUNTERING RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 673-680
Author(s):  
V.E. Zvarygin ◽  
A.S. Kondakov
Keyword(s):  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
Traditional Religion ◽  
Religious Philosophy ◽  
Law And Politics ◽  
Religious Extremism ◽  
Main Emphasis ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

The main problems and philosophical issues of countering religious extremism, as well as emerging issues of religious philosophy and metaphysics are revealed. A comprehensive analysis of the problem of religious extremism in various aspects is carried out from the standpoint of law, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology. The philosophical essence of religious extremism is established as a violation of socially acceptable behavior and established relations. Variants of human behavior after interaction with traditional religion and new religious movements are considered. Levels of destructiveness of religious extremism, methods and ways of counteracting it are revealed. The essence of states controlled by extremist-minded leaders is analyzed. It is noted that in most scientific works the problematic issues of manifestations of religious extremism are studied in the context of political, legal and socio-philosophical manifestations, as well as from the relationship of religious philosophy and metaphysics, and when defining the concept of religious extremism the main emphasis is made on principles of law and politics with application of base categories of ideology.

Information Systems for the Management of the Organizations

2018 ◽  
pp. 96-116
Author(s):  
José Rascão
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Information Management ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Business Management ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Role Of Information

This chapter investigates the key concepts of information systems, as well as the role of information in the information management activities, in terms of supporting decision making by different organizations' managers in the literature of information sciences and business sciences. The information has become, in the global economy, a source of value for organizations, assuming a key role in contributing to the development of the performance of the same. The relationship of information management with business management helps the process of decision making.

The Role of Women in the Development of New Religious Movements in Latin America

2021 ◽  
pp. 346-364
Author(s):  
Angel Belzunegui Eraso ◽  
David Dueñas Cid
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
Religious Plurality ◽  
New Religions ◽  
Role Of Women ◽  
Latin American Countries

In this chapter we focus on the growth of “new religions” and new religious movements in Latin America and attempt to find explanations for this growth. Although other explanations for the increase in religious plurality exist, we focus on the role of women in this development. The expansion of movements such as Pentecostalism is challenging the centrality of Catholicism in many Latin American countries. Basically, we therefore aim to answer the following question: Why has Pentecostalism grown so much in some Latin American countries while Catholicism has experienced a certain decline? One possible explanation for this is the role of women in this expansion, which has fostered greater social cohesion within families and communities. Pentecostalism has led to a certain empowerment of the women living in precarious conditions, affording them greater visibility and importance within their communities and giving them a role in the re-education of behaviours that are rooted in male domination.

John Dewey’s Debt to William James

2018 ◽  
pp. 614-628
Author(s):  
James Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Social Practice ◽  
William James ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Social Nature ◽  
The Social ◽  
Pragmatic Account ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter discusses the relationship of William James (1842–1910) and John Dewey (1859–1952). In particular, it attempts to tease out the ways in which Dewey’s thought drew upon ideas presented earlier by James. Among the Jamesian themes that appear in Dewey’s work are Dewey’s melioristic, pragmatic account of social practice; his emphasis upon the importance of habits in organized human life; his presentation of the role of philosophy as a means of improving daily life; his recognition of the social nature of the self; and his call for a rejection of religious traditions and institutions in favor of an emphasis upon religious experience. Clarifying Dewey’s relationship with James should in no way lessen the value of Dewey’s thought. Rather, it makes clearer the continuities that existed between these two pragmatic thinkers.

scholarly journals Trading on faith: religious movements and informal economic governance in Nigeria

2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Meagher
Keyword(s):  
Informal Economy ◽  
Class Formation ◽  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
Economic Regulation ◽  
Economic Governance ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Historical Role ◽  
Role Of Religion

ABSTRACTThe pressures of economic crisis and reform that have gripped African societies have been accompanied by a proliferation of new religious movements. Amid concerns about the political impact of religious revivalism, little attention has been devoted to their economic implications. Focusing on the remarkable coincidence between the withdrawal of the state, the rise of religious movements, and the dramatic expansion of the informal economy, this paper examines the role of religious revivalism in processes of informal economic governance and class formation in contemporary Africa. Against the background of the historical role of religion in the development of market institutions across the continent, it traces the dynamics of religious revivalism and informal economic regulation in two regions of Nigeria. Rather than representing a return to occultist or patrimonial impulses, new religious movements reveal distinctly Weberian tendencies. However, modernising tendencies fostered within the informal economy by popular religious revivalism are being stunted by the relentless pressures of liberalisation, globalisation and pseudo-democratisation. Progressive religious tendencies among the poor are being instrumentalised by religious entrepreneurs and political elites, undermining fragile processes of entrepreneurial class formation taking place within the informal economy.

scholarly journals CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE MYTHMAKING OF H.P. LOVECRAFT

2019 ◽  
pp. 137-142
Author(s):  
Denis D. Pyzikov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Popular Culture ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
New England ◽  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Horror Genre ◽  
Western Esotericism

H.P. Lovecraft created an original mythology that has not only become science fiction and fantasy classics, but also determined horror genre development in general. In his literary works, Lovecraft used images derived from both ancient religious traditions and contemporary western esotericism, filling his imaginary worlds with mysterious cosmic creatures. The writer’s cultural and historic environment played a very important role as the cultural landscape of New England and theosophical concepts widespread at that time had a great impact on the author’s work and writing. The original “mythology” invented by Lovecraft later played a key role in development of some new religious movements. Besides, Lovecraft’s mythology and images are reflected in the modern popular culture. The paper analyzes Lovecraft’s works and religious motives that are used or reflected in them, cultural factors that influenced the writer and Lovecraft’s heritage place in occult concepts, practices and subcultures of today.

Contemporary Japanese Buddhist Traditions

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Porcu
Keyword(s):  
Social Engagement ◽  
Religious Tradition ◽  
Religious Movements ◽  
New Religious Movements ◽  
The Public ◽  
Japanese Buddhism ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Historical Developments

Based on the premise that there is no single and homogeneous Japanese Buddhism but a multifaceted religious tradition resulting from a long history of adaptations and cross-cultural interactions, this chapter explores some aspects of Buddhism in Japan, including Buddhism-based new religious movements, in connection to the challenges of contemporary society. These include the structure of today’s temples in terms of membership and activities, issues of politics and social engagement closely linked to the role of Buddhism in the public sphere, the innovative ways through which Buddhist institutions are reacting to a deeply mediatized society, and overseas developments. Before proceeding to the contemporary period, the chapter provides a brief overview of the historical developments of Buddhism from its inception to the postwar period.

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