New Religious Movements

AQA A-Level Beliefs in Society

Wilson

• Rapid social change = growth of NRM’s

• Provides comfort for confusion and anxiety

Barker

• Relative deprivation

• Often appeals to young, m/c people

• Provides an alternative to the family

• e.g. Moonies

Weber

• Marginalisation

• Do not belong to mainstream communities

• Also provides answers for their struggles

Stark and Bainbridge

• NRM’s come from the failure of mainstream religions

• Development of cults

• Audience cults - sees spiritual movements as business organisations

• Client Cults - cult is a service provider

Sectarian Cycle

• Stark and Bainbridge

  1. Schism

  2. Initial fervour

  3. Denominationalism

  4. Establishment

  5. Further Schism

World Affirming

• Mostly cults

• Offer spiritual enrichment

• Seen as clients

World Accommodating

• Mostly denominations

• Separates life into spiritual and worldly spheres

• Vulnerable communities

World Rejecting

• Mostly sects

• Sees the world as evil/corrupt

• e.g. Westboro Baptist Church

Cultic Movements

• Provides the spiritual needs for all consumers

• Interact like a congregation

• e.g. Church of Scientology

• Drane - PM - NRM’s come from failure of belief in science