new religious movement
Let an agent explain new religious movements as a scholarly category, relay their variety, origins and study from religious studies sources with attribution, describe specific traditions neutrally as their adherents and scholars present them, and distinguish the neutral term from pejorative labels and from established religions.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain new religious movements as a scholarly category, relay their variety, origins and study from religious studies sources with attribution, describe specific traditions neutrally as their adherents and scholars present them, and distinguish the neutral term from pejorative labels and from established religions.
A religious or spiritual group of modern origin, generally arising since the mid-19th century, that is peripheral to a society s dominant religions or that combines existing traditions in new ways, including Japanese shinshukyo such as Mahikari, Korean new religions, Chinese salvationist religions, Christian-derived movements and many others; scholars use the neutral term new religious movement in preference to pejorative labels such as cult or heterodox teaching, and such movements vary widely in size, beliefs and relations with wider society.
What it is for: Not applicable; a category of religious groups.
It can be explain the category; relay variety and origins; describe traditions neutrally; distinguish from pejorative labels.
Distinguishing features
Modern origin
Peripheral to mainstream
Great variety
Neutral scholarly term
What it looks like
Not a visible object; religious groups.
Physical character
term adopted by scholars: 1970s period
Japanese new religions: hundreds count - estimates
How it is recognised
Religious group of modern origin
Shinshukyo such as Mahikari, Korean new religions, Chinese salvationist religions, Christian new religious movements
Established religions are older and mainstream; cult and heterodox teaching are pejorative labels in most usage
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is a kind of - in registry terms
is studied in - and sociology of religion
is exemplified by - a Japanese new religion
In practice
Families and kinds
Japanese shinshukyo such as Tenrikyo, Soka Gakkai and Mahikari
Korean new religions such as Cheondogyo and the Unification movement
Chinese salvationist religions such as Yiguandao
Christian new religious movements
movements drawing on Hindu, Buddhist and Western esoteric traditions
new religions in Africa and the Americas
Standards and regulation
Freedom of religion protections
Registration and recognition laws that vary by country and are contested
Consumer protection and safeguarding laws applied to all organisations
Failure modes and hazards
Using pejorative labels as neutral description
Treating all movements alike
Ignoring documented harms where courts or inquiries have found them, which should be attributed
Disrespect toward adherents
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What new religious movements are.
Attribution.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a new religious movement, and why do scholars prefer the term to cult or heterodox teaching? definition
- Is the question about the category, a specific movement or a personal situation? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What are shinshukyo, Korean new religions, Chinese salvationist religions and Christian new religious movements? definition
- Which entry fits the specific movement? action
Study Study.
Attribution.
Origins
Origins and growth.
Origins
Origins.
- Why do new religious movements arise, and how do they grow and change, as scholars explain? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Relations
Relations with society.
Relations
Relations.
- How do movements relate to states, media and mainstream religions, and what controversies have arisen, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral and attributed? boundary
Traditions Traditions.
Attribution.
Japan
Japan and Korea.
Japan
Japan.
- What are the main Japanese and Korean new religions, presented as they and scholars describe them? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Elsewhere
China and the West.
Elsewhere
Elsewhere.
- What are Chinese salvationist religions and Western new religious movements? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific tradition? action
Context Law and support.
Context.
Law
Law.
Law
Law.
- How do laws on religious freedom and registration treat new religious movements in different countries? provenance
- Which entry fits freedom of religion? action
Support
Support.
Support
Support.
- Where can people and families seek neutral information and support about involvement in a movement? provenance
- Is the user seeking personal help, which needs qualified support? boundary
What the second pass must settle
- Should shinshukyo and Chinese salvationist religion be separate primary entries?
- How should religious studies sources be linked?
- The registry alias heterodox teaching is pejorative and should be marked as such