New Religious Movements

New Religious Movements
Family	Modern / Global
Origin region	Global
Founding period	Mostly 19th century CE to present
Estimated adherents	Varies widely by movement; some have millions of adherents and global institutions.

New Religious Movements is A broad academic category for relatively recent religious movements, communities, and spiritual innovations.

Overview

New Religious Movements include many unrelated groups with distinct origins, beliefs, scriptures, rituals, and institutions. Some arise from older religions; others form new syntheses or claim new revelations. Each movement should be documented individually and neutrally.

Key beliefs

• Highly movement-specific
• Often include new revelation, restoration, spiritual practice, or reform
• May blend older traditions with modern organization or global mission
• Should be described case by case

Practices

• Meetings or worship services
• Study of movement texts
• Initiation or membership rites
• Meditation or prayer
• Missionary work in some movements
• Community service

Places of worship

• Movement-specific temples, churches, halls, centers, or homes

Sacred texts

• Movement-specific scriptures and writings

Holidays and observances

• Founder birthdays
• Founding anniversaries
• Movement-specific sacred days

Branches and related traditions

• Latter Day Saint Movement - Restorationist Christian-rooted movements beginning with Joseph Smith in the nineteenth century.
• Christian Science - A movement founded by Mary Baker Eddy emphasizing spiritual healing and the writings of Science and Health.
• Theosophy and Esoteric Movements - Modern esoteric movements drawing on global religious, philosophical, and occult currents.
• Rastafari - A Jamaican movement drawing on biblical, African diasporic, and anti-colonial themes.

See also

• Religion
• Theology
• Philosophy of religion