Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements

This volume has its good points: a decent chronology, a list of web resources, and an informative introduction. * Library Journal *
For all of its existence, Scarecrow’s Historical Dictionary series has provided a place for information on remarkably narrow and specific topics to find a home. Each of the volumes, with the standard features of a chronology, introductory essay, alphabetical entries, bibliography, and index, offers the individual authors the format and space to fully cover the topic while remaining within the template, which lets researchers know what they can expect. The three new additions to the Religions, Philosophies, and Movements subset cover Calvinism, new religious movements, and the Friends (Quakers)....The volume on new religious movements has a different style and purpose. Instead of covering one faith, it offers information on many faiths and offshoots of faiths that fall under the umbrella designated as “new.” Druidism, Opus Dei, the People’s Temple, Templarism, Wicca, and many more are defined briefly and put into their historic context. The biographical entries in this volume give information on founders and historical figures in many faiths. Since this covers a multitude of beliefs, there are few entries that define specific doctrines or aspects of doctrine. The three books have authors, rather than editors, and all of them have has appropriate credentials for their subjects. The bibliographies are thematically arranged, and the Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements features extensive web references. These volumes are essential purchases for theological libraries and should be strongly considered by academic and public libraries where there is a subject interest. * Booklist *
Chryssides (Univ. of Wolverhampton, UK) defines a new religious movement (NRM) as an "organization or current of thought that has arisen within the past 150 or so years and that cannot be uncontentiously placed within a traditional world religion." This new edition (1st ed., CH, Mar'02, 39-3693) adds entries for over 100 NRMs, but evidences few other major changes. Other NRMs (or topics that are referenced within articles) now appear in boldface to catch readers' attention, but oddly, the same is not true for the official see also references concluding the articles. The chronology, glossary, and abbreviations sections have been updated. Chryssides wrote all the entries, which lack individual "further reading references" sections. Unfortunately, the first edition's extensive print bibliography has been replaced by a much briefer general bibliography of recent works. Fortunately, the extensive website bibliography remains....Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. * CHOICE *
The second edition of this resource (first published in 2001), updates and adds new religious movements that have occurred during the past 10 years, updates older entries with new information that has come forward, and provides an introduction in which the author addresses the phenomena of new religions. New religious movements are often misnamed “cults” and present an enormous array of worldwide organizations. To bring together in one volume such a varied group of religious data is difficult and nearly impossible to make complete. New religious movements may be conservative, radical, or heretical within traditions, or present a totally new religious reality. More than 600 groups are defined and bibliographies provided. The entries address key figures, ideas, themes, and places. The question of when is a movement “new” underlies the presentation. This volume is helpful for quick reference questions and the bibliography will come in handy to some. The chronological pages are useful for contextualizing. . . . General students of culture and religion will find this useful and scholars may find quick references for unfamiliar religious traditions. * American Reference Books Annual *
Evangelicals have many options for books addressing 'cults' or new religious movements. Although there aren’t as many volumes written on the topic for Evangelical consumption today as in the past, a visit to a Christian bookstore in the United States, for example, typically demonstrates a large number of books and other materials on the topic. Sadly, in this reviewer’s opinion, much of this material is limited in its helpfulness. It draws upon a simple comparative template, which is often accompanied by shallow theological analysis. Evangelicals would do well to consider additional resources beyond that produced within the Evangelical subculture, and Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements is a good example of a helpful resource that can serve this purpose. . . .The Historical Dictionary of New Religions is a helpful volume that should be drawn upon by pastors, members of congregations, missionaries, and missiologists interested in gaining an initial introduction to and summary of various new religions. * Journal of Asian Mission *