Dynamism and the Ageing of a Japanese 'New' Religion

An excellent study that uses the case of Agonshu to effectively connect with broader research questions in the study of Japanese religions and will with no doubt benefit any potential reader who is concerned with the question of what is ‘new’ about ‘new religions’ in Japan and elsewhere. * Journal of Religion in Japan *
Reader and Baffelli raise critical questions about the concept of new religion in Japan, which encompasses religious movements from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries … This is also a valuable reference for scholars of Japanese religions both in Japan and abroad. * Nova Religio *
I wondered whether one day a comprehensive book, in English, would be published about this important Japanese “new religion,” and one updated to its post-charismatic phase inaugurated by the death of the founder, Kiriyama Seiyu (1921-2016). My wish was granted by this fascinating, splendid book, which will remain the definitive treatment of Agonshu for many years. * Reading Religion *
Offers an excellent overview of the main themes and findings on the religious organizations founded during the past one hundred and fifty years commonly known as “new religions” in Japan. Focusing on Agonshu, it contributes fascinating insights ... A very important contribution to field of Religious Studies. * Japanese Journal of Religious Studies *
The first longitudinal study of a Japanese new religious movement, Dynamism and the Ageing of a Japanese ‘New’ Religion, by Ian Reader and Erica Baffelli, is a superb study of Agonshu that sets a new standard of excellence. Based on thirty years of research, it documents the history of an influential religion, contextualizing Agonshu within the broader issues of Japanese religious life and social change. Highly recommended. * Helen Hardacre, Edwin O. Reischauer Institute Professor of Japanese Religions and Society, Harvard University, USA *
An excellent introduction to the landscape of new religious movements in Japan in general ... well-argued and thoroughly accessible. * International Journal for the Study of New Religions *
This book offers a fascinating portrayal of the Japanese Buddhist organization Agonshu with a focus on its founder. For students, it is an engaging introduction to Japan’s so-called "new religions”. For scholars, it is the best book to date for understanding religious leadership in contemporary Japan and for showing us the problems with characterizing a religion as “new”. * Clark Chilson, Associate Professor of Religion Studies, University of Pittsburgh, USA *
Both authors, who have co-worked already successfully on a couple of topics, are a perfect match for this particular publication. […] A highly recommendable monograph on a rather recent development in the Japanese religious landscape with additional interest in general questions in Religious Studies and the Sociology of Religions. An excellent and inspiring publication! * Franz Winter, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Graz, Austria. *
The authors are a perfect match for this publication. Excellent and inspiring! -- Benjamin E. Zeller, Associate Professor of Religion, Lake Forest College, USA

The book offers many new insights into Agonshu ... This book is an excellent starting point for future comparative research on the aging of contemporary movements. I highly recommend this book to scholars and students in the field of religious studies and to a general audience with an interest in contemporary society and politics in Japan.

* Asian Ethnology *