Growth of new religious movements

• Practical and pragmatic reasons-


  Barker- Religious organisations as ‘Escapes’ from the pressures of work & family life and can offer an alternative family structure

  Wallis- NRMs can teach techniques that inspire people to achieve emotionally & materially by unlocking spiritual power within

  Heelas- NRM appeal to more affluent and highly education who feel that something is missing from their lives. They seek these groups to fill that gap and have money to pay for the services
• Globalisation and media (Baudrillard)

  Globalisation and mass media have opened up access to new ideas and belief systems from around the world (media saturated society.)

  He believes that this has allowed NRM’s to grow as the media gives the group more of a public profile and visibility in order to attract members
• Anomie and social change (Wilson)

  periods of sudden or rapid social change can create ‘anomie’ as it undermines or disrupts traditional norms and values and universes of meaning.

  NRMs provide solutions to such periods of uncertainty as they provide new and clearly defined belief systems or a sense of certainty in an uncertain world.

  The rise of NRMs then can be seen as a response to the uncertainties generated by the rapid social change that has occurred since the 1980s
• Secularisation- Giddens and Bruce

  Giddens- Traditional religions have watered down their beliefs to fit in a more secular world. People look to NRMs to receive comfort and community in NRM’s which big religions no longer offer

  Bruce- loss of faith in traditional religious leaders who are seen as out of touch. NRM’s provide a refuge for those seeking spiritual and firm beliefs in a secular society
• Marginalisation- Weber, Stark and Bainbridge

  Weber- argued that groups like world rejecting NRMs are most likely to emerge among marginal. The NRMs appeal by providing a 'theodicy and deprivilege'

  Stark and Bainbridge- -World rejecting NRMs provide access to a close knit group of members in a similar position offering a sense of security, clear values and and reward in heaven
• Relative deprivation - Stark and Bainbridge

  Stark and Bainbridge - argued that the ideas and support derived from NRM membership may help to overcome those suffering a subjective feeling of being deprived or lacking something in comparison to those in the social group with which the individuals identify and compare themselves
• Post modernism - Lyotard and Bauman

  Lyotard- there is a loss of faith in metanarratives and what Berger referred to a ‘universes of meaning’ which have created gaps which people look to NRM’s to fill.

  Bauman- With so many conflicting ideologies & beliefs, people experience a ‘Crisis of Meaning’ & as such form & join NRMs to retain some control & normality.

  Identity Formation- traditional forms of identity have become fragmented so people turn to NRM’s to help form their identity
• Protest - Glock and Stark

  -argue that NRMs emerge as a form of religious or social protest; hence many may appeal to those whose values are at loggerheads with those of the society around them, or of other religious groups.
• Status and Frustration- Wallis and Barker

  Wallis-argues that marginality may cause status frustration, Wallis believes NRMs appeal to the young as membership can provide some support for an identity and status independent of school or family and so overcome the sense of status frustration.

  Barker-believes that young people lack the financial and time commitments of mortgage/rent and work/family which give them the time and freedom to get involved if they choose