New Religious Movements

Cargo Cults Cargo cults in Melanesia: a ritual system that originated in attempts to access the knowledge, wealth, and power of colonial Europeans. The televangelist Word of Faith and Prosperity Theology movements in the U.S. and Latin America are analogous: millions of followers believe that God wants Christians to be wealthy; one must say the right prayers the right way and donate money to achieve prosperity.

Prophets and Change Charismatic prophets may begin a new religion or modify an existing one by: Identifying what is wrong with the world. Presenting a vision of a better world. Offering a method of transition from the existing world to the better world. Challenged by religious authorities. Most successful during periods of social instability. Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi, Siddhartha, Mohammed, Handsome Lake (Iroquois), Joseph Smith

Nativistic Movements Aim to restore what followers believe is a golden age of the past and cultural “purity.” Result from intense social stress. Native American Ghost Dance (1890) (Hill 1944). Most fundamentalist forms of religion. Eastern European Neo-Paganism (quasi-Romantic movements aimed at “restoring” indigenous culture after Soviet rule).

Revitalization Movements Adaptations aimed at the creation of a utopian future that does not resemble a past golden age. Changed environment  increased individual stress  cultural distortion  revitalization. Handsome Lake (1800’s) and early Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.

Religious Views Messianic This view focuses on the coming of a messiah who will usher in a utopian world.  Millenarian The belief that a catastrophe will signal the beginning of a new age and the eventual establishment of paradise (Jehovah’s Witnesses among others).

Syncretism Merging two or more religious traditions due to cultural contact, often hiding beliefs, symbols, and practices of one behind similar attributes of the other. Afro-Catholic ones resulted from colonialism, but reflect agency and adaptation. Santería alter Vodou alter

Neo-Paganism Wicca (modern ‘Witchcraft’): polytheistic, nature-based religion with influences from feminism that claims descent from pre-Christian European nature worship. Reconstructionism: (re)constructed, Euro-ethnocentric, polytheistic, nature-based religions. Celtic, Germanic, Greek, Slavic… Ukrainian Neo-Pagan ritual

Pagan consumption & Identity Consumption at Charge or not charge Vending Marking ID (including signaling membership or being ‘out of the broom closet’)

Identity, commercialization, & authenticity ‘Fluffy bunny’ sanction a shorthand way of signaling people’s [perceived] inauthentic engagement with Witchcraft