NEW RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION VERSUS
ESTABLISHED RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION

New religious groups have distinctive characteristics:

Emerging at points of tension/crisis

Developing new mythic systems that challenge established institutional logic

Creating rituals that demonstrate the truth of their mythic systems

Forming around prophetic leaders with high levels of moral authority

Creating new types of organization

SOCIOCULTURAL TENSION/CRISIS AND NRM FORMATION

Changes or blocked change opportunities anywhere in the social structure can produce tension/crisis. The tension/crisis may occur throughout the social order or in specific social locations (social class, gender, age, race groups). Social movements, some of which may be religious, may emerge in response to these tensions.

Possible Sources:

Population Composition (immigration, age cohort size, geographical distribution)

Family Structure

Economic Structure

Educational Structure

Individual-Society Relationship

Major Dislocations (war, environmental disaster, pandemics)

NRM MYTHIC SYSTEMS

Myths are narratives that (1) recount the operation of transcendent forces in primordial times that have shaped the everyday world as it presently exists and (2) provide the ultimate truths and foundational assumptions about the nature of the world and of humankind that guide and authorize our action.

One of the common components of religious mythic narratives is the sequence: What happened in the beginning? Why are things as they are now? What must we do the retrieve our original state?

NRMs typically rewrite the script describing the nature of transcendent power, the origination of humankind, separation from its original/natural state, and its fulfillment of its ultimate destiny.

Some common challenges to the established religion mythic system:

Established beliefs about the source of creation are wrong (There are no creators, the creators are physical beings form elsewhere in the universe, the creators are of a different race/gender than is believed, there are creator gods from another realm, humans are the true creators)

Humans originally lived in the way that was intended by the source of creation but have fallen away from that original intent (deliberate disobedience, corruption, deception, repression)

The sacred texts are wrong (there are new revelations, the original texts are misunderstood)

The existing social order is bankrupt and unsustainable (major institutions are existing churches are corrupt, immorality is growing,

This is a moment of cosmic transformation (the gods are going to intervene, humans are now ready for restoration, we now understand what is necessary for restoration), the creation of appropriate communities of believers (churches, movements, communes), and personal transformation (new spiritual, gender, racial roles)

Some common confirmations of the truth of the new or revised myth:

Experiential response to hearing the “Truth”

Events in the natural world are interpreted as confirming expectations.

Predictions are made that are interpreted as having been confirmed.

Some common problems for new mythic systems:

Because NRM myths are in the process of being constructed and undergo frequent change, they appear to have an artificial carefully crafted, self-consciously concocted, expedient quality about them.

NRM myths challenge the myths legitimating the institutions of the larger society (churches, state, nuclear family, government, science) or social conventions governing other types of social relationships (race, gender, sexuality).

NRM RITUAL SYSTEMS

Religious ritual is a prescribed form of behavior through which a connection to transcendent power is created and affirmed. These rituals are closely scripted, dramatically organized, and authorized by the source of transcendent power, which lend to them an intrinsic value.

NRM rituals confirm and demonstrate the reality and power of their mythic narratives.

Some common demonstrations of ritual power:

Individual members may demonstrate transcendent power through their actions (missionizing, fundraising)

Individual members may experience transcendent power through being changed (conversion, healing, liberation, marriage)

Individual members may experience transcendent power by witnessing leaders demonstrate their power.

Individual members may experience transcendent power by witnessing its operation in others or hearing testimonials.

| NRM LEADERSHIP

Organized religions tend to have intermediaries between the everyday realm and transcendent realm

Priests and prophets are two distinct types of intermediaries

NRMs tend toward a prophetic rather than priestly organization

Priests:

• Most successful in settled times and locations
• Strength is historical continuity
• Emphasize concordance between the everyday realm and the transcendent realm
• Make minor adjustments in existing doctrines and practices to preserve
everyday/transcendent realm concordance
• Preserve and accommodate to established institutions
• Limit moral claims on adherents
• Limit the operation of transcendent power in the everyday realm

Prophets:

• Appear in unsettled times and locations
• Strength is historical discontinuity
• Emphasize discordance between the everyday world and the transcendent realm
• Create new/revised doctrines and practices to restore everyday/transcendent realm concordance
•Contest the logic and practices of the established institutions
• Expand moral claims on adherents
• Expand the operation of transcendent power in the everyday

Prophetic leaders sense social tensions and challenge established institutions and authority.

Prophetic leaders typically emerge from the margins of society.

Prophetic leaders of NRMs must establish credentials (visions, revelations, miracles) and a persona (name, appearance, voice) that give them significant moral authority over followers.

Prophetic leaders claim different levels of moral authority.

Prophetic leaders must continuously demonstrate their powers to maintain credibility and authority

Prophetic leaders most often increase rather than decrease their prophetic authority.

NRM ORGANIZATIONS

NRMs organize their activities in non-conventional ways, often as social movements of various kinds (workshops, training centers, families, communes, covens, communities, projects, sacred sites).

NRMs design their organizations to model the logic of the future world they envision

NRMs create organizations that allow them to maintain some degree of separation from conventional society

NRMs create new roles (statuses, commitments, responsibilities) and identities (names, birthdates) for converts

Converts initially connect with groups in various ways (intellectual, emotional, mystical, experimental)

Convert roles require sacrifices (oral, sexual, former relationships, probationary status) and commitments (labor, finances, loyalty, group priorities)