List of new religious movements

This list of new religious movements (NRMs), lists groups that either identify themselves as religious, ethical or spiritual organizations, or are generally seen as such by religious scholars, which are independent of older denominations, churches, or religious bodies. Although there is no one criterion or set of criteria for describing a group as a "new religious movement", use of the term usually requires that the group be both of recent origin and different from existing religions.

Debate surrounds the phrase "of recent origin". Some authors use World War II as the dividing line, whereas others define as "new" everything after the advent of the Bahá'í Faith (mid-19th century) or even everything after Sikhism (17th century).^[1]

Influenced by major religions

Buddhism-oriented

Christianity-oriented

Hinduism-oriented

Islam-oriented / Quranic

Judaism-oriented

Sikhism-oriented

Taoism-oriented

Syncretistic

Faiths created from blending earlier religions or that consider all or some religions to be essentially the same, often founded by Mahdi/Maitreya/Messiah claimants who profess to fulfill multiple prophecies simultaneously.

Regional

NRMs with ties to local "indigenous" traditions or geographically limited influence.

Africa

NRMs based in Africa or drawing on traditional African religions.

Afro-American

Central Asia

Burkhanism

Central and South America

China

Falun Gong

Indonesia

Japan

Korea

Oceania

Phillipines

Taiwan

Vietnam

Modern Western Cultures

United States

Esotericism, New Age,Occultism, Spiritism

UFO religions

Neo-paganism

Syncretic paganism

Neopaganism

Neo-druidism (Some Neo-druids are eclectic, some are Reconstructionist)
Wicca
- British Traditional Wicca
- Seax-Wica
Polytheistic reconstructionist

Entheogenic

Technology-oriented

Ethnic supremacist

Fictional, parodic or mock religions

Notes

^ The definitions of "new" varies greatly. Some authors such as Eileen Barker and David V. Barrett, see as new movements those originating or appearing in a new context after World War II, others define as "new" movements originating after the Bahá'í Faith or even everything originating after Sikhism. For this article, the following is used: "The historical bench-mark normally taken to divide new religions from old is the Second World War or shortly after. Thus Peter Clarke identifies his focus as 'those new religions that have emerged in Britain since 1945'. (Clarke, 1987, p 5.) - http://web.uni-marburg.de/religionswissenschaft/journal/diskus/chryssides.html Retrieved 18 September 2008
^ Partridge, Christopher Hugh (2003). UFO Religions. Routledge. pp. 188, 263–265. ISBN 0415263247.
^ Lewis, James R. (editor) (November 2003). The Encyclopedic Sourcebook of UFO Religions. Prometheus Books. p. 42. ISBN 1573929646. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
^ Reece, Gregory L. (August 21, 2007). UFO Religion: Inside Flying Saucer Cults and Culture. I. B. Tauris. pp. 182–186. ISBN 1845114515. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ http://www.antisemitism.org.il/eng/Creativity%20Movement
^ http://www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism/asw2003-4/usa.htm
^ The Occult Roots of Nazism: Secret Aryan Cults and Their Influence on Nazi Ideology, Goorick-Clarke, pg 17
^ Encyclopedia of Modern American Extremists and Extremist Groups. Contributors: Stephen E. Atkins - author. Publisher: Greenwood Press. Place of Publication: Westport, CT. Publication Year: 2002. Page Number: 217