International Society for the Study of New Religions

2 months ago

The editors are pleased to announce the publication of Nova Religio 24, no. 1 (August 2020), which is a special issue on new religious movements in Australia, guest-edited by Bernard Doherty. Bernard Doherty contributes an in-depth survey of the four waves of “cult controversy” in Australia and the new religious movements involved. Carole M. Cusack documents the highly controversial group known as The Family led by Anne Hamilton-Byrne and its abuse of the children that Hamilton-Byrne adopted and the media coverage of the group. Angela Coco discusses another movement that has received media controversy in Australia known as Universal Medicine led by Serge Benhayon, which is part of the broad Theosophical movement. The issue also contains a review essay by Matthew Bowman on “The Birth and Life of the New Mormon History,” and twenty-two reviews and several book notes. A detailed In Memoriam written by Eileen Barker remembers the life and work of Benjamin Zablocki.
online.ucpress.edu/nr/issue/24/1 ... See MoreSee Less

International Society for the Study of New Religions

4 months ago

Nova Religio 23, no. 4 (May 2020) is a special issue guest-edited by Sabina Magliocco on the topic of “Magic and Politics: New Intersections in the United States.” The article by Egil Asprem, “The Magical Theory of Politics,” discusses three movements: the Magic Resistance to the presidency of Donald Trump, the Magic Reaction consisting of defenders of Trump, and the Cult of Kek and meme magic. The article by Sabina Magliocco, “Witchcraft as Political Resistance,” discusses the “Bind Trump” movement that is the Magic Resistance, and reactions to the movement from within the Wiccan and Pagan community. Damon Berry’s article, “Voting in the Kingdom,” describes the “prophecy voters” in the New Apostolic Reformation and why they are committed to President Trump. This Nova Religio issue also contains a fascinating Field Notes essay on “The Bosnian Pyramid Phenomenon” and 22 reviews of books reflecting the diversity of religious expressions in the world, including Scott Lowe’s review of The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan. All articles and reviews in this issue are free through the end of June. See the Table of Contents at: online.ucpress.edu/nr/issue/23/4 ... See MoreSee Less

International Society for the Study of New Religions

7 months ago

We are pleased to announce the publication of the February 2020 issue of Nova Religio containing articles by Carine Plancke on feminist spirituality workshops inspired by Clarissa Pinkola Estes' book Women Who Run with the Wolves, Christopher Partridge on Terence McKenna's Jungian Psychedelic UFOlogy, Kelley E. Hayes on Mário Sassi as systematizer of the Valley of the Dawn esotericism, Todd LeVasseur on the eco-theological activism of Reverend Billy Talen of the Church of Stop Shopping, in addition to many reviews on books on diverse new religious movements. Click here for the Table of Contents: nr.ucpress.edu/content/23/3?current-issue=y ... See MoreSee Less

International Society for the Study of New Religions

3 years ago

The 2018 CESNUR Conference
Co-organized by:
Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR)
Weixin College, Nantou County, Taiwan
Taiwan WeiXin World Peace Promotion Association, Nantou County, Taiwan
International Society for the Study of New Religions (ISSNR)

TRADITION AND INNOVATION IN RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS: EAST ASIA, THE WEST, AND BEYOND

Weixin College, Taichung Branch, Taichung, Taiwan, 17-23 June 2018
Call for Papers
CESNUR 2018 will be organized at the Taichung Branch of Weixin College, an accredited university in Taiwan, in cooperation with Taiwan WeiXin World Peace Promotion Association, an organization specialized in hosting academic conferences. The dates have been set to allow participants to attend a significant religious festival in Taiwan, centered on the unveiling of a 25-meters high golden statue of Guiguzi by the Taiwanese new religion Weixin Shengjiao, the parent organization of Weixin College. Guiguzi was a Chinese sage who, according to the tradition, during the Warring States period in China operated the first school of military strategy and diplomacy in world history. As happened for other figures in Chinese history, he was divinized after his death and is regarded by Weixin Shengjiao as the embodiment of the Bodhisattva Wang Chan Lao Zu. The cult of Guiguzi is largely spread in both Mainland China and Taiwan, and it is expected that the unveiling of the statue on June 18 will be attended by thousands of members of many different religions, including Christians, who obviously do not regard Guiguzi as a divinity but respect his historical role as a promoter of peace through diplomacy.
Participants to the conference are expected to arrive in Taipei airport on June 17, from where buses will take them to Taichung. On June 18, they will attend the festival centered on the unveiling of Guiguzi’s statue in Nantou County. Conference sessions at Weixin college will be on June 19, 20, and in the morning of 21. A field trip will explore different new religions of Taiwan on June 21 (afternoon), 22, and 23, concluding in Taipei, from where they will be able to fly back home on the late evening of June 23 or on June 24. We will post soon offers and costs for packages including all hotels and meals.
We welcome papers on this year’s theme: “Tradition and Innovation in Religious Movements: East Asia, the West and Beyond.” More specifically we welcome lectures that examine perceptions and practices related to orthodoxy, tradition, and innovation in religious movements. In addition, we welcome specific examinations of the religious relations between East Asia and the rest of the world, of the inculturation of Western religions and movements in East Asia, and the globalization of movements origination in East Asia. We would also like to discuss the relations between esotericism, orthodoxy, and innovation, and the multiple meanings of “tradition/s.”
Papers and session proposals should be submitted by E-mail before the close of business on Monday, January 8th, 2018 to cesnur_to@virgilio.it, accompanied by an abstract of no more than 300 words and a CV of no more than 200 words. PhD students should attach a letter of support from their advisor. ... See MoreSee Less

International Society for the Study of New Religions

3 years ago

The 2018 CESNUR Conference
Co-organized by:
Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR)
Weixin College, Nantou County, Taiwan
Taiwan WeiXin World Peace Promotion Association, Nantou County, Taiwan
International Society for the Study of New Religions (ISSNR)

TRADITION AND INNOVATION IN RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS: EAST ASIA, THE WEST, AND BEYOND

Weixin College, Taichung Branch, Taichung, Taiwan, 17-23 June 2018
Call for Papers
CESNUR 2018 will be organized at the Taichung Branch of Weixin College, an accredited university in Taiwan, in cooperation with Taiwan WeiXin World Peace Promotion Association, an organization specialized in hosting academic conferences. The dates have been set to allow participants to attend a significant religious festival in Taiwan, centered on the unveiling of a 25-meters high golden statue of Guiguzi by the Taiwanese new religion Weixin Shengjiao, the parent organization of Weixin College. Guiguzi was a Chinese sage who, according to the tradition, during the Warring States period in China operated the first school of military strategy and diplomacy in world history. As happened for other figures in Chinese history, he was divinized after his death and is regarded by Weixin Shengjiao as the embodiment of the Bodhisattva Wang Chan Lao Zu. The cult of Guiguzi is largely spread in both Mainland China and Taiwan, and it is expected that the unveiling of the statue on June 18 will be attended by thousands of members of many different religions, including Christians, who obviously do not regard Guiguzi as a divinity but respect his historical role as a promoter of peace through diplomacy.
Participants to the conference are expected to arrive in Taipei airport on June 17, from where buses will take them to Taichung. On June 18, they will attend the festival centered on the unveiling of Guiguzi’s statue in Nantou County. Conference sessions at Weixin college will be on June 19, 20, and in the morning of 21. A field trip will explore different new religions of Taiwan on June 21 (afternoon), 22, and 23, concluding in Taipei, from where they will be able to fly back home on the late evening of June 23 or on June 24. We will post soon offers and costs for packages including all hotels and meals.
We welcome papers on this year’s theme: “Tradition and Innovation in Religious Movements: East Asia, the West and Beyond.” More specifically we welcome lectures that examine perceptions and practices related to orthodoxy, tradition, and innovation in religious movements. In addition, we welcome specific examinations of the religious relations between East Asia and the rest of the world, of the inculturation of Western religions and movements in East Asia, and the globalization of movements origination in East Asia. We would also like to discuss the relations between esotericism, orthodoxy, and innovation, and the multiple meanings of “tradition/s.”
Papers and session proposals should be submitted by E-mail before the close of business on Monday, January 8th, 2018 to cesnur_to@virgilio.it, accompanied by an abstract of no more than 300 words and a CV of no more than 200 words. PhD students should attach a letter of support from their advisor. ... See MoreSee Less