Sociology - Religion & Beliefs

A new religous movement is a term used by Wallis to identify religious, ethical, and spiritual groups, communities and practices that have been recently formed.

There are 3 main types of NRMs. These are:

• World Rejecting NRMs
• World Accomodating NRMs
• World Affirming NRMs

Religeous organisation that has a clear notion of God

Highly critical of the outside world 

 - They seek and want radical change

To achieve salvation (protection) they must forget thier former life 

Members live together with strict contact with the outside world

Example: ISIS

They are a religeous movement that neither accepts or rejects the world

They focus on religion rather than worldly matters 

Seek to restore spiritual purity of religion

Members live conventional lives 

Example:Neo-Pentocostalism wants to revive the worship of the holy spirit

They are a religious movement that accept the world for what it is

Non exclusive and tolerant of other religions

Offer additional specialist knowledge and techniques that:

• Allows followers to unlock their own spiritual powers 
• Helps to achieve success
• Overcome problems such as unhappiness or illness

Most are cults 

Entry is through training 

Wallis found these were the most successful NRMs 

Example:Transcendental meditation

+ Useful way of classifying NRMs

- Not clear how he catergorised them

• movement of teaching
• individual members beliefs

- Ignores diversity of belief 

- Real NRMs will rarely fit his typology

Typology is useful for comparing and analysing significant features