America's Alternative Religions

Timothy Miller is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas.

"Given the sometimes inflammatory rhetoric and less than objective stance of many of the books published about what are often called 'cults,' Miller's collection provides a sorely needed balance and a dispassionate source of information about these groups. The book provides a broad and deep coverage of the topic. The appended bibliographies guide the reader to further sources of reliable information. The concluding essay by Shupe and Bromley on the 'Evolution of Modern-American Anticult Ideology' explores and interprets the reaction that these alternative religious groups have engendered. Indeed, many of the so-called anti-cult groups have made it their business to publish books about these groups that are often less than accurate and filled with attempts at a 'theological' debunking of them. This book serves as a voice of sanity and of tolerance in what has often been an overcharged and less than rational environment of debate. Miller's book enters into the fray of this cult and anti-cult debate where it will be welcomed by those who have often been pained at the misinformation and provocation that has been all too common in this arena."We are still at a very primitive stage of mistrust and of (what one of the authors calls) the 'satanizing' of whatever religious or spiritual groups do not fit into the culture's prevalent categories. Persecution follows on the heels of ignorance and mistrust. This book goes a long way toward helping to dispel ignorance about these alternative religions." — Paul Muller-Ortega, Michigan State University"America's Alternative Religions fills a real need in the literature of non-mainline religions, religions that have typically been marginalized and misunderstood by outsiders. The burning of the Branch Davidian's Mount Carmel center in Waco—the death of so many innocents—shows the extreme tragedy that may result from such misunderstanding. No other book provides such a useful consideration of so many smaller groups in America's diverse religious landscape. At the same time, this book clearly shows how yesterday's 'cults'—persecuted and scorned by society—become today's acceptable members of America's long-standing religious pluralism. A serious reading of this book will go far to reveal the scare tactics and reductionistic thinking so effectively promulgated through sensationalist media presentations and by organizations like the Cult Awareness Network. America's greatness is revealed in its diversity and through its ability to accommodate alternatives to consensus reality.America's Alternative Religions reveals this long-standing diversity and accommodation. There are other books that survey the same topic, but none that I know of combine the same mix of breadth and depth." — Jeffrey Timm, Wheaton College

• IntroductionTimothy MillerPart I.  Established Christian Alternatives1  The AnabaptistsDonald F. Durnbaugh2  Symbol and Sign in Methodist Holiness and Pentecostal SpiritualityCharles Edwin Jones3  The Adventist and Jehovah's Witness Branch of ProtestantismJerry Bergman4  The Latter Day Saint ChurchesSteven L. Shields5  Christian Science and American CultureJohn K. Simmons6  On the Verge: The Evolution of American QuakerismMargaret Hope Bacon7  SwedenborgianismEugene Taylor8  Unitarian Universalism: An Interpretation Through Its HistoryMason OldsPart II.  Contemporary Christian and Jewish Movements9  Roman Catholic TraditionalismWilliam Dinges10  Hasidism and Its Effects on Alternative Jewish Movements in AmericaS. Daniel Breslauer11  God and Race: British-Israelism and Christian IdentityWilliam L. Ingram12  The Children of GodDavid E. Van Zandt13  The Boston Church of ChristRussell Paden14  From Holy Order of MANS to Christ the Savior Brotherhood: The Radical Transformation of an Esoteric Christian OrderPhillip Lucas15  The Branch Davidians: A Social Profile and Organizational HistoryDavid G. Bromley and Edward D. SilverPart III.  Religions from Asia16  Buddhism in America: The Dharma in the Land of the Red ManJane Hurst17  Hinduism Arrives in America: The Vedanta Movement and the Self-Realization FellowshipCatherine Wessinger18  Hindu Movements Since Mid-Century: Yogis in the StatesGene R. Thursby19  Hare Krishna in America: Growth, Decline, and AccommodationE. Burke Rochford, Jr.20  The Unification ChurchEileen BarkerPart IV.  Religions from the Middle East21  Expressions of Islam in AmericaGisela Webb 22  The American Bahá'í Community in the NinetiesRobert H. Stockman23  Sufism in AmericaGisela Webb24  Gurdjieff in America: An OverviewGeorge Baker and Walter Driscoll25  SubudGisela WebbPart V.  African-American Freedom Movements26  Black Jews and Black MuslimsTimothy Miller27  Father Divine's Peace Mission MovementRobert Weisbrot28  Santería and Vodou in the United StatesJoseph M. Murphy29  The Rastafari AbroadBarry Chevannes30  Peoples TempleJohn R. HallPart VI.  Ancient Wisdom and New Age Movements31  TheosophyRobert S. Ellwood32  New Thought and the Harmonial FamilyGail Harley33  Spiritualism and ChannelingShawn Michael Trimble34  Neo-Paganism and WitchcraftCarol Matthews35  Whither the New Age?J. Gordon Melton36  The Association for Research and Enlightenment: Saved by the New AgePhillip Lucas37  ECKANKAR: From Ancient Science of Soul Travel to New Age ReligionRoger E. Olson38  The Evolution of Hippie Communal Spirituality: The Farm and Other Hippies Who Didn't Give UpAlbert Bates and Timothy MillerPart VII.  And Many More.…39  New Religions and American Indian ReligionJames R. Lewis40  The Church of Scientology: Lightning Rod for Cultural Boundary ConflictsMary Farrell Bednarowski41  UFO Religious MovementsRobert S. Ellwood42  Satanism and Satanic Churches: The Contemporary IncarnationsDavid G. Bromley and Susan G. Ainsley43  The Evolution of Modern American Anticult Ideology: A Case Study in Frame ExtensionAnson Shupe and David G. BromleyAppendix I:  A Bibliographical Guide to Alternative ReligionsAppendix II:  Chronology of Alternative Religions in AmericaList of ContributorsIndex