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Product Identifiers
PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated
ISBN-100195127447
ISBN-139780195127447
eBay Product ID (ePID)1629771
Product Key Features
Book TitleMystics and Messiahs : Cults and New Religions in American History
Number of Pages304 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicUnited States / 19th Century, History, Cults
Publication Year2000
GenreReligion, History
AuthorPhilip Jenkins
FormatHardcover
Dimensions
Item Height1.2 in
Item Weight21.2 Oz
Item Length9.3 in
Item Width6.1 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN99-028732
Reviews"This study offers sweeping cultural breadth and fresh insights into therole of new religions, though it remains to be seen whether Jenkins's predictionof a cult resurgence around 2010 will pan out."--Publishers Weekly, "Philip Jenkins has provided a vital historical perspective to thecontemporary conflict between new religious groups and those who condemn them ascults that destroy spiritual and moral values. It is a conflict that haspersisted through the twentieth century, with roots as far back as theReformation era of the sixteenth century, and is likely to continue many decadesinto the future. His research forces all of us to reexamine the price we pay forthe freedoms we enjoy, both in our allowance of the creative ferment of newdivergent faiths that erode attachments to stable institutions, and in ourtolerance of widespread critique of the unfamiliar that ranges from the rationalto the bigoted."--J. Gordon Melton, editor of The Encyclopedic Handbook of Cultsin America, "A fascinating look at the importance of the religious fringe in Americanlife. Jenkins argues convincingly that cults and new religions are significantsocial and cultural contributors to the healthy development of society.... Afresh and thoughtful analysis that sheds much-needed light on an oftenoverheated phenomenon."--Kirkus Reviews, "Not many books deserve the epithet fascinating, but this is one ofthem."-The Journal of the American Academy of Religion, "Loaded with intriguing sketches of dozens of cults and distinguished by Jenkins' healthily nonjudgemental attitude, this is a superb historical primer on what, tomorrow, may be a hot topic again."--Booklist, "Jenkins...possesses the virtue of being able to perceive new and unusual religious sects on their own terms, not through the frequently distorted mirror in which they have been viewed in popular writings for at least a century." --Washington Post Book World"A valuable tool....A fine resource and starting point for further exploration of a fascinating element of national life."--ForeWord"A superb historical primer....Loaded with intriguing sketches of dozens of cults and distinguished by Jenkins' healthily nonjudgmental attitude."--Booklist"Offers sweeping cultural breadth and fresh insights into the role of new religions."--Publishers Weekly"A scholarly and balanced book on this controversial and explosive topic....Mystics and Messiahs is a much needed...contribution to a topic that has for too long been the subject of public hysteria and distortion. Highly Recommended."--Multicultural Review, "A fascinating look at the importance of the religious fringe in American life. Jenkins argues convincingly that cults and new religions are significant social and cultural contributors to the healthy development of society.... A fresh and thoughtful analysis that sheds much-needed light onan often overheated phenomenon."--Kirkus Reviews, "A fascinating look at the importance of the religious fringe in Americanlife. Jenkins argues convincingly that cults and new religions are significantsocial and cultural contributors tot he healthy development of society....Afresh and thoughtful analysis that sheds much-needed light on an oftenoverheated phenomenon."--Kirkus Reviews, "This study offers sweeping cultural breadth and fresh insights into the role of new religions, though it remains to be seen whether Jenkins's prediction of a cult resurgence around 2010 will pan out."--Publishers Weekly, "Loaded with intriguing sketches of dozens of cults and distinguished byJenkins' healthily nonjudgemental attitude, this is a superb historical primeron what, tomorrow, may be a hot topic again."--Booklist, "Jenkins...possesses the virtue of being able to perceive new and unusual religious sects on their own terms, not through the frequently distorted mirror in which they have been viewed in popular writings for at least a century." --Washington Post Book World "A valuable tool....A fine resource and starting point for further exploration of a fascinating element of national life."--ForeWord "A superb historical primer....Loaded with intriguing sketches of dozens of cults and distinguished by Jenkins' healthily nonjudgmental attitude."--Booklist "Offers sweeping cultural breadth and fresh insights into the role of new religions."--Publishers Weekly "A scholarly and balanced book on this controversial and explosive topic....Mystics and Messiahsis a much needed...contribution to a topic that has for too long been the subject of public hysteria and distortion. Highly Recommended."--Multicultural Review, "An innovative, engaging portrait of recent American religious history that transposes traditional conceptions of foreground and background. Jenkins places religious movements, usually treated as peripheral, front and center. He demonstrates that religious movements have always been a primarysource of religious vitality and of what ultimately becomes mainstream tradition. Organized outrage and panic at the challenges posed by these movements are an equally integral part of our tradition. His portrait compels us to see ourselves as representing both traditions and the contemporary cultwars as just the latest cultural rendering of a very ancient theme."--David Bromley, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Virginia Commonwealth University, "This study offers sweeping cultural breadth and fresh insights into therole of new religions, though it remains to be seen whether Jenkin's predictionof a cult resurgence around 2010 will pan out."--Publishers Weekly, "Loaded with intriguing sketches fo dozens of cults and distinguished byJenkins' healthily nonjudgemental attitude, this is a superb historical primeron what, tomorrow, may be a hot topic again."--Booklist, "Philip Jenkins has provided a vital historical perspective to the contemporary conflict between new religious groups and those who condemn them as cults that destroy spiritual and moral values. It is a conflict that has persisted through the twentieth century, with roots as far back as theReformation era of the sixteenth century, and is likely to continue many decades into the future. His research forces all of us to reexamine the price we pay for the freedoms we enjoy, both in our allowance of the creative ferment of new divergent faiths that erode attachments to stableinstitutions, and in our tolerance of widespread critique of the unfamiliar that ranges from the rational to the bigoted."--J. Gordon Melton, editor of The Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America, "Jenkins...possesses the virtue of being able to perceive new and unusual religious sects on their own terms, not through the frequently distorted mirror in which they have been viewed in popular writings for at least a century." --Washington Post Book World "A valuable tool....A fine resource and starting point for further exploration of a fascinating element of national life."--ForeWord "A superb historical primer....Loaded with intriguing sketches of dozens of cults and distinguished by Jenkins' healthily nonjudgmental attitude."--Booklist "Offers sweeping cultural breadth and fresh insights into the role of new religions."--Publishers Weekly "A scholarly and balanced book on this controversial and explosive topic....Mystics and Messiahs is a much needed...contribution to a topic that has for too long been the subject of public hysteria and distortion. Highly Recommended."--Multicultural Review, "Not many books deserve the epithet fascinating, but this is one of them."-The Journal of the American Academy of Religion, "An innovative, engaging portrait of recent American religious historythat transposes traditional conceptions of foreground and background. Jenkinsplaces religious movements, usually treated as peripheral, front and center. Hedemonstrates that religious movements have always been a primary source ofreligious vitality and of what ultimately becomes mainstream tradition.Organized outrage and panic at the challenges posed by these movements are anequally integral part of our tradition. His portrait compels us to see ourselvesas representing both traditions and the contemporary cult wars as just thelatest cultural rendering of a very ancient theme."--David Bromley, Professor ofSociology and Anthropology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Dewey Edition21
Dewey Decimal200/.973
SynopsisPhilip Jenkins looks at how the image of the cult evolved and why panics about such groups occur at certain times. He examines the deep roots of cult scares in American history, offering the first-ever history and analysis of cults and their critics from the 19th century to the present day. Contrary to popular belief, Jenkins shows, cults and anti-cult movements were not an invention of the 1960's, but in fact are traceable to the mid- 19th century, when Catholics, Mormons and Freemasons were equally denounced for violence, fraud and licentiousness. He finds that, although there are genuine instances of aberrant behaviour, a foundation of truth about fringe religious movements is all but obscured by a vast edifice of myth, distortion and hype., Are religious fringe movements a recent phenomeon in American history? Are widespread fears of mass suicides, sexual abuse, and brainwashing in cults justified? Do marginalized religious groups play any positive role in American spiritual life? Do the panics over such groups follow any discernible pattern? Phillip Jenkins gives fascinating--and surprising--answers to these and many other questions in Mystics and Messiahs, the first full account of cults and anti-cult scares in American history. Jenkins shows that, contrary to popular belief, cults were by no means an invention of the 1960s. In fact, most of the frightening images and stereotypes surrounding fringe religious movements are traceable to the mid-nineteenth century when Mormons, Freemasons, and even Catholics were vehemently denounced for supposed ritualistic violence, fraud, and sexual depravity. As Charles Ferguson observed in 1928, "America has always been the sanctuary of amazing cults." But America has also been the home of an often hysterical anti-cult backlash. Jenkins provides an insightful new analysis of why cults arouse such fear and hatred both in the secular world and in mainstream churches, many of which--Baptists, Quakers, Pentecostals, and Methodists--were themselves originally regarded as cults. Most importantly, Jenkins argues that an accurate historical perspective is urgently needed if we are to avoid the kind of catastrophic confrontation that occurred in Waco or the ruinous prosecution of imagined Satanic cults in the 1980s. While not ignoring genuine instances of aberrant behavior, Mystics and Messiahs goes beyond the vast edifice of myth, distortion, and hype to reveal the true characteristics of religious fringe movements and why they inspire such fierce antagonism., In Mystics and Messiahs --the first full account of cults and anti-cult scares in American history--Philip Jenkins shows that, contrary to popular belief, cults were by no means an invention of the 1960s. In fact, most of the frightening images and stereotypes surrounding fringe religious movements are traceable to the mid-nineteenth century when Mormons, Freemasons, and even Catholics were denounced for supposed ritualistic violence, fraud, and sexual depravity. But America has also been the home of an often hysterical anti-cult backlash. Jenkins offers an insightful new analysis of why cults arouse such fear and hatred both in the secular world and in mainstream churches, many of which were themselves originally regarded as cults. He argues that an accurate historical perspective is urgently needed if we are to avoid the kind of catastrophic confrontation that occurred in Waco or the ruinous prosecution of imagined Satanic cults that swept the country in the 1980s. Without ignoring genuine instances of aberrant behavior, Mystics and Messiahs goes beyond the vast edifice of myth, distortion, and hype to reveal the true characteristics of religious fringe movements and why they inspire such fierce antagonism., Are religious fringe movements a recent phenomeon in American history? Are widespread fears of mass suicides, sexual abuse, and brainwashing in cults justified? Do marginalized religious groups play any positive role in American spiritual life? Do the panics over such groups follow any discernible pattern? Phillip Jenkins gives fascinating--and surprising--answers to these and many other questions in Mystics and Messiahs, the first full account of cults and anti-cult scares in American history. Jenkins shows that, contrary to popular belief, cults were by no means an invention of the 1960s. In fact, most of the frightening images and stereotypes surrounding fringe religious movements are traceable to the mid-nineteenth century when Mormons, Freemasons, and even Catholics were vehemently denounced for supposed ritualistic violence, fraud, and sexual depravity. As Charles Ferguson observed in 1928, "America has always been the sanctuary of amazing cults." But America has also been the home of an often hysterical anti-cult backlash. Jenkins provides an insightful new analysis of why cults arouse such fear and hatred both in the secular world and in mainstream churches, many of which--Baptists, Quakers, Pentecostals, and Methodists--were themselves originally regarded as cults. Most importantly, Jenkins argues that an accurate historical perspective is urgently needed if we are to avoid the kind of catastrophic confrontation that occurred in Waco or the ruinous prosecution of imagined Satanic cults in the 1980s. While not ignoring genuine instances of aberrant behaviour, Mystics and Messiahs goes beyond the vast edifice of myth, distortion, and hype to reveal the true characteristics of religious fringe movements and why they inspire such fierce antagonism., In Mystics and Messiahs--the first full account of cults and anti-cult scares in American history--Philip Jenkins shows that, contrary to popular belief, cults were by no means an invention of the 1960s. In fact, most of the frightening images and stereotypes surrounding fringe religious movements are traceable to the mid-nineteenth century when Mormons, Freemasons, and even Catholics were denounced for supposed ritualistic violence, fraud, and sexual depravity. But America has also been the home of an often hysterical anti-cult backlash. Jenkins offers an insightful new analysis of why cults arouse such fear and hatred both in the secular world and in mainstream churches, many of which were themselves originally regarded as cults. He argues that an accurate historical perspective is urgently needed if we are to avoid the kind of catastrophic confrontation that occurred in Waco or the ruinous prosecution of imagined Satanic cults that swept the country in the 1980s. Without ignoring genuine instances of aberrant behavior, Mystics and Messiahs goes beyond the vast edifice of myth, distortion, and hype to reveal the true characteristics of religious fringe movements and why they inspire such fierce antagonism.
LC Classification NumberBL2525.J46 2000
