Month April 2025

New Religious Movements (NRMs): Religious groups that have emerged relatively recently, often as responses to social change or dissatisfaction with established religions (e.g., Scientology, Raelian Movement).

Social Protest and Religion: The role of religious organizations and beliefs in inspiring or supporting movements for social justice, civil rights, or political change (e.g., Liberation Theology, the role of churches in…

Proselytization: The act of attempting to convert individuals or communities to a particular religion.

Fundamentalism: A religious movement that seeks to return to perceived traditional values and practices, often in opposition to modernity and secularism.

Secularization: The process by which religion loses its influence over social institutions, politics, and daily life.

Religious Reform: Changes or modifications within a religious tradition to adapt to new social, political, or economic conditions.

Revitalization Movement: A social or religious movement that seeks to reform or renew society through spiritual transformation, often emerging during times of crisis (e.g., Ghost Dance, Cargo Cults).

Religion and Social Change: The study of how religious beliefs, practices, and institutions influence and respond to social transformations, including modernization, industrialization, and globalization.

Contested Pilgrimage: A pilgrimage site or journey that is subject to political, religious, or cultural disputes (e.g., Jerusalem as a sacred site for multiple religions).