New Religious Movements in Modern Asian History

The new religious movements (NRMs) of Modern Asia commonly offered a new way of hope for enduring the socio-political situation of colonial life. This volume explores particular cases in relation to the aspects of origin, identity, transnational activity, text, hybrid conditions, religionized politics, geopolitical exchange, and millennialism.

This book provides evidence that the emergence of Asian new religious movements (NRMs) was predominantly the result of anti-colonial ideology from local religious groups or individuals. The contributors argue that when traditional religions were powerless to maintain their cultural heritage, the leadership of NRMs adduced alternative principles, and the new teachings of each NRM attracted the local people enough for them to change their beliefs. The contributors argue that, as a whole, the Asian new religious movements overall were very ardent and progressive in transmitting their new ideologies. The varied viewpoints in this volume attest to the consistent development of Asian NRMs from domestic and international dimensions by replacing old, traditional religions.

Foreword by Eileen Barker

Acknowledgments

List of Figures

Introduction

David W. Kim

Part One: West, South, and Southeast Asia

1. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat: A New Religious Movement Derived from Islam? Lauren Dover

2. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living and the International Association for Human Values

Catharine Dada

3. The Radhasoami Satsang: A New Religion between Mysticism and Social Service

Fabio Scialpi

4. When New is Not-So-New: On the Meaning of “Modern” in a New Tibetan Movement: The New Kadampa Tradition

Lionel Obadia

5. The Thánh Ngôn Hiệp Tuyển: Translating and Understanding the Central Scripture of Caodaism

Christopher Hartney

Part Two: East Asia

6. The Filial Sectarian: Confucian Values and Popular Sects in Late Imperial China and Modern Taiwan

Nikolas Broy

7. International Moral Association (IMA): A Chinese New Religious Movement in Modern Korea

David W. Kim

8. The (New) Religious Dimensions of Juche-Kimilsungism

Emma Leverton

9. Dislocating Sōka Gakkai International: The Case of Sōka Gakkai International-Czech Republic

Petra Tlčimuková

10. Scriptures and Their Restoration: A Case Study of Tenrikyō

Jiro Sawai

11. Aum Shinrikyō: Millenarianism, Anti-Semitism, and Fundamentalism

Leonardo Sacco

About the Editor and Contributors