New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response is the most comprehensive and wide-ranging study of the impact of new religions on modern societies. It explores: -- the importance and relevance of new religions-- the interaction between new religions and the economy, the law, the media, mental health, traditional religion, and the role of women-- case studies of new religions in Italy and Brazil-- the development and influence of anti-cult movements in Germany, the USA, and Britain-- the activities of the Hare Krishna movement, the Brahma Kumaris, the Unification Church, the Jesus Army, 'The Family', the Church of Scientology, and Wicca

Foreword, Jamie Cresswell, Institute of Oriental Philosophy, European Centre, Introduction, Bryan R. Wilson, All Souls College, Oxford, Chapter 1. New Religious Movements: Their Incidence and Significance, Eileen Barker, London School of Economics, Chapter 2. The Easternization of the west, Colin Campbell, University of York, Chapter 3. Prosperity and the New Age Movement: The Efficacy of Spiritual Economics, Paul Heelas, University of Lancaster, Chapter 4. New Religious Movements: the Legal Dimension, Anthony Bradney, University of Leicester, Chapter 5. The Mass Media and New Religious Movements, James Beckford, University of Warwick, Chapter 6. New Religious Movements and Mental Health, Lawrence Lilliston & Gary Shepherd, Oakland University, Michigan, USA, Chapter 7. Women in New Religious Movements, Elizabeth Puttick, British-American College, London, Chapter 8. New Religious Movements and the Churches, Very Rev. Colin Slee, Provost of Southwark, Chapter 9. Damanhur: A Magical Community in Italy, Massimo Introvigne, CESNUR, Turin, Chapter 10. Japanese New Religious Movements in Brazil: From Ethnic to 'Universal' Religions, Peter Clarke, King's College, London, Chapter 11. Anti-Cultists in the United States: An Historical Perspective, J. Gordon Melton, University of California Santa Barbara, Chapter 12. The Response to New Religious Movements in Eastern Germany after Re-unification, Frank Usarski, Efurt Pedagogische Hochschule, Chapter 13. Britain's Anti-Cult Movement, George Chryssides, University of Wolverhampton.