08AR13-01

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Apologia Report 13:1

January 10, 2008

Subject: Is "jihadism" a new religious movement?

In this issue:

HINDUISM - new book covers history of Hinduism's growth in the U.S.

ISLAM - Nova Religio: "jihadism, a new religious movement?"

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES - new sociological analysis includes focus on conflict regarding Internet's influence

MORMONISM - an academic history of Mormon temple ritual nudity

SCIENTOLOGY - change of strategy targeting low-income churches?

SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION - new survey credits combined influence of "evangelicals, charismatics, and Mormons"

THEOLOGY, GENERAL - Gen-X population found to favor religious liberalism by nearly 20 percent

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HINDUISM

A Place at the Multicultural Table: The Development of an American Hinduism, by Prema Kurien [1] -- Religion Watch publisher Richard Cimino finds that Kurien "provides a historical background to the establishment of Hinduism in the U.S., but mainly focuses on how Hindu groups, practices, and beliefs are changing as they are transplanted to America. Her chapters are based on the various structures of American Hinduism and how they reflect important themes and trends. ...

"Kurien writes that virtually all Hindu umbrella organizations (including the moderate Hindu Students Councils) have 'adopted some aspect of the Hindu nationalist ideology.' Interestingly, she adds that multiculturalism has ironically served to promote Hindu nationalist currents, since it enhances ethnic pride and is defensive about 'outsiders' (Western scholars) studying those traditions." Religion Watch, Oct '07, pp6-7

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ISLAM

Religion Watch (Nov '07, pp5-6) provides the following valuable summary: "The Fall issue [11:2] of the journal Nova Religio is devoted to the question of whether Islamic jihadism can be considered a 'new religious movement' (or NRM). Increasingly, both specialists in terrorism and anti-cult and new religious movement scholars have been exchanging and borrowing ideas and concepts to deal with the terrorist threat. The issue opens with an overview of the different kinds of jihadism and how NRM perspectives and theories can be applied to the phenomenon. Writer Mark Sedgwick tries to untangle such concepts as pacifist or non-violent jihad and defensive jihad from Islamist jihad, which is espoused by al-Queda. He argues that NRM scholarship, especially its theories of sect growth, does shed light on the internal history and mechanics of terrorist groups and why individuals join them. But NRMs have less in common with jihadist groups in the way the latter are often surrounded by 'supportive milieus' - those that don't join but broadly support terrorist actions. Other articles include one on how jihadists often divine meanings and even gain authority among other terrorists by their night dreams.

"The final article on the under-studied but important movement and teachings of Said Nursi provides a clear example of the scope of the aforementioned non-violent jihad. The Turkish-based Nursi movement and its founder did not forsake the concept of an external jihad on behalf of Islam, but such a battle is to be fought through persuasion and demonstrating the truth of Islam rather than through violence and politicization."

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JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

JehovahÕs Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, by Andrew Holden [2] -- just one short paragraph stands out in this review by prolific sociologist Timothy Miller. "Although the earlier work of James Beckford (The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses [3]) seems likely to endure as the standard scholarly work, Holden provides a good update to earlier scholarship and a more extensive ethnographic base than most earlier works have had. He covers the movement's history and doctrine, conversion processes, rational approach to the faith, asceticism, and cultural dynamics. He looks at threats posed to the movement by the modern world (the Internet, especially). He also examines the departure of the disillusioned from a faith that characterizes itself as 'the truth.'" Nova Religio, 11:2 - 2007, pp140-141

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MORMONISM

"Concealing the Body, Concealing the Sacred: The Decline of Ritual Nudity in Mormon Temples" by John-Charles Duffy -- "traces the gradual decline of nudity in a Mormon temple ritual called the initiatory and interprets that decline by setting it against intersecting Mormon discourses about the body and the sacred. Mormon discourse that figures the body as a temple produces an imperative to conceal the body, just as Mormons conceal temple rituals in the interest of sacred secrecy. ... By concealing initiates' bodies, the revised initiatory also conceals the church's power over members' bodies - i.e., the church's power to dictate whether initiates receive this rite nude or clothed - a power that was visible when the church required complete or partial nudity but became invisible when nudity was abolished. An initiate himself, the author examines the ethical complexities of discussing, in scholarly settings, rituals that Mormons treat as secret."

Duffy remains sympathetic to Mormonism, even though he admits: "I no longer hold a temple recommend." He strives for a balanced portrayal as he explains that "rumors of nudity in Mormon temples have been a source of scandal since Mormons first started administering the washing rite ... - a rite still practiced in temples today, albeit in somewhat altered form. ...

"Until very recently, the initiatory was administered while initiates were in a state of nudity - entire during the nineteenth century, partial during the twentieth. By 'nudity,' I refer to the exposure of the body both to being seen and to being touched. Only in early 2005 did church leaders revise the initiatory so as to abolish nudity. ...

"Historical documents indicate that men and women received the initiatory in separate parts of the temple, at the hands of same-gender officiators: that is, men administered this ordinance to men, women to women, a practice that continues today. After removing all their clothing, initiates reclined in a tub to be washed by officiators, then stood to be generously anointed with scented oil." Journal of Ritual Studies, 21:2 - 2007, pp1-21

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SCIENTOLOGY

"Some Christian pastors embrace Scientology" by Diana Miller and Gary Tuchman -- "Some Christian congregations, particularly in lower income, urban areas, are turning to an unlikely source for help -- the Church of Scientology.

"Scientologists do not worship God, much less Jesus Christ. The church has seen plenty of controversy and critics consider it a cult."

The story does little to alleviate concerns that there may be no more to this report than the two examples cited by the authors. Nevertheless, if this constitutes a genuine trend, it would be best to keep this story on file. CNN, Oct 31 '07, <http://tinyurl.com/2ydnfd>

Along the same lines, in a report from Religion Watch which centered on this same CNN piece, Richard Cimino briefly adds: "According to published reports [no further source credits provided], Scientology has been recently diversifying its outreach to include other religions." Religion Watch, Nov '07, p1

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SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION

American Sociology of Religion, Anthony J. Blasi, ed. [4] -- reviewer Richard Cimino notes that this survey "makes it clear that much of the vigor of sociology of religion worldwide today is related to the key trends in American religion - its new pluralism has generated fields of studying immigrant religion as well as new religious movements; the sharp growth and entrepreneurial spirit of evangelicals, charismatics, and Mormons were influential in shaping the 'new paradigm' theory stressing competition and pluralism." Religion Watch, Oct '07, pp7-8

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THEOLOGY, GENERAL

In his review of After the Baby Boomers by noted Princeton University sociologist Robert Wuthnow [5], Richard Cimino briefly makes this interesting note: "Wuthnow sees a ... split among young adults [up to age 45] running through the so-called 'culture war' issues; they are more polarized than the baby boomers in the early 1980s (with 56 percent leaning toward religious liberalism and 38 percent toward religious conservatism)." Religion Watch, Oct '07, p5

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Sources, Monographs:

1 - A Place at the Multicultural Table: The Development of an American Hinduism, by Prema A. Kurien (Rutgers, 2007, paperback, 299 pages)

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0813540569/apologiareport>

2 - Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, by Andrew Holden (multiple formats) <http://tinyurl.com/2sdc66>

3 - The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses James Beckford (Wiley & Sons, 1976, hardcover, 244 pages)

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470061383/apologiareport>

4 - American Sociology of Religion, Anthony J. Blasi, ed. (Brill, 2007, paperback, 320 pages)

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/9004161155/apologiareport>

5 - After the Baby Boomers, by Robert Wuthnow (Princeton Univ Prs, 2007, hardcover, 312 pages)

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0691127654/apologiareport>

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