The Baker Pocket Guide to New Religions

Nigel Scotland's recent book shows that spirituality is far from being extinguished by today's secular agenda. I now have a much better understanding why New Religious Movements (NRMs) are so popular whilst mainstream religion is on the decline. The author provides concise bullet points and impartial insights into each NRM - clearly expressing "what makes them tick". I found the writing style to be respectful and non-condemnatory, indeed each NRM feels to be speaking for itself. The preface clearly sets out the context of NRMs and there's a quick reference in the form of a Glossary at the end. The cover picture certainly got my attention and I'm hoping for a few more illustrations in the next edition.

There are so many "new" religions out there, though oftentimes the new religions spout the same old philosophy. This "Pocket Guide" concentrates on 4-5 pages of reviewing some of the American groups that have proliferated the scene in the past two centuries. From the old standbys such as JWs and Mormons to newer groups such as Hare Krishnas and UFO cults, the author concentrates on the real basic information of each group. Probably the most valuable part of this book is the "Recent Development" sections, telling the readers what's happened in recent years. If you're looking for in depth analysis, though, then I would say that this is not the book. Or if you have little to no background knowledge on the movement, this too probably would not be my first choice. But if you're looking for a general summary of a group, wanting to learn about the founders, major ideas of its teaching, and a little history behind it, this is probably not a bad reference to keep in the library. I did find it a little too generic in some instances, such as the Worldwide Church of God entry, which really didn't concentrate very much on the past decade but rather the previous history. For an up-to-date source, there are probably better places to go. But again, use it for what you will, a "pocket guide" and it very well is worth the $10 cost.