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
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat: A New Religious Movement Derived from Islam?
Lauren Dover
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living and the International Association for
Human Values
Catharine Dada
The Radhasoami Satsang: A New Religion between Mysticism and Social Service
Fabio Scialpi
When New is Not-So-New: On the Meaning of Modern in a New Tibetan Movement:
The New Kadampa Tradition
Lionel Obadia
The Thánh Ngôn Hip Tuyn: Translating and Understanding the Central
Scripture of Caodaism
Christopher Hartney
Part Two: East Asia
The Filial Sectarian: Confucian Values and Popular Sects in Late Imperial
China and Modern Taiwan
Nikolas Broy
International Moral Association (IMA): A Chinese New Religious Movement in
Modern Korea
David W. Kim
The (New) Religious Dimensions of Juche-Kimilsungism
Emma Leverton
Dislocating Ska Gakkai International: The Case of Ska Gakkai
International-Czech Republic
Petra Tlimuková
Scriptures and Their Restoration: A Case Study of Tenriky
Jiro Sawai
Aum Shinriky: Millenarianism, Anti-Semitism, and Fundamentalism
Leonardo Sacco
About the Editor and Contributors
David W. Kim is associate professor of Asian history, College of General Education, Kookmin University, Seoul and visiting fellow at the School of History, Australian National University, Canberra.
