Children in New Religious Movements

This Element expands our understanding of community, parenting, and childhood as being conducive to children's religious lives.

Sanja Nilsson (Author)

9781009065962, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 12 December 2024

68 pages
22.9 x 15.1 x 0.5 cm, 0.14 kg

New Religious Movements have arisen not only in the present but have also developed in the past. While they differ in ideology and practice, they generally seem to live in high tension with mainstream society, especially when it comes to child-rearing. This Element examines several aspects of children growing up in new religions. It relies upon literature from different groups concerning child upbringing, the function of children in the groups considering the religious ideologies, and parental perspectives and parental styles. It also utilizes accounts from young adults growing up in these groups, both those who chose to stay and who chose to leave their groups as adults. A range of topics, such as socialization, education, health care, and relations to surrounding society are explored. In addition, this Element considers issues of physical and emotional abuse, state interventions, and the impact of second- and third generations of children in new religions.

1. Researching children in new religious movements
2. Situating the concept of childhood
3. Socialization and social relations: family life in the religious life world of the child
4. Education
5. Healthcare
6. Custody and abuse: case studies
7. Concluding remarks
References.

Subject Areas: History of religion [HRAX]