New Religious Movements as a Form of Religious Organization, Ways and Factors of their Appearance and Function

Abstract

The article deals with new religious movements. The author compares the new religious movements with traditional forms of organization of religion. The concept of “new religious movements” is used as an alternative term of totalitarian sects and destructive cults. The basic characteristics of new religious movements consider. The main characteristics of similar new religious movements are described. The theoretical approaches of description of the ways formation of new religious movements are considered. It analyzes the main factors affecting the appearance of development and operation of new religious movements. Thus, a number of social, political, and religious factors that influence the development of new religious movements highlighted. Also, the crisis state of society is viewed as one of the possible factors of the origin, development and functioning of the new religious movements.