''Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions'' is a quarterly

peer-reviewed Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...

academic journal An academic journal (or scholarly journal or scientific journal) is a periodical publication in which Scholarly method, scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. They serve as permanent and transparent forums for the ...

covering

religious studies Religious studies, also known as religiology or the study of religion, is the study of religion from a historical or scientific perspective. There is no consensus on what qualifies as ''religion'' and definition of religion, its definition is h ...

, focusing on the

academic study of new religious movements The academic study of new religious movements is known as new religions studies (NRS). The study draws from the disciplines of anthropology, psychiatry, history, psychology, sociology, religious studies, and theology. Eileen Barker noted that t ...

. It was established in 1997 by Seven Bridges Press, initially published semi-annually, changing to tri-annually in 2003, and then quarterly in 2005.

History

Previously research focusing on

new religious movement A new religious movement (NRM), also known as a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin, or they can be part ...

s (often referred to as

cult Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ...

s) was mainly published in

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

journals, which lessened the ability for researchers to engage in more qualitative methodologies. Researchers who were not sociologists wanted a publication with a broader view in which to publish; in the 1990s, more debate emerged on how to define the term "new religious movement" itself. The journal was founded to give a broader and inclusive look at this topic in a period approaching the end of the millennium. With several apocalyptic groups gaining prominence, interest in the field increased. The journal was established in 1997 by Seven Bridges Press, founded by Phillip Lucas and Catherine Wessinger. The journal came out of the American Academy of Religion (AAR)'s NRM program unit. The name was chosen to include both historical "new religions" and modern ones, given the controversial nature of naming in the field itself. The team founding the journal believed that "it was not their place to judge whose religion is sane, good, or otherwise". As of 2001 it was one of only two English-language academic journals dedicated to NRMs and cults (the other being the ''

Cultic Studies Journal The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) is a non-profit educational and anti-cult organization. It publishes the ''International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation'', "ICSA Today", and other materials. History ICSA was fo ...

''). Jolyon Baraka Thomas described it as the "flagship journal" of NRM studies. Topics covered in early issues included a debate on the concept of brainwashing between Benjamin Zablocki and David G. Bromley, coverage of the "Cult Wars" and academic neutrality, the relationship between violence and NRMs and law enforcement. It also provided an avenue for the publication of "case studies" on specific groups. Later on it has featured "special issues" focusing on a single theme, including topics like archaeology, food,

Marian apparition A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance of Mary, the mother of Jesus. While sometimes described as a type of vision, apparitions are generally regarded as external manifestations, whereas visions are more often understood as ...

s, and the legacy of

Jonestown The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a remote settlement in Guyana established by the Peoples Temple, an American religious movement under the leadership of Jim Jones. Jonestown became in ...

as they related to NRMs; other issues include shorter "Perspective Essays" not always based on empirical research. In the 2010s, its coverage began to cover more things outside the North American context. It was initially published semi-annually, changing to tri-annually in 2003, and then quarterly in 2005. It was initially owned by the co-general editors, before ownership was passed to the Association for the Academic Studies of New Religions. (volume 6), it was published by the

University of California Press The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by faculty ...

. In 2024 it moved to the

University of Pennsylvania Press The University of Pennsylvania Press, also known as Penn Press, is a university press affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. History The press was originally incorporated with b ...

. The journal is associated with the AAR Program Unit, which holds conferences; much of the journal's content is sourced from the unit's conference papers.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in:

References

External links

* {{New Religious Movements Religious studies journals University of Pennsylvania Press academic journals Academic journals established in 1997 Quarterly journals