Roy Wallis (1945–1990) was a sociologist and Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the

Queen's University Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...

. He is mostly known for his creation of the seven signs that differentiate a religious congregation from a

sect A sect is a subgroup of a religion, religious, politics, political, or philosophy, philosophical belief system, typically emerging as an offshoot of a larger organization. Originally, the term referred specifically to religious groups that had s ...

arian church, which he created while researching the

Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religiou ...

. He introduced the distinction between ''world-affirming'' and ''world-rejecting'' new religious movements. After publishing his book ''

The Road to Total Freedom ''The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis of Scientology'' is a non-fiction book about Scientology by sociologist Roy Wallis. Originally published in 1976 by Heinemann, it was republished in 1977 by Columbia University Press. The or ...

'' (1976), an analysis of the sociology of Scientology, he was harassed by the church both legally and personally. Forged letters, apparently from Wallis, were sent to his colleagues.Stewart Lamont (1986) ''Religion Inc.: The Church of Scientology'' London: Harrap. . p. 87

Publications

* Roy Wallis (1975) ''Sectarianism: Analyses of Religious and Non-Religious Sects,'' London: Peter Owen & New York: John Wiley, * Roy Wallis (1976) '' The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis of Scientology'', London: Heinemann. . US edition published 1977 by Columbia University Press, * Roy Wallis and Peter Morley (1976) ''Marginal Medicine,'' New York: Free Press, * Roy Wallis and Peter Morley (1978) ''Culture and Curing: Anthropological Perspectives on Traditional Medical Beliefs and Practices,'' Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, & London: Peter Owen, * Roy Wallis (1979) ''On the Margins of Science: the Social Construction of Rejected Knowledge,'' Keele: University of Keele Press, * Roy Wallis (1979) ''Salvation and Protest: Studies of Social and Religious Movements,'' New York: St. Martin's Press, * Roy Wallis (1984) ''The Elementary Forms of the New Religious Life,'' London and Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul,

References

External links

* Roy Wallis (1976)
''The Road to Total Freedom, A Sociological analysis of Scientology,''
* Roy Wallis (1984)
''The Elementary Forms of the New Religious Life,''
London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, {{DEFAULTSORT:Wallis, Roy Sociologists of religion 1945 births 1990 deaths Alumni of the University of Oxford Academics of Queen's University Belfast Scientology-related controversies Critics of Scientology