His paintings and writings fused esoteric experience, vitalist philosophy, and Mesoamerican symbolism into a spiritual search that continues to attract scholars.
Massimo Introvigne
The Ryangombe: A Culture-Shaping African Institution in Rwanda
The progress and colonial eradication of a significant spiritual phenomenon raises questions about the damage created by the suppression of African Indigenous Spirituality.
The Cult‑Hunter Who Built His Own Criminal “Cult”: The Athanor Affair in France
Daniel Beaulieu carried his anti‑cult legacy into a rogue Masonic lodge that evolved into a covert structure that offered contract killer services to its clients.
The Unification Church Case in Japan: A Scholar Confronts a Society That No Longer Listens
Masaki Nakamasa reflects on how Japan reached a moment where a religious corporation can be dissolved without a real public debate
A Visit to the Seoul Detention Center and the Difficult Path of Religious Liberty in Korea
August days of prayer and testimony—and the fragile dignity of a ninety‑five‑year‑old man.
José Villegas and the Theosophical Decalogue Paintings
A Spanish painter celebrated across Europe sought in Theosophy a spiritual grammar capable of transforming the Ten Commandments into a metaphysical journey.
China’s Transnational Anti-Uyghur Strategy: New Research by Zenz and Tohti
A detailed analysis shows how transnational control strategies silence researchers and fracture diaspora communities with longterm consequences.
Trafficking Accusations Against Religion: Why the TVPA Should Be Amended
The U.S. Congress faces a decisive choice as forced-labor law expands into areas once considered protected belief and voluntary religious life.
The Fenggang Yang Scandal: US Catholic Organization Silences a Leading Scholar
Following pressure from China, a Catholic university withdrew the keynote speech of one of the world’s leading experts on Chinese religion.
Paradise Lost: The Forced Exodus of Lifechanyuan’s Thailand Home
A peaceful spiritual community is driven across borders by China’s transnational pressure and escalating threats.
Massimo Introvigne
Massimo Introvigne (born June 14, 1955 in Rome) is an Italian sociologist of religions. He is the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars who study new religious movements. Introvigne is the author of some 70 books and more than 100 articles in the field of sociology of religion. He was the main author of the Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia (Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy). He is a member of the editorial board for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion and of the executive board of University of Pennsylvania Press’ Nova Religio. From January 5 to December 31, 2011, he has served as the "Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions" of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairperson of the Observatory of Religious Liberty, instituted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale.