August 14 was the 160th anniversary of the birth of the famous anarchist, who lived his political beliefs as if they were a religion.
Massimo Introvigne
Around Giacomo Balla: Italian Futurists and Theosophy. 1. Early Theosophy in Italy and the Arts
Since its origins in the late 19th century, Italy’s Theosophical Society has influenced leading artists.
Stephen Kent Unmasks Himself: From Anti-Cult Scholar to Anti-Religion Crusader
“Psychobiographies and Godly Vision” argues that Paul the Apostle, Muhammad, and most founders of religions were no less mentally disturbed than “cult” leaders.
Raided and Terrorized: China Cracks Down Again on Life Zen Temple
A member who escaped abroad reports to “Bitter Winter” the terror of the new raids against an idiosyncratic but peaceful new religious movement.
Nisei: Are Second-Generation Apostates from the Unification Church Reliable? 4. Most Nisei Are Not Apostates
There are many more second-generation members who happily remain in the Unification Church than apostates who publicly oppose it.
Nisei: Are Second-Generation Apostates from the Unification Church Reliable? 3. The Post-Abe Assassination Crisis
All of a sudden, after Shinzo Abe was assassinated, the nisei issue became prominent in Japanese public discourse.
A Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose: Hilma af Klint, Flowers, and Theosophy at the MoMA
The exhibition “Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers” challenges the idea that botanical works are the flattest (and least Theosophical) part of the artist’s production.
Nisei: Are Second-Generation Apostates from the Unification Church Reliable? 2. Apostates: A Minority Among Ex-Members
Most former members do not actively oppose the religion they have left and just go on with their lives.
Nisei: Are Second-Generation Apostates from the Unification Church Reliable? 1. Who Are the Apostates?
“Apostate” is neither an insult nor a synonym of “ex-member.” It refers to the minority of ex-members who become militant critics of their former faith.
The Battle for the Soul: Toru Goto’s Harrowing Tale of Captivity and Courage
The story of a Japanese Unification Church member confined by his family and deprogrammers for more than twelve years is a narrative that demands to be heard.
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 California 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.