Some ‘Other’ Religious Group Origins

and Key Organisations in the UK

• Some among the ‘other’ religious groups are groups that have a clear historical relationship with one of the world religious traditions with significant communities in the UK, but have disputed and sometimes mutually exclusive understandings about that relationship.

• From the perspective of majority religious groups these ‘other’ groups are seen as being problematic in relation to a particular understanding of orthodox belief or practice, while from the minority perspective, such an evaluation can be seen as prejudicial of the majority. Among such groups would, for example, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, popularly known as the Mormons.

• There is also contemporary Paganism that sees itself as inheriting the indigenous religious traditions of these islands. It is a movement of individuals and groups working in a variety of traditions including The Craft (Wicca), Druidry, Shamanism, Odinism (Asatru), and Women’s and Men’s traditions. One key organisation is the Pagan Federation.

• There are also organisations, groups and movements known popularly as ‘sects’ or ‘cults’ but which academics in the study of religion refer to by the less pejorative term of ‘New Religious Movements’ (NRMs).

• These include movements such as Scientology and Unificationists (known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification) An external source of information about NRMs is INFORM (Information Network Focus on New Religious Movements).

Written by Professor Paul Weller