As America becomes increasingly pluralistic, with more and more groups contributing to the nation's religious mosaic, new religious movements may well play an increasing role in the course of religious liberty in America. This book explores the problems and possibilities posed by new religious movements for religious liberty in America.

AcknowledgementPrefaceIntroduction Barry Hankins1. Controversial Christian Movements: History, Growth, and Outlook Timothy Miller2. The Cult Awareness Network and the Anticult Movement: Implications for NRMs in America Anson Shupe, Susan E. Darnell, and Kendrick Moxon3. A Contemporary Ordered Religious Community: The Sea Organization J. Gordon Melton4. Women in Controversial New Religions: Slaves, Priestesses, or Pioneers? Susan J. Palmer5. Satanism and Witchcraft: Social Construction of a Melded but Mistaken Identity James T. Richardson6. A Critical Analysis of Evidentiary and Procedural Rulings in Branch Davidian Civil Case Stuart A. Wright7. New Religious Movements and Conflicts with Law Enforcement Catherine Wessinger8. Christian Reconstruction after Y2K: Gary North, the New Millennium, and Religious Freedom Adam C. English9. A Not So Charitable Choice: New Religious Movements and President Bush's Plan for Faith-Based Social Services Derek H. Davis10. Fighting for Free Exercise from the Trenches: A Case Study of Religious Freedom Issues Faced by Wiccans Practicing in the United States Catharine Cookson11. The Persecution of West Virginia Jehovah's Witnesses and the Expansion of Legal Protection for Religious Liberty Chuck SmithNotesAbout the ContributorsIndex