Oxford Scholarship Online: Controversial New Religions

Controversial New Religions Lewis, James R. Associate Lecturer in Religious Studies, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point Petersen, Jesper Aagaard Teaching Assistant, Department of History of Religions, University of Copenhagen Print publication date: 2004 (this edition) Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: May 2006 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-19-515682-9
15 Heart and Soul A Qualitative Look at the Ethos of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness doi:10.1093/019515682X.003.0015 Diana G. Tumminia Abstract: This essay explores the cultural ethos and uses of meaning in the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA), a relatively new religion that displays a syncretistic postmodern assortment of religious traditions and spiritual innovation: Christianity, Sant Mat practices, and typical esoteric pursuits found in New Age groups. The controversial side of MSIA lies in its awkward relations with the wider society; as such, the analysis provides an insider’s portrait and outsider’s assessment of what is unproductively labeled a “cult”. Keywords: Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, cult, Sant Mat, Christianity, New Age,