Prophets and Protons: New Religious Movements and Science in Late Twentieth-Century America

Benjamin E. Zeller

Published by New York University Press 2010

Prophets and Protons

New Religious Movements and Science in Late Twentieth-Century America

Benjamin E. Zeller

Volume 4 in the series North American Religions

https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9780814797204.001.0001

Overview
Contents

About this book

By the twentieth century, science had become so important that religious traditions had to respond to it. Emerging religions, still led by a living founder to guide them, responded with a clarity and focus that illuminates other larger, more established religions’ understandings of science. The Hare Krishnas, the Unification Church, and Heaven’s Gate each found distinct ways to incorporate major findings of modern American science, understanding it as central to their wider theological and social agendas. In tracing the development of these new religious movements’ viewpoints on science during each movement’s founding period, we can discern how their views on science were crafted over time. These NRMs shed light on how religious groups—new, old, alternative, or mainstream—could respond to the tremendous growth of power and prestige of science in late twentieth-century America.
In this engrossing book, Zeller carefully shows that religious groups had several methods of creatively responding to science, and that the often-assumed conflict-based model of “science vs. religion” must be replaced by a more nuanced understanding of how religions operate in our modern scientific world.

Author / Editor information

Zeller Benjamin E. :

Benjamin E. Zeller is Assistant Professor of Religion at Lake Forest College.

Reviews

A richly detailed and well-argued treatment of new religions and science.

Zeller (Brevard College) provides an analysis of three new religious movements of the mid- to late-20th century that arose as part of the counterculture response to the growth of American Science... In the books excellent bibliography, both primary and secondary sources are delineated.

Douglas E. Cowan,author of Cults and New Religions: A Brief History and Cyberhenge: Modern Pagans on the Internet:
The varied relationships between new religions and science are one of the least explored, yet most fascinating aspects of new religious emergence and development. In this captivating book, Zeller deftly expands the agenda for the study of new religions. No longer will scholars be able to ignore the intersection of worldviews he describes here.

R. Scott Sheffield:
Clearly and carefully written, Zeller's work offers a fascinating, thoughtful reflection on the complexity of the relationship between science and religion in the modern world.

Prophets and Protons is a valuable statement on the perennial religion-versus-science discussion, one that should be read by anyone who dares to venture into the fray.

E. Burke Rochford Jr.:
A valuable book that makes an important contribution to the study of new religions.

Prophets and Protons is a scholarly study of how three new religious movements interact with science, both how they view science in the light of their religious beliefs, and how they integrate science into their beliefs. Benjamin Zeller establishes early on that religion and science are not in conflict; they are in creative tension, which is a very different matter.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
PART I SCIENCE AND THE UNIFICATION CHURCH
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	19
1 Science and the Foundation of Unificationism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	25
2 Science and the American Unification Church Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	46
PART II SCIENCE AND THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	67
3 Science and the Foundation of the Hare Krishnas Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	73
4 Science and the Expansion of ISKCON Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	92
PART III SCIENCE AND HEAVEN’S GATE
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	115
5 Science and the Foundation of Heaven’s Gate Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	121
6 Science and the End of Heaven’s Gate Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	142
Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	163
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	173
Works Cited Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	199
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	221
About the Author Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	227

Language: English
Publisher: New York University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;

eBook

Published: March 1, 2010
ISBN: 9780814797495