Center for Studies on New Religions | |
Centro Studi sulle Nuove Religioni | |
 | |
| Founded | 1988 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Massimo Introvigne, Jean-François Mayer, Ernesto Zucchini |
| Type | Public non-profit |
| Purpose | "Promote scholarly research in the field of new religious consciousness, and are dedicated to exposing the problems associated with some movements, while defending the principles of religious liberty" |
| Headquarters | Turin, Italy |
| Services | Academic study of new religious movements |
Membership | Private persons |
Director | Massimo Introvigne |
Key people | Luigi Berzano, J. Gordon Melton, Eileen Barker, Giuseppe Casale, Massimo Introvigne, Michael Homer, Reender Kranenborg, Gianni Ambrosio |
| Website | cesnur.org |
The Center for Studies on New Religions (Centro Studi sulle Nuove Religioni), otherwise abbreviated as CESNUR, is a nonprofit organization based in Turin, Italy that focuses on the academic study of new religious movements and opposes the anti-cult movement.[1] It was established in 1988 by Massimo Introvigne, Jean-François Mayer, and Ernesto Zucchini.
CESNUR has been described as "the highest profile lobbying and information group for controversial religions".[2] CESNUR's scholars have defended such diverse groups as the Unification Church, the Church of Scientology,[2] and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, accused of having aided the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.[3]
CESNUR describes itself as an independent scholarly organization, but the organization has met with criticism for alleged personal and financial ties to the groups it studies; anthropologist Richard Singelenberg questioned in 1997 whether CESNUR is "too friendly and does not make enough critical comments about new religious movements and sects".[4] According to sociologist Stephen A. Kent, "many scholars, however, see both CESNUR and INFORM in a favourable light, and they share its criticism of the 'sect-monitors' in France, Germany, and Belgium."[2]
CESNUR publishes The Journal of CESNUR, focusing on the academic study of new religious movements, and Bitter Winter, a daily magazine on religious issues and human rights in China.[5]
- ^ Chryssides, George D., ed. (2012). "CESNUR". Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-8108-6194-7. LCCN 2011028298.
- ^ a b c Kent, Stephen A. (January 2001). "The French and German versus American debate over 'new religions', Scientology and human rights". Marburg Journal of Religion. 6 (1). University of Marburg: 15. doi:10.17192/mjr.2001.6.3742. ISSN 1612-2941.
- ^ "Human Rights without frontiers release white paper on Coronavirus". Risingbd.com. Dhaka. 18 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ "Een sektencongres kan nooit rustig zijn" [A sect congress can never be quiet]. Trouw (in Dutch). 7 August 1997. Archived from the original on 25 March 2024.
- ^ ""Bitter Winter", in Italia un nuovo quotidiano online su religione e diritti umani in Cina" ["Bitter Winter," a new online newspaper in Italy on religion and human rights in China]. La Stampa (in Italian). 14 April 2018.