Sociology Plus
World Accommodating NRM Definition
The World Accommodating New Religious Movement (NRM) is a category of religious movement characterised by an orientation towards the wider society that seeks to accommodate the world rather than reject or affirm it. These movements typically originate as offshoots from existing mainstream church or religious organisations, aiming to restore perceived ‘spiritual purity’ lost within those larger institutions. Their primary objective is to provide members with spiritual solace and a means of coping with ordinary life, focusing instead on helping individuals develop their personal sense of spirituality and commitment to God. Unlike world-rejecting movements that actively protest society, World Accommodating NRMs do not reject mainstream society; members are generally integrated into it, often holding conventional jobs, and they seek to improve their quality of life within the existing social order.
Characteristics and Focus
World Accommodating Movements distinguish between the spiritual and the worldly in a manner distinct from world-rejecting or world-affirming groups. Religion in these movements is not primarily construed as a social matter but rather provides stimulation or solace for the individual’s interior life. While it may invigorate the individual for secular affairs, its consequences for society are generally unintended rather than intentionally designed. The focus is on internal spiritual development, seeking experiential reassurance of general spiritual values rather than pursuing instrumental growth in worldly matters.
Relationship to Other Movements
This category contrasts sharply with other NRM types. World-affirming movements are not preoccupied with maximising personal spiritual growth, focusing instead on improving quality of life within society. Conversely, world-rejecting movements actively critique contemporary greed and materialism, seeking social, political, and environmental change through means that often involve a degree of world-rejection.
Manifestations and Membership
These movements often draw membership from the ‘religiously musical’ middle and ‘respectable’ working classes who are integrated into the prevailing social order but seek experiential assurance of their spiritual values. Associational forms frequently borrow from traditional models of churches or religious voluntary associations, leading to regular religious activities alongside leisure commitments.
Examples
Examples of World Accommodating NRMs include Neo-Pentacostalism, which developed from Protestantism or Catholicism; and movements such as the Aetherius Society, which exhibited a world-accommodating stance despite engaging in ritualistic cosmic battles, or the Soka Gakkai (in its American manifestation), which adapted to foster conformity with American social norms while pursuing individual self-improvement.