‘Laboratories’ of Gender? Masculinities, Spirituality and New Religious Movements in Late Twentieth-Century Britain

Abstract

This chapter brings into relief aspects of masculinity and spirituality as articulated through the so-called New Religious Movements (NRMs) which arose during the latter decades of twentieth-century Britain. The subject matter is particularly pertinent given common conjecture surrounding the decline of culturally dominant Christianity during this period. The extent to which NRMs heralded the emergence of fresh and frequently unconventional forms of religiosity, therefore in addition to differing models of masculinity, forms the central focus of this chapter.