Leadership in new religious movements WT-FW-CPN
⓿ Methodological introduction.
❶ New religious movements: propedeutic issues.
a) a problem with terminology
b) etymology of basic terms
c) chronological range
d) provenience
e) organizational structure
❷ Leadership and its types.
a) legitimacy of leadership
b) 4 categories of leaders according to Margaret G. Hermann
c) links of leadership effectiveness
d) links of the leadership model
1) charismatic type
2) hierarchical authority
3) hegemonic leadership
4) absolutist (pragmatic) rule
5) constitutional and representative model
6) democratic system and its types
7) mass leadership model
8) authoritarian and totalitarian power
❸ Definition of the term "charisma".
a) problem of definition
b) charismatic personality
c) attributes of charisma, its ailments and correlates
d) charismatic leadership phases
❹ Charisma: concepts, theories and approaches.
a) Max Weber's classical theory of charisma
b) Émile Durkheim and the charisma of the collective
c) psychopathological hypothesis of Rodney Stark and William Bainbridge
d) Heinz Kohut's psychoanalytical concept
e) the phenomenon of charisma in the light of depth psychology
1) analytical psychology of Carl Gustav Jung
2) fate analysis of Lipót Szondi
f) synthetic theories of charisma
1) Robert J. Lifton: thought reform and psychology of totalism
2) William James, Bruno Bettelheim: a pragmatic theory of truth and humanistic psychology
3) David Riesman: psychocultural theory and other-directedness
4) Christopher Lasch: a culture of narcissism
❺ Stages of charisma development (Len Oakes's model).
a) early narcissism
b) incubation
c) awakening
d) mision
e) decline/fall
❻ Authority.
a) multidimensionality of understanding authority
b) kinds of authority: the formal aspect
c) dichotomous typology of authority
d) authority functions
e) basic roles of religious and authoritative behavior
1) shaman
2) prophet
3) mystic
4) gnostic
5) priest
6) guru
7) ascetic
8) father
❼ Adherent and community in the context of religious leadership.
a) conversion: John Lofland's and Rodney Stark's the concept of
b) community structure: Walter Burkert's classic model
c) hierodynamic and hagiodynamic leadership
❽ Authentic charisma and its substitutes.
a) quasi-charisma and pseudocharisma
b) narcissism and cosmosis
❾ Vices and flaws of charismatic leadership.
a) the destructive side of charisma
b) charisma pathologies: category ὕβρις (hybris)
❿ Leadership in the NRMs: case-study
a) Joseph Smith
b) Lafayette Ronald Hubbard
c) Abhaj Ćaranarawinda Bhaktiwedanta Swami Prabhupada
d) Sun Myung Moon
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
◊◊◊ List of leaders of new religious movements ◊◊◊
• 1. Mary Baker Eddy (82244; 12021)
• 2. David Brandt Berg aka Mojżesz David (100415; 22155)
• 3. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh aka Osho (93375; 100416)
• 4. Mata Amritanandamayi aka Amma (93376; 97793)
• 5. Maryna Tsvigun aka Maria Devi Christos (12222; 12160)
• 6. James Warren „Jim” Jones (11620; 12072; 12225)
• 7. Siergiej Anatoljewicz Torop aka Wissarion (108865; 11617)
• 8. Mahesz Prasad Warma aka Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (11333; 95842)
• 9. Aleister Crowley (Edward Alexander Crowley) (11628; 11893)
• 10. Anton Szandor LaVey (12219; 114857)
• 11. Charles Milles Manson (11779; 11609)
• 12. Sathya Sai Baba (12985; 11606)
• 13. Vernon Wayne Howell aka David Koresh (11631; 12162)
• 14. Marshall Herff Applewhite (11743; 11928)
• 15. Chizuo Matsumoto aka Shōkō Asahara (9988)
• 16. Małgorzata Pawlisz & Romuald Danilewicz (93373; 11847)
• 17. Emanuel Swedenborg (100483; 96148)
• 18. Ellen Gould White (103482; 12293)
• 19. Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar aka Śri Śri Ánandamúrti (11715; 11608)
• 20. Rudlof Steiner (58376; 11979)
• 21. Ali Muhammad Shirazi aka Báb (11634; 97319)
• 22. Mírzá Ḥusayn-'Alí Nuri aka Bahá'u'lláh (97118; 12317)
• 23. Olivia Robertson (12087; 11817)
• 24. Porfiry Ivanov (114856)
• 25. Helena Petrovna Blavatska (93426; 12315)
• 26. Hak Ja Han Moon (11927)
• 27. Ryszard Matuszewski (17826; 10394)
• 28. David Miscavige (108434; 95994)
• 29. Credonia Mwerinde (11632; 97222)
• 30. Claude Maurice Marcel Vorilhon aka Raël (12091; 12311)
• 31. Nao Deguchi (12153; 11848)
• 32. Chris Butler aka Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa
• 33. Evelyn Grace Victoria Edwards aka Anne Hamilton-Byrne (12177: 52278)
• 34. Ngô Văn Chiêu (12242; 77855)
• 35. Merwan Sheriar Irani aka Meher Baba (97263)
• 36. Śri Chinmoy Kumar Ghose (11607)
• 37. Paul Twitchell aka Peddar Zaskq (12233)
• 38. Nirmala Śriwastawa aka Śri Matadźi Nirmala Dewi (88348; 12075)
• 39. Harbhajan Singh Khalsa aka Yogi Bhajan (12294)
• 40. Li Hongzhi (93434)
• 41. Mary E. McGovern aka Maria Bożego Miłosierdzia (106048; 12015)
(in Polish) Dyscyplina naukowa, do której odnoszą się efekty uczenia się
(in Polish) E-Learning
(in Polish) Grupa przedmiotów ogólnouczenianych
Subject level
Learning outcome code/codes
Type of subject
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
◊◊◊ KNOWLEDGE ◊◊◊
Students are to learn about the conditioning of personality formation and development, referred to as the charismatic leader along with the both social and spiritual threats arising from this process.
Course participants can use previously acquired knowledge, especially in the field of humanities and social sciences, to create an integrated perspective on the phenomenon of alternative religiosity in its individual dimension.
Participants in the exercises are expected to gain knowledge about complex of the process along with its historical volatility in leadership issues in religious groups of alternative provenance.
Master's students are to have a information about the human being in the aspect of his religious activity, resulting from various cosmogonic, anthropological and theological views.
◊◊◊ SKILLS ◊◊◊
Students are to independently be able to search, select and analyze information from various sources to make a holistic vision about leadership in new religious movements and to form critical arguments in the discussed issues.
Through the undertaking autonomous actions, participants of the classes are to be able to independently acquire knowledge with parallel support from the teacher, aiming at developing their research skills and abilities.
One should remember about the ability to integrate knowledge from various fields of science and disciplines, find common elements to substantively argue his/her statement, to have an ideological discussion by formed own opinion, as well as knowledge derived from classes and literature on the subject.
The participants are to be able to correctly interpret various manifestations of the NRMs leader's charisma, explaining the phenomena associated with it.
◊◊◊ SOCIAL COMPETENCE ◊◊◊
Students, striving for truth and maintaining sensitivity to different opinions, are to be aware of the complexity of the phenomenon of new religiosity, understand the necessity of the need for an interdisciplinary approach to the discussed issues.
Participants are to have an open mind along with a readiness to change their opinion on the received data and arguments, including those obtained in the process of self-preparation for the subject, because "who closes to dissimilarity or - even worse - tries to destroy this diversity, takes away the opportunity to explore the mystery of human life" (John Paul II).
◊◊◊ European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) ◊◊◊
• amount of contact hours with lecturer - 15
• any consultation with lecturer - 4
• individual learning time - 15
• obligatory reading - 8
• amount of time to prepare for the final test - 18
TOTAL: 60 hours = 2 ECTS
Assessment criteria
ᴥ Form of getting credit: written.
ᴥ Assessment method: test.
ᴥ Date of passing:
The 1st term - Saturday, February 15, 2020, from 1.30 PM, aud. 326
The 2nd term - Sunday, March 8, 2020, from 4.20 PM, aud. 326
The 3d term - Sunday, May 31, 2020, 10.45 AM - 11.30 AM, Moodle
ᴥ The final grade is derived from the following principle:
≤ 50 points - insufficient (D)
51-60 points - sufficient (C)
61-70 points - satisfactory + (C+)
71-80 points - good (B)
81-90 points - good + (B+)
≥ 91 points - very good (A)
The sum of points will consist of:
• test at the end of the class: 60 points
• frequency award: 1 presence = 2 points
• substantive activity during classes: each meeting = 2 points
• gratification of independent work *: 10 points
• obligatory reading: 10 points
* Each participant in the class from the NRMs leaders' list is assigned one character to be described (as part of the test at the end of the class) in the light of the evolutionary process of that person's charisma (the scheme for such description will be discussed during the class; topic # 5). In the event of dissatisfaction with the characters proposed by the lecturer, the student has the right to suggest another person of the founder/leader of NRMs.
NOTE: the final test will check the degree of recorded knowledge received during the seminar, as well as will contain the part verifying the students' own work. The lecture material is an integral part of the issues carried out during the seminar and is counted in parallel during the test.
ATTENTION: the final test DOES NOT take place at the last class in the semester, but only on the day jointly designated by the lecturer and the participants of the classes.
At the end of the course, but before the exam session starts, the lecturer sends a trial test (in electronic form) to participants of the seminar in order to get to know examples of questions and tasks that will appear in the final test. Therefore, an indispensable prerequisite is that participants have an active and working E-mail address, placed and displayed in the USOSweb system along with the name of each student.
During the exam, it is strictly prohibited to use telephones or other electronic devices that are have to be put into the bag at that time. Only the writing tool will lay in front of the person approaching the exam. If necessary, you can have a simple watch in front of you.
In the situation of obtaining an unsatisfactory grade, the participants take the retake exam on a date jointly designated by that person and the teacher. The retake exam cannot take place on the same day as the pass.
A student who obtains a positive grade on the final test but is not satisfied with it has the right to improve his/her grade. Such a person may approach the exam again. Then the grade obtained on the second attempt is last and cannot be discussed.
The lecturer asks you not to use mobbing techniques, emotional blackmail methods and not to exert psychological pressure on him.
Practical placement
ᴥ Films on leadership in the NRMs ᴥ
• Sound of My Voice, dir. Z. Batmanglij, B. Marling, 2011.
• Martha Marcy May Marlene, dir. S. Durkin, 2011.
• The Sacrament, dir.. T. West, 2013.
• Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, dir. S. Nelson, 2006.
• The Master, dir. P. Th. Anderson, 2012.
• Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, dir. A. Gibney, 2015.
• Wild Wild Country (documentary), dir. M. Way, Ch. Way 2018.
• The Path (TV series), dir. J. Goldberg, 2016-2018.
• Manson's Lost Girls, dir. L. Libman, 2016.
• Midsommar, dir. A. Aster, 2019.
• Waco (TV series), dir. J. E. Dowdle, D. Gordon, 2018.
• Colonia Dignidad, dir. F. Gallenberger, 2015.
Bibliography
◊◊◊ OBLIGATORY LITERATURE ◊◊◊
• F. Arinze, Sekty i nowe ruchy religijne jako problem duszpasterski. "L’Osservatore Romano" , wyd. polskie, nr 7 (1991), s. 12-16.
• K. M. Kaczmarek, Sekty jako problem socjotechniczny, [w:] M. Korczyński, P. Pluciński (red.), Konstrukcja czy rekonstrukcja rzeczywistości? Dylematy społecznego zaangażowania. Poznań 2006, s. 207-224.
• T. Pawlus, Nowe ruchy religijne – zagrożenie czy nowa jakość duchowości? „Warmińsko-Mazurski Kwartalnik Naukowy, Nauki Społeczne”, nr 1 (2013), s. 61-79.
• R. T. Ptaszek, Alternatywne ruchy religijne jako element współczesnego multikulturalizmu. „Człowiek w kulturze”, 24 (2014), s. 117-135.
• M. Pytlak, Rozpoznać sektę: kryteriologia sekt (rozdział 2. Struktura grupowa). Lublin 2002, s. 85-95.
◊◊◊ BASIC LITERATURE ◊◊◊
• J-.M. Abgrall, Sekty: manipulacja psychologiczna (rozdział 3: Guru). Gdańsk 2005, s. 56-76.
• D. F. Barnes, Charisma and Religious Leadership: An Historical Analysis. “Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion”, vol. 17, nr 1 (1978), s. 1-18.
• D. G. Bromley, Charisma and Leadership: Charisma and Charismatic Authority in New Religious Movements (NRMs), [w:] G. D. Chryssides, B. E. Zeller (red.), The Bloomsbury Companion to New Religious Movements. London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi, Sydney 2016, s. 103-117.
• G. D. Chryssides, Unrecognized charisma? A study and comparison of five charismatic leaders: Charles Taze Russell, Joseph Smith, L Ron Hubbard, Swami Prabhupada and Sun Myung Moon. “Max Weber Studies”, vol. 12, nr 2 (2012), s. 185-204.
• R. B. Cialdini, Wywieranie wpływu na ludzi: teoria i praktyka. Sopot 2015.
• K. E. Corcoran, J. K. Wellman Jr, “People Forget He’s Human”: Charismatic Leadership in Institutionalized Religion. “Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review”, vol. 77, nr 4 (2016), s. 309-332.
• Th. J. Csordas, Language, Charisma and Creativity: The Ritual Life of a Religious Movement. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London 1997.
• L. L. Dawson, Attribution of Charisma: A Critical Introduction to the Psychology of Charisma and the Explanation of Violence in New Religious Movements. “Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions”, vol. 10, 2 (2006), s. 3-28.
• J. Gościniak, M. Mocek, Narcyzm i patologia narcystyczna w ujęciu psychologii self Heinza Kohuta. “Roczniki psychologiczne”, t. XI, nr 2 (2008), s. 7-26, particularly s. 7-13.
• R. Hummel, Guru, mistrzowie, szarlatani: fascynacje i zagrożenia. Wrocław 2003.
• C. G. Jung, Osobowość maniczna, [w:] C. G. Jung, Archetypy i symbole: pisma wybrane. Warszawa 1976 albo 1993, s. 84-101 albo s. 88-106.
• K. M. Kaczmarek, Guru – uczniowie – wspólnota. Poznań 2010.
• K. M. Kaczmarek, Klasyczna teoria charyzmy Maxa Webera. Kilka problemów z empirycznym zastosowaniem, [w:] R. Drozdowski (red.), Końce i początki. Socjologiczne podsumowania, socjologiczne zapowiedzi. Poznań 2007, s. 15-34.
• M. Karwat, Charyzma i pseudocharyzma. „Studia politologiczne”, vol. 5 (2001), s. 126-175.
• J. Kramer, D. Alstad, The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power. Berkeley 1993.
• I. M. Lewis, Religion in context: Cults and charisma. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne 1996.
• Ch. Lindholm, Charisma. Cambridge 1990.
• S. Majdański, Autorytet - pojęcie i problemy. Refleksje filozoficzno-pragmatyczne. “Summarium”, 30-31 (2001-2002), s. 207-231.
• D. McIlwan, Impatient for Paradise: Charisma, Personality and Charismatic New Religious Movements. Saarbrücken 2009.
• P. T. Nowakowski, Obraz ojca w grupie kultowej. „Forum Pedagogiczne”, 2, cz. 2 (2016), s. 233-242.
• L. Oakes, Prophetic Charisma: The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities. New York 1997.
• T. Olchanowski, Narcyzm i kosmoza, [w:] J. Sieradzan (red.), Narcyzm. Białystok 2011, s. 169-185.
• T. Olchanowski, „Polowanie na guru”. O szkodliwości postaci manicznych. “ALBO albo Problemy Psychologii i Kultury”, z. 3 (2007), s. 67-80.
• T. Olchanowski, Nieświadomość rodzinna: rozważania na podstawie psychologii losu Lipota Szondiego. “ALBO albo Problemy Psychologii i Kultury”, z. 1 (2007), s. 47-60.
• P. Piovanelli, Jesus' Charismatic Authority: On the Historical Applicability of a Sociological Model. “Journal of the American Academy of Religion”, vol. 73, nr 2 (2005), s. 395-427.
• P. D. Piórkowski, Autorytety: idole, pozory, eksperci i celebryci. Stare Miasto 2016.
• Y. Sandberg, Ch. M. Moreman, Common Threads among Different Forms of Charismatic Leadership. “Journal of Religion and Business Ethics”, vol. 3 (2015), s. 1-17.
• A. Seweryn, Kluczowe aspekty duchowego przywództwa w perspektywie biblijnej. “Theologica Wratislaviensia”, t. 9 (2014), s. 25-38.
• J. Sieradzan (red.), Charyzma: jej funkcja w życiu religijnym, politycznym i społecznym. Białystok 2008.
• J. Sieradzan, Od kultu do zbrodni: Ekscentryzm i szaleństwo w religiach XX wieku. Katowice 2006.
• J. R. Stone, Prophecy, [w:] G. D. Chryssides, B. E. Zeller (red.), The Bloomsbury Companion to New Religious Movements. London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi, Sydney 2016, s. 119-132.
• A. Storr, Kolosy na glinianych nogach: studium guru. Warszawa 2009.
• A. Świerzowska, Guru – między tradycją a współczesnością. Kraków 2013.
• A. M. de Tchorzewski, Autorytet i jego struktura aksjologiczna. “Studia Paedagogica Ignatiana”, vol. 20, nr 5 (2017), s. 187-212.
• B. Tuziak, Autorytet jako zjawisko społeczne. Wymiar lokalny. “Studia socjologiczne”, nr 2 (2010), s. 53-88.
• J. Waardenburg, Religia i religie: systematyczne wprowadzenie do religioznawstwa (rozdział IV Kontekstowe badanie religii). Warszawa 1991, s. 136-143.
• C. Wessinger, Charismatic leaders in new religions, [w:] O. Hammer, M. Rothstein (red.), The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements. Cambridge, New York 2012, s. 80-96.
◊◊◊ ADDITIONAL LITERATURE ◊◊◊
• D. Aberbach, Charisma and Religion: From Ecstasy to Democracy, [w:] D. Aberbach (red.), Charisma in Politics, Religion and the Media: Private Trauma, Public Ideals. Basingstoke, London 1996, s. 35-58.
• K. Blanchard, M. Miller, Rozwój osobisty lidera: prawdziwy przywódca doskonali się nieustannie. Warszawa 2013.
• D. Boadella, Toksyczni terapeuci, przemoc religijna, sekty. Warszawa 1994.
• W. Burkert, Starożytne kulty misteryjne. Bydgoszcz 2001, s. 83-112.
• A. Chodubski, Przywództwo jako wartość kulturowo-cywilizacyjna. „Studia Gdańskie. Wizje i rzeczywistość”, 11 (2014), s. 9-27.
• Dalajlama, L. van den Muzyenberg, Droga przywódcy: studium buddyzmu i jego znaczenia w dobie globalizacji. Warszawa 2009.
• R. Falco, Charisma and Myth. London, New York 2010.
• F. Fozdar, The Baha’i Faith: A Case Study in Globalization, Mobility and the Routinization of Charisma. “Journal for the Academic Study of Religion”, vol. 28, nr 3 (2015), s. 274-292.
• M. Gajewski, Fałszywi nauczyciele: sekty dzisiaj. Poznań 2016.
• K. Gergont, Przywódcy charyzmatyczni. Założyciel Niebiańskiego Kościoła Chrystusa - jako przykład ukazujący rolę przywódców w nowych ruchach religijnych w Afryce. “Forum Politologiczne”, t. 7 (2008), s. 385-399.
• J. Jagieła, Psychomanipulacja w sektach z perspektywy analizy transakcyjnej, [w:] M. Gajewski (red.), Grupy kultowe: uwarunkowania społeczne. Kraków 2012, s. 143-170.
• K. Ketola, The Founder of the Hare Krishnas as Seen by Devotees: A Cognitive Study of Religious Charisma. Leiden, Boston 2008.
• W. Kowalak, Rola przywódców w nowych ruchach religijnych w Afryce, [w:] H. Zimoń (red.), Kultury i religie Afryki a ewangelizacja. Lublin 1995, s. 103-118.
• R. Liardon, Boży generałowie: Przebudzeniowcy. Warszawa 2019.
• R. Liardon, Boży generałowie: Sukcesy i porażki. Warszawa 2018.
• J. Lofland, R. Stark, Becoming a world-saver: A theory of conversion to a deviant perspective. “American Sociological Review”, vol. 30, nr 6 (1965), s. 862-875.
• Ch. Lowney, Heroiczne przywództwo: tajemnice sukcesu firmy istniejącej ponad 450 lat. Kraków 2019.
• R. R. Maharaj, Śmierć guru: niezwykła, lecz prawdziwa opowieść o człowieku poszukującym prawdy. Poznań 1993.
• M. Marczewska-Rytko, Religia i polityka w globalizującym się świecie (rozdział VIII: Przywództwo religijne i polityczne). Lublin 2010, s. 215-241.
• J. C. Maxwell, Przywództwo: złote zasady: czego nauczyło mnie życie lidera. Warszawa 2010.
• D. McEoin, From Shaykhism to Babism: A Study in Charismatic Renewal in Shi'i Islam. Cambridge 1979.
• J. Merritt, Sztuka wywierania wpływu na innych: 9 zasad skutecznego przywództwa. Warszawa 2017.
• T. Miller (red.), When Prophets Die: The Postcharismatic Fate of New Religious Movements. New York 1991.
• M. Murariu, Totality, Charisma, Authority: The Origins and Transformations of Totalist Movements. Wiesbaden 2017.
• E. Prophet, Charisma and Authority in New Religious Movements, [w:] J. R. Lewis, I. Tøllefsen (red.), The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements: Volume II. New York 2016, s. 36-49.
• L. Reave, Spiritual values and practices related to leadership effectiveness. “The Leadership Quarterly”, nr 16 (2005), s. 655-687.
• D. Riesman, Samotny tłum. Kraków 2011
• Dz. Dz. Kh. Rinpocze, Guru pije burbon? Opole 2018.
• Th. Robbins, Cults, Converts and Charisma: The Sociology of New Religious Movements. London, Newbury Park, Beverly Hills, New Delhi 1988.
• Ch. Smith, Charyzma czy charyzmania. Lublin 2009.
• A. Stachowicz-Stanusch, Destrukcyjne strony charyzmatycznego przywództwa. “Zarządzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi”, nr 6 (2011), s. 113-126.
• J. Stott, Przywództwo według apostoła Pawła. Toruń 2005.
• P. Szuppe, Nowe ruchy religijne z perspektywy teologiczno-duszpasterskiej Kościoła katolickiego. Lublin 2017.
• P. Yogananda, Autobiografia jogina. Łódź 2009.
• W. Zatorski, Duchowość lidera: wybrane tematy. Tyniec 2014.
• M. Zimniak-Hałajko, Raj oswojony: antropologia nowych ruchów religijnych. Gdańsk 2003.
• A. Zwoliński, Psychologia zamiast religii? Pułapki i manipulacje. Kraków 2019.
• З. Е. Чернышкова, Л. Д. Попова, Роль лидера в генезисе новых религиозных движений, [w:] Личность и общество: нравственная идея в ценностном мире современного человека: Материалы всероссийской научно-практической конференции с международным участием «Мокроносовские чтения-2017» (г. Екатеринбург, 25 ноября 2017 г.). Екатеринбург 2017, s. 198-207.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: