Tackling popular misconceptions about new religious movements, Comprehending Cults summarizes, synthesizes, and assesses over 40 years of research by historians, sociologists, and psychologists. This excellent introduction to the study of new religious groups offers a balanced treatment of new movements as a source of spiritual satisfaction while confronting issues of violence, sexuality, and brainwashing within religious cults.

Lorne L. Dawson is an interdisciplinary scholar working in the fields of religious studies and sociology. He has a Ph.D. in religious studies from McMaster University and teaches at the University of Waterloo.

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"This book is undoubtedly the best introduction to New Religious Movements (NRMs) as sociological phenomena. Not only does Dawson have a gift for summarizing and evaluating the major theories, but, more importantly, he is able to provide structure and meaning to the ways in which we conceptualise the issues surrounding NRMs" -- Dr. Lorenzo DiTommaso, McMaster University