Research Catalog

Title

Among the Scientologists : history, theology, and praxis / Donald A. Westbrook.

Author

Westbrook, Donald A., 1985-

Publication

• New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2019]
• © 2019

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xi, 332 pages : illustrations; 25 cm.

Summary

"The Church of Scientology is one of the most recognizable American-born new religions, but perhaps the least understood. With academic and popular interest on the rise, many books have been written about Scientology and surely more will follow. Although academics have begun to pay more attention to Scientology, the subject has received remarkably little qualitative attention. Indeed, no work has systematically addressed such questions as: what do Scientologists themselves have to say about their religion's history, theology, and practices? How does Scientology act as a religion for them? What does "lived religion" look like for a Scientologist? This volume is not so much about the Church of Scientology, its leaders, or its controversies, as it is a compilation of narratives and histories based on the largely unheard or ignored perspectives of Scientologists themselves. Drawing on six years of interviews, fieldwork, and research conducted among members of the Church of Scientology, this groundbreaking work examines features of the new religion's history, theology, and praxis in ways that move discussion beyond apostate-driven and exposé accounts"--

Series Statement

Oxford Studies in Western Esotericism

Uniform Title

Oxford studies in Western esotericism.

Subjects

• Scientologists
• Scientologists > United States > Interviews
• United States
• Interviews
• Scientology

Genre/Form

Interviews.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages [293]-317) and index.

Contents

Introduction: Methods and means of researching Scientology and Scientologists -- Preliminary conclusions from interviews and fieldwork -- Before the religion : episodes from the advent of Dianetics and Scientology -- "Keeping Scientology working" : features of systematic theology -- "We come back" : past and present of the Sea Organization -- "Build a better bridge!" : from LRH to COB and beyond -- Conclusion: Reflections on the future of Scientology and its academic study.

Call Number

JFE 19-4194

ISBN

• 9780190664978
• 0190664975
• 9780190664985 (canceled/invalid)
• 9780190664992 (canceled/invalid)
• 9780190921453 (canceled/invalid)

LCCN

2018021627

OCLC

1039621528

Author

Westbrook, Donald A., 1985- author.

Title

Among the Scientologists : history, theology, and praxis / Donald A. Westbrook.

Publisher

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2019]

Copyright Date

© 2019

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Series

Oxford Studies in Western Esotericism

Oxford studies in Western esotericism.

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages [293]-317) and index.

Research Call Number

JFE 19-4194