The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion

The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion is a 2011 book about the history of the Church of Scientology by Hugh B. Urban, a professor of religious studies at Ohio State University. Urban discusses the history and teachings of the group and how they relate to broader trends in American society.[1] Urban also writes about whether the group is a religion, and how religion is defined.[2] In The Chronicle of Higher Education, Seth Perry states that Urban "is more concerned with the questions Scientology raises than about Scientology itself".[3]

The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion
First edition
AuthorHugh B. Urban
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectChurch of Scientology
PublisherPrinceton University Press
Publication date
2011
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages268
ISBN978-0-691-14608-9

Eileen Barker applauds Urban's discussion of how the Cold War affected Scientology's development and praises his avoidance of academic jargon. She notes that there is little about Scientology outside the United States.[2] Writing on the guardian.co.uk, Alex Preston faults Urban for what he sees as "arid prose and [a] timid approach", but applauds him for a "deep and often brilliant anthropological dissection" of the Church of Scientology.[4] Joe Humphreys writes in The Irish Times that he believes that Urban is "determined to give Hubbard's disciples a fair hearing", but feels that he "stretches credulity at times". He notes, however, that the book "generates interesting questions about double standards in our treatment of religions".[5]

References

  1. Ortega, Tony (June 8, 2011). "Scientology's Anti-Commie, Space Opera Beginnings, and Other Nuggets From New Academic Book". Village Voice. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  2. Barker, Eileen (November 3, 2011). "The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion". Times Higher Education. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  3. Perry, Seth (October 2, 2011). "Scientology and Its Discontents". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  4. Preston, Alex (September 2, 2011). "The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion by Hugh B Urban – review". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  5. Humphreys, Joe (September 2, 2011). "Harmless or hateful?". The Irish Times. Retrieved July 2, 2012.


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