About the Author

James R. Lewis teaches at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and is author of The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects and New Religions. He has been interviewed by major media outlets including ABC's World News Tonight, the Los Angeles Times, NBC's Meet the Press, and the Washington Post.

Reviews

"Lewis addresses an issue long recognized in the sociology of religion--'how do religious leaders achieve their legitimacy?'--but he asks the question about leaders of new, and often controversial, religions. A true contribution."