Dynamism and the Ageing of a Japanese 'New' Religion

This book examines the trajectory and development of the Japanese religious movement, Agonshu, commonly portrayed in Japan as a 'new religion', and its charismatic founder Kiriyama Seiyu. Based on field research spanning 30 years it examines Agonshu from when it first captured attention in the 1980s with its spectacular rituals and use of media technologies, through a period of stagnation, until its response to the 2016 death of its founder.

Via an in-depth profile of Agonshu and the pivotal role of Kiriyama Seiyu as founder, the authors examine and critique the concept of 'new religions', and discuss the nature and significance of charisma, charismatic leadership and religious entrepreneurship. The book discusses the 'democratisation' of practice and the demands made by movements such as Agonshu on members, while examining how a movement that developed in Japan has expressed seemingly universal concepts while becoming increasingly focused on revisionist nationalism and issues of Japanese identity.

In examining the dilemma religions commonly face on the deaths of charismatic founders, Baffelli and Reader look at Agonshu's response to Kiriyama's death, how and why it has transformed a human founder into a figure of worship, and how, through such founder veneration, it has become increasingly normative in Japanese contexts. By examining Agonshu in the wider context, the authors draw attention to the importance of understanding the trajectories of 'new' religions and how they can become 'old' even within their first generation.