Religions Created in Recent Years: A Brief Overview

What Counts as “Recent”?

When we speak of “religions created in recent years,” we usually mean religious movements that emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries (and in a few cases the early 21st), often with a known founder, a distinct body of teachings, and an organized community. These are sometimes called “new religious movements” (NRMs) or “alternative religions.” Some grew out of Christianity or other existing traditions; others claim a wholly new revelation. This curiosity offers a brief, factual overview of several well-known examples—not to judge their truth claims but to help readers recognise names and basic facts.

19th-Century Foundations

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) was founded in the United States in 1830 by Joseph Smith, who taught that he had received new scripture (the Book of Mormon) and restored the true Church. The movement spread through missionary work and settlement in the American West. Today it has millions of members worldwide and is often classified as a form of Christianity, though its additional scriptures and distinct doctrines set it apart from mainstream Catholic and Protestant bodies.

Seventh-day Adventism arose in the 1840s–1860s in the U.S. from the Millerite movement (which had expected Christ’s return in 1844). Ellen G. White became a leading prophet and writer. Adventists observe the Sabbath on Saturday, emphasise health and diet, and expect the second coming of Jesus. They are Trinitarian Christians with a distinctive eschatology and lifestyle.

The Baha'i Faith began in 1863 in Persia (Iran) when Baha'u'llah declared his mission. Baha'is believe in the unity of God, the unity of religions (seen as progressive revelations), and the unity of humanity. They have no clergy; worship and community life are organised locally. The faith spread globally and today has adherents in most countries.

Christian Science was founded by Mary Baker Eddy in the United States in 1879. She taught that illness and sin are ultimately illusions that can be overcome through correct understanding of God and the mind. The Church of Christ, Scientist, has congregations in many countries and publishes the newspaper The Christian Science Monitor.

Jehovah's Witnesses trace their origins to the 1870s in the U.S., with Charles Taze Russell and later the Watch Tower Society. They are known for door-to-door evangelism, refusal of military service and blood transfusions in many cases, and the belief that only 144,000 will rule in heaven while the rest of the faithful will live on a restored earth. They use their own translation of the Bible and do not celebrate many traditional holidays.

20th-Century Movements

Scientology was developed by L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s (with earlier roots in his book Dianetics, 1950). It teaches that humans are spiritual beings (thetans) who can achieve clarity and freedom through “auditing” and training. It has been recognised as a religion in some countries and is controversial in others; it has a significant presence in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The Unification Church (often called “Moonies” after founder Sun Myung Moon) was established in 1954 in South Korea. Moon taught that he was called to complete the work of restoring a sinless humanity; the movement is known for mass weddings and outreach. It has faced criticism and legal issues in several countries.

Other 20th-century examples include Wicca (modern pagan witchcraft, often dated to Gerald Gardner in the 1940s–1950s in Britain), Rastafari (emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s, honouring Haile Selassie and emphasising African identity and biblical themes), and various New Age and eclectic spiritualities that blend Eastern and Western ideas.

21st-Century and Contemporary

Strictly “new” religions with a clear founding in the 21st century are less commonly discussed in the same way, partly because they have had less time to grow and to be studied. Some movements that gained visibility or structure in recent decades (e.g. certain mega-churches, online or decentralised spiritual communities) may not always be classified as separate “religions” but as denominations or networks. The line between “new religion,” “sect,” and “denomination” is often debated by scholars and by the groups themselves.

Why It Matters for Readers

Knowing when and how these movements began helps to place them in history and to understand their relationship to older traditions (e.g. Christianity, Islam, or indigenous beliefs). It also reminds us that religious diversity is not only ancient; new communities and teachings continue to appear, and the question of what counts as a “religion” or a “Christian” tradition is sometimes a matter of definition and of dialogue.

Sources and Further Reading

Encyclopaedia Britannica entries on each movement; Pew Research Center and other demographic studies; academic introductions to new religious movements (e.g. J. Gordon Melton, Eileen Barker). Dates and founders are widely documented; doctrinal summaries should be checked against each group’s official sources.