List of Cults - List

List

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Separate lists by type:

  • Hinduism-oriented new religious movements
  • List of Neopagan movements
  • Governmental lists of cults and sects
Name Founder Year founded Type
3HO Harbhajan Singh Yogi 1969 Sikhism
Aaronic Order Maurice Lerrie Glendenning 1930s Mormonism
Adidam, previously Free Daist Avabhasan Communion, Free Daist Communion, Crazy Wisdom Fellowship, Johannine Daist Community, Laughing Man Institute, Dawn Horse Communion, Free Primitive Church of Divine Communion, Free Communion Church, Dawn Horse Fellowship Adi Da 1972 Hindu-inspired
Adonai-Shomo Frederick T. Howland 1861 Adventist Communal
Adonism Franz Sättler 1925 Neopagan
Adventures in Enlightenment, A Foundation
Aetherius Society George King 1954 UFO-Christian
African Church Incorporated Jacob Kehinde Coker 1901
African Independent Churches, also known as African Initiated Churches
African Theological Archministry, previously Order of Damballah Hwedo Ancestor Priests, Shango Temple, and Yoruba Temple Walter Eugene King 1973 Voodoo
Agasha Temple of Wisdom Richard Zenor 1943 Spiritualism
Agni Yoga Society Nicholas Roerich mid-1920s Theosophical
Ahmadiyya Movement Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 1889 Islam
Aladura Josiah Ositelu 1930 Pentecostal
Alamo Christian Foundation, also known as Alamo Christian Church, Consecrated, Alamo Christian Ministries, and Music Square Church Tony Alamo; Susan Alamo 1969 Fundamentalist; Communal
Altruria Edward Biron Payne 1894 Christian Socialist Communal
Amana Church Society, also known as Church of True Inspiration Eberhard Gruber; Johann Rock 1714 Communal
American Buddhist Movement 1980 Western Buddhism
American Buddhist Society and Fellowship, Inc. Robert Ernest Dickhoff 1945 Tibetan Buddhism
American World Patriarchs Uladyslau Ryzy-Ryski 1972 Eastern Liturgy
Amica Temple of Radiance Ivah Berg Whitten 1932 Theosophical
Ananda Marga Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar 1955 Hinduism
Ancient British Church in North America Jonathan V. Zotique Homosexually Oriented
Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis H. Spencer Lewis 1915 Rosicrucianism
Ancient Teachings of the Masters, also known as ATOM Darwin Gross 1983 Sant Mat
Anglo-Saxon Federation of America Howard B. Rand 1928 British Israelism
Ansaaru Allah Community As Siddid Al Imaan Al Haahi Al Mahdi late 1960s Black Islam
Anthroposophy Rudolf Steiner 1912 Western Occultist
Antiochian Catholic Church in America Gordon Mar Peter 1980s Independent Catholic, Monophysite
Antoinism Louis-Joseph Antoine 1910 Healing, Christian
Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) Samuel Heinrich Froehlich 1906 European Free-Church
Apostolic Christian Church of America Samuel Heinrich Froehlich 1830 European Free-Church
Apostolic Church Daniel Powell Williams 1916 Pentecostal
Apostolic Church of Christ (Pentecostal) Johnnie Draft; Wallace Snow 1969 Apostolic Pentecostal
Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God William Thomas Phillips 1920 Apostolic Pentecostal
Arcane School Alice and Foster Bailey 1937 Alice Bailey Groups
Arica School Oscar Ichazo 1968 Sufism
Art of Living Foundation, also known as Association for Inner Growth and Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Preeth Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 1981 Hinduism
Arya Samaj Mul Shankara 1875 Hinduism
Aryan Nations, also known as Church of Jesus Christ Christian, Aryan Nations Wesley Swift late 1940s British Israelism
Ásatrú Stephen McNallen 1970s Neo-pagan
Assemblies of God merger 1914 Pentecostalism
Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ merger 1952 Apostolic Pentecostal
Assemblies of Yahweh C.O. Dodd 1937 Adventist; Sacred Name
Assembly of Christian Soldiers Jessie L. Thrift 1971 Unclassified, Ku Klux Klan-based
Assembly of Yahweh Lorenzo Dow Snow
E. B. Adam		 1949 Adventist
Association for Research and Enlightenment Edgar Cayce 1931 Occultist
Association of Vineyard Churches John Wimber 1982 White Trinitarian Pentecostals
Astara, Inc. Robert and Earlyne Chaney 1951 Occult Orders
Aum Shinrikyo, also known as Aleph Shoko Asahara 1987 Japanese Buddhism
Ausar Auset Society R.A. Straughn mid-1970s Rosicrucianism
Babism Báb 1844 Islam
Bahá'í Faith Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri 1863 Middle Eastern, Baha'i
Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship Bawa Muhaiyaddeen 1971 Sufism
Bethel Ministerial Association Albert Franklin Varnell 1934 Apostolic Pentecostal
Bible Presbyterian Church Carl McIntire 1938 Reformed Presbyterian
Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ schism 1957 Apostolic Pentecostal
Brahma Kumaris Dada Lekhraj 1936 Hinduism
Branch Davidian Victor T. Houteff 1930 Seventh Day Adventist
Branhamism William M. Branham 1951 Oneness Pentecostal
Breatharians also known as Inedia Wiley Brooks 1970s Hinduism-influenced
The Brethren (Jim Roberts group), also known as The Body of Christ and The Garbage Eaters Jimmie T. Roberts c. 1970 Unclassified Christian Churches
British Israelism, also called Anglo-Israelism
Bruderhof, also known as the Hutterian Brethren and Hutterian Society of Brothers Eberhard Arnold c. 1920 Communal
Brunstad Christian Church
Builders of the Adytum Paul Foster Case 1922 Ritual Magick
Candomblé 19th century Syncretistic; Neo-African; Divination
Cao Dai, also known as Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do Ngô Văn Chiêu; Lê Văn Trung 1919 Syncretistic; Vietnamese Millenarian
Cargo cults Syncretistic; Nativist
CAUSA International Sun Myung Moon 1970 Other Psychic New Age Groups; Unification Movement
Celestial Church of Christ Samuel Oshoffa 1947 Nativist Christian Pentecostal
The Centers Network
Chabad-Lubavitch Shneur Zalman of Liadi. late 18th century Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism.
Charismatic Movement 1950s
Chen Tao, also called God's Salvation Church and God Saves the Earth Flying Saucer Foundation
Cheondoism, also called Chendogyo
Cherubim and Seraphim, also known as Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Society and Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Moses Orimolade Tunolase c. 1925 African Pentecostal
Christ Apostolic Church T. O. Obadare 1941 Pentecostal
Christadelphians, also called Thomasites John Thomas 1844 Baptist family
The Christian Community, also known as the Christian Community Church and Christengemeinschaft Rudolf Steiner
Friedrich Rittelmeyer		 1922 Anthroposophy
Christian Identity 1982 British Israelism
Christian Reformed Church in North America Gijsbert Haan 1857 Reformed Presbyterian
Christian Science Mary Baker Eddy 1876 Christian Science; Metaphysical
Christian World Liberation Front, also known as the Spiritual Counterfeits Project Jack Sparks; Fred Dyson; Pat Matrisciana 1969 Christian Fundamentalist-Millenarian
Church of All Worlds Tim Zell; Lance Christie 1962 Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism
Church of Aphrodite Gleb Botkin 1939 Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism
Church of Bible Understanding Stewart Traill 1971 Adventist; Fundamentalist
Church of Daniel's Band 1893 Non-Episcopal Methodism
Church of God in Christ Charles H. Mason 1908 Pentecostal
Church of God in Christ, Mennonite John Holdeman c. 1870 German Mennonite
The Church of God (Jerusalem Acres) Grady R. Kent 1957 White Trinitarian Holiness Pentecostal
Church of God Mountain Assembly J.H. Parks, Steve N. Bryant, Tom Moses, William O. Douglas 1906 White Trinitarian Holiness Pentecostal
Church of God of Prophecy Ambrose Tomlinson 1903 White Trinitarian Holiness Pentecostal
Church of God with Signs Following George Went Hensley 1920s Holiness Pentecostal
Church of Israel Dan Gayman 1974 British Israelism
The Church of Light C.C. Zain 1932 Hermetism
Church of Satan Anton LaVey 1966 Satanism
Church of the Lamb of God Ervil LeBaron 1970 Latter-day Saints; Polygamy Practicing
Church of the Living Word, also known as The Walk John Robert Stevens 1954 Fundamentalist; Occultist
Church of the Lord (Aladura) Josiah Ositelu 1930 Pentecostal Family
Church of World Messianity Mokichi Okada 1934 Shintoism
Church Universal and Triumphant Mark Prophet; Elizabeth Clare (Wolf) Prophet 1958 Theosophical; Occultist
Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles, also known as CARP Sun Myung Moon 1955 Unification Church
Commandment Keepers: Holy Church of the Living God Arnold Josiah Ford 1924 Black Judaism
Community Chapel and Bible Training Center Donald Lee Barnett 1967 Latter Rain Pentecostal
Community of Christ Jason Briggs, Zenos Gurley, William Marks 1860 Missouri Mormons
Concerned Christians
Confederate Nations of Israel Alexander Joseph 1978 Latter-day Saints; Polygamy Practicing
Conservative Judaism Sabato Morais, Marcus Jastrow, H. Pereira Mendes 1887 Mainline Judaism
A Course in Miracles Helen Schucman
William Thetford		 1975 New Thought
Covenant of the Goddess merger 1975 Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism
Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans Margot Adler 1987 Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism
The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord James D. Ellison mid-1970s British Israelism
Creativity Ben Klassen early-1970's Pantheism and Agnostic Atheism and White Racialism.
Crossroads Movement 1970s
Cyberchurches
Dalit Buddhist movement Bhimrao Ramji Sakpal 1956 Buddhism
Dances of Universal Peace
Dianic Wicca merger 1971 Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism
Eckankar Paul Twitchell 1971 Sant Mat
Elan Vital (formerly Divine Light Mission) Shri Hans Ji Maharaj 1920s Sant Mat
Esoteric Nazism
Eucharistic Catholic Church Robert Clement 1974 Homosexually Oriented
Evangelical Methodist Church J.H. Hamblen 1946 Non-Episcopal Methodist
Falun Gong Li Hongzhi 1992 Taoist
Family International, previously known as the Children of God, the Family of Love and the Family David Berg 1968 Fundamentalist, Jesus movement offshoot, with countercultural and Evangelical beliefs
Fellowship of Isis Olivia Robertson 1976 Magick Family
Feraferia Frederick Adams 1967 Neopagan, Goddess
Findhorn Foundation Eileen Caddy; Peter Caddy; Alexis Edwards; Roger Benson 1963 Christian-Anthroposophistical-Rosicrucian
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas W.E. Fuller 1898 Black Trinitarian Pentecostal
Followers of Christ Marion Reece (or Riess) late 19th century Unclassified Pentecostal
Foundation for A Course In Miracles Kenneth and Gloria Wapnick 1983 Christian Science-Metaphysical; New Thought
Fraternitas Rosae Crucis Paschal Beverly Randolph 1858 Rosicrucianism
Freedomites
Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) Sangharakshita (Dennis Lingwood) 1967 Buddhism
Fundamentalist Christianity
General Assembly and Church of the First Born 1927 White Trinitarian Pentecostal
General Church of the New Jerusalem schism 1890 Swedenborgianism
Ghost Dance
Global Peace Foundation Hyun Jin Moon 2007 Unification Church
Grail Movement Oskar Ernst Bernhardt 1924 Spiritualist, Psychic and New Age; Channeling
Hanuman Foundation Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) 1980 Hinduism
Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy Swami Rama 1971 Hinduism
"I AM" Activity Guy Ballard I AM Groups; Ascended Masters
Independent Fundamental Churches of America R. Lee Kirkland 1922 Unaffiliated Fundamentalist
Insight Meditation Society Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein 1976 Theravada Buddhism
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Aimee Semple McPherson 1923 White Trinitarian Pentecostal
International Community of Christ also known as Church of the Second Advent (CSA) and Jamilians Eugene Douglas Savoy 1972 New Age Occultist
International Society for Krishna Consciousness Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta mid-1960s Hinduism
Jediism 2000s New Age
Jehovah's Witnesses Charles Taze Russell 1870 Adventist; Bible Student Groups
Jesus Army (also known as "Jesus Fellowship Church" and "Bugbrooke Jesus Fellowship") Noel Stanton (split from Baptist Union) 1977 Fundamentalist, Communal
Jesus Movement late 1960s Fundamentalist
Jews for Jesus Moishe Rosen 1970 Hebrew Christians; Fundamentalist
John Frum 1936 Syncretistic; Millenarian
Kemetic Orthodoxy Tamara Siuda 1988 Kemetic
Kerista John Presmont 1956 Communal—After 1960
Kopimism Isak Gerson 2012 Internet religion
Konkokyo Bunjiro Kawate 1859 Shintoism
Kripalu Center (Kirpalu) Amrit Desai 1966 Hinduism
Lama Foundation Steve Durkee 1967 Communal—After 1960
Landmark Education (formerly Erhard Seminars Training) also known as Forum and LEC Werner Erhard 1971 Human Potential Movement
Latter Rain Movement schism led by George Hawtin and Percy Hunt 1946 Millenarian Pentecostal
Laymen's Home Missionary Movement Paul S. L. Johnson c. 1920 Adventist; Bible Student Groups
Lectorium Rosicrucianum 1924 Rosicrucianism
The Living Word Fellowship John Robert Stevens 1951 Latter Rain Pentecostals
Local Church movement Ni Shu-tsu (Watchman Nee) 1920s Independent Fundamentalist; Other Bible Students
Love Family, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ at Armageddon and Love Israel Paul Erdman 1969 Communal
Lucis Trust Alice A. Bailey 1923 Occultist; Theosophical
Mahikari Kotama Okada 1959 Shintoism
Maranatha Campus Ministries Bob Weiner 1972 Pentecostalism
Mazdaznan Otoman Zar-Adusht Ha'nish 1902 Zoroastrianism
Meher Baba followers Merwan Sheriar Irani 1921 Hindu-inspired
Messianic Judaism
Mita Congregation Juanita García Peraza 1940 Deliverance Pentecostal
Monastic Order of Avallon Henri Hillion de Coatmoc'han 1972 Neo-pagan
Moody Church Dwight L. Moody 1864 Fundamentalist and Evangelical Churches
Moorish Science Temple of America Timothy Drew 1925 Black Islam
Moral Re-Armament Frank N. D. Buchman 1921
Mormonism Joseph Smith, Jr. 1830 Latter-day Saints
Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness John-Roger Hinkins 1971 Sant Mat
Namdhari Balak Singh mid-19th century Sikhism
Nation of Islam Elijah Muhammad mid-1930s Black Muslims
Nation of Yahweh Hulon Mitchell, Jr. 1970s Black Judaism
National Spiritualist Association of Churches Harrison D Barrett, James M. Peebles, Cora L. Richmond 1893 Spiritualism
Native American Church 1906 Entheogen Groups
New Apostolic Church Heinrich Geyer 1863 Unclassified Christian Churches
New Kadampa Tradition Geshe Kelsang Gyatso mid-1970s Tibetan Buddhism
The New Message from God Marshall Vian Summers 1992
New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn 1969 Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism
New Thought Phineas Parkhurst Quimby mid-19th century Metaphysical
Odinism Orestes Brownson 1848 Neo-paganism
Oomoto Mrs. Nao Deguchi 1899 Millenarian Shintoism
Open Bible Standard Churches merger 1935 White Trinitarian Pentecostals
Opus Dei Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer 1928 Roman Catholic
Ordo Templi Orientis Carl Kellner; Theodor Reuss 1895; 1906 Ritual Magick
Pentecostal Church of God 1919 Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism
Peoples Temple Jim Jones 1955 Other Psychic, New Age Groups
Philosophical Research Society Manly Palmer Hall 1934 Occult Orders
Pilgrims of Arès Michel Potay 1974
Plymouth Brethren John Nelson Darby 1830 Millenarian
Potter's House also known as Chritian Fellowship Ministries (CFM), The Door, Victory Chapel, Christian Center, Crossroads Chapel, etc. Wayman Mitchell 1970 Pentecostalism
Radha Soami Satsang Beas Seth Shiv Dayal Singh 1861 Sant Mat
Raëlism Claude Vorilhon (Rael) 1973 Flying Saucer Groups
Rainbow Family Barry Adams late-1960s Communal—After 1960
Rajneesh movement Rajneesh Chandra Mohan 1966 Eastern Family
Rama computer cult
Rastafari Leonard Howell, Joseph Hibbert, Archibald Dunkley, Robert Hinds 1935 Black Judaism
Reformed Druids of North America 1960s Neo-Paganism
Religious Science Ernest Holmes 1948 New Thought
Risshō Kōsei Kai Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma 1938 Nichiren Buddhist
Rosicrucian Fellowship Carl Louis von Grasshof 1909 Rosicrucianism
Sacred Name Movement
Sahaja Yoga Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi 1970 Hinduism
Saiva Siddhanta Church Subramuniy 1957 Hinduism
The Salvation Army William Booth 1865 Nineteenth Century Holiness
Sant Nirankari Mission
Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission schism mid-1970s Sant Mat
Scientology L. Ron Hubbard 1955 Other Psychic, New Age Groups
Self-Realization Fellowship Paramahansa Yogananda 1935 Hinduism
Semitic Neopaganism Raphael Patai 1960s Neo-paganism, Feminism
Seventh-day Adventist Church Ellen G. White 1860 Seventh Day Adventists
Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement schism 1925 Seventh Day Adventists
Shakers Ann Lee 1750s Communal—Before 1960
Shepherd's Rod, also known as the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association Victor T. Houteff 1935 Seventh Day Adventists
Shiloh Youth Revival Centers John J. Higgins, Jr. 1969 Communal—After 1960
Shinnyo-en Shinjo Ito and Tomoji Ito 1936 Japanese Buddhism
Shinreikyo Kanichi Otsuka post–World War II Shintoism
Shri Ram Chandra Mission Shri Ram Chandraji Maharaj 1945 Hinduism
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres Kuppuswami Iyer 1935 Hinduism
Soka Gakkai International Tsunesaburo Makiguchi 1930 Nichiren Buddhism
Subud Muhammed Subud 1933 Sufism
Sufi Ruhaniat International Samuel L. Lewis 1968 Sufism
Sukyo Mahikari Sekiguchi Sakae 1978 Mahikari Syncretistic
Summum Claude Rex Nowell 1975 Unclassified Christian Churches
Tenrikyo Miki Nakayama 1838 Shintoism
Toronto Blessing Randy Clark 1994 Pentecostalism
Transcendental Meditation Brahmananda Saraswati (Guru Dev), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi 1958 Hinduism
True Buddha School Lu Sheng-yen Late 1980s Tibetan Buddhism/Taoism
Twelve Tribes Gene and Marsha Spriggs 1972 Communal—After 1960
Two by Twos, also known as Cooneyites, Christian Conventions, the Workers and Friends, the Truth, etc. William Irvine 1897 Independent fundamentalist family
Umbanda Zélio Fernandino de Moraes 1920 Spiritism
Unification Church Sun Myung Moon 1954 Millenarian; Pentecostal; Syncretistic
Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations 1979 Fundamentalist and Evangelical Churches
Unitarian Universalism merger 1961 Unitarian Universalism
United Holy Church of America Isaac Cheshier 1900 Black Trinitarian Pentecostal
United House of Prayer for All People Marcelino Manoel de Graca 1925 African American Pentecostal
United Israel World Union David Horowitz 1944 Other Jewish Groups
United Lodge of Theosophists Robert Crosbie 1909 Theosophy
United Pentecostal Church International merger 1945 Apostolic Pentecostals
Unity Church Charles Fillmore 1903 New Thought
Universal Great Brotherhood Serge Raynaud de la Ferriere late 1940s Other Theosophical Groups
Universal Life Church Kirby Hensley 1962 Liberal Family
Universal White Brotherhood Peter Deunov 1900 Other Theosophical Groups
Urantia William S. Sadler 1934 UFO, Spiritualist, Psychic, New Age and Christian occultist
Vajradhatu Chögyam Trungpa 1973 Tibetan Buddhism
Vale do Amanhecer Tia Neiva 1959 Spiritualism
Vedanta Society Swami Vivekananda 1894 Hinduism
Volunteers of America Ballington Booth and Maud Booth 1896 Nineteenth Century Holiness
The Way International Victor Paul Wierwille 1942 Independent fundamentalist family
White Eagle Lodge Lady Elizabeth Carey 1943 Other Theosophical Groups
Wicca Gerald Gardner c. 1949 Occultist
Women's Federation for World Peace Hak Ja Han 1992 Unification Church
The Word Foundation Harold W. Percival c. 1904 Theosophy
Zion's Order, Inc. Dr. Merle Kilgore 1938 Utah Mormons

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