From world rejection to ambivalence: The development of millenarianism in the Brahma kumaris

This paper aims to trace the development and international expansion of the Brahma Kumaris, a new religious movement (NRM) of Indian origin, from its inception to the present day, focusing particularly on its shift of orientation from a situation of ‘world rejection’ to what is referred to as ‘world ambivalence’. The history of the group is presented and it is suggested that this shift is related ostensibly to its changing relationship with the outside world, in particular its internationalisation programme. Examples from fieldwork research are given of two contemporary reinterpretations of the original Brahma Kumaris millenarianism, one from within the group and another from a break‐away group.