Abstract
Basing on British social anthropologist Mary Douglas’ ＂group-grid＂ analystic scheme, this paper intends to investigate some special religious cult movements which occurred from time to time during the past thirty years in Taiwan. According to strong-weak tendency of both ＂group＂ and ＂grid＂, there forms a quadrant scheme. It is predicted that: (1) Under quadrant A, both group and grid are strong, they tend to have revival ritualistic cults, such as ＂I-kuan-tao＂, ＂Yen-chu-kung worship complex＂ and ＂Shuan-yuan Chiao＂. (2) Under quadrant B, with strong group but weak grid, they tend to have purgatory or social hygiene cults, such as ＂Individual shaman＂ and ＂Compatriot-territorial cult＂. (3) Under quadrant C, with weak group but strong grid, they tend to have millennial cults, such as Unification Church, Children of God, Johooa’s Witnesses, New Testament Church. (4) Under quadrant D, both group and grid are weak, they tend to have individualistic or anti-ritualistic cults, such as ＂group shaman＂, ＂Assembly Hall Church＂ and True Jesus Church＂.