Association for the Academic Study of New Religions

The Association for the Academic Study of New Religions, Inc. (AASNR) is an educational trust and a non-profit corporation under the Florida Corporations Not for Profit law set forth in Section 617 of the Florida Statutes to operate exclusively for charitable, historic and cultural purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. AASNR's educational mission includes (but is not limited to) the following initiatives:

1. 1). The encouragement of academic research in the field of new, alternative and minority religious movements across historical periods. This includes: 1) owning, publishing, and providing financial support, as needed, to publish Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions; 2) funding and presenting the Thomas Robbins Awards for Excellence in the Study of New Religions, and the Helen Crovetto Award for Excellence in the Study of New Religious Movements with Ties to South Asia. The Robbins Awards are presented annually for the two best articles in the previous volume of Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions. The Crovetto Award is presented annually when there are relevant articles published in the previous volume of Nova Religio.

2. 2). Once AASNR funding is established, this encouragement of academic research will include sponsoring occasional symposia and academic meetings in which academic research on new religions is presented and shared.

3. 3). AASNR encouragement of academic research will also include individual grants for: (a) travel to academic conferences dealing with new and minority religions; and (b) research into new and minority religions.

AASNR is set up also to provide financial support, as needed, to ensure the long-term publication of Nova Religio.

AASNR is administered by a Board of Directors, which meets as needed to decide policy and elect officers. Members of the current Board of Directors are: W. Michael Ashcraft, Eileen Barker, Marie W. Dallam, Eugene V. Gallagher, Massimo Introvigne, Joseph Laycock, Scott Lowe, Phillip Charles Lucas, Timothy Miller, Rebecca Moore, Jeremy Rapport, Bernadette Rigal-Cellard, Catherine Wessinger, Lydia E. N. Willsky-Ciollo, Stuart A. Wright, and Benjamin E. Zeller. The current officers are: Benjamin E. Zeller (President), Joseph Laycock (Vice-President), Phillip Charles Lucas (Treasurer), and Marie W. Dallam (Secretary).

AASNR has received 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service, meaning that any contributions are tax deductable. We hope that you will consider contributing to AASNR's educational mission in support of research in the field of new and minority religions. Contributions can be sent to:

Association for the Academic Study of New Religions, Inc.

1085 Torchwood Drive,

DeLand, Florida 32724