Ellwood, Robert

Robert Ellwood (1933-) is an American scholar of religious studies who made significant contributions to understanding religious development and change through historical cycles. Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, Ellwood specialized in new religious movements, Eastern religions in the West, and the sociology of religion. His work "Cycles of Faith: The Development of the World's Religions" (2003) presents a comprehensive theory of religious evolution through five distinct historical stages, from shamanic to emerging postmodern forms. This cyclical model offers insights into how religions adapt and transform in response to social and cultural changes. Ellwood's approach combines historical analysis with sociological theory to examine how religious traditions evolve while maintaining continuity with their origins. His scholarship provides valuable frameworks for understanding contemporary religious pluralism and the ongoing transformation of religious life in modern societies.