Auto/biography: supervised theses

This work is a case study of a religious society "Christian community Maniny", often called a sect. It differs from other similar communities not so much in its creed as in the lived praxis. The society may be classified as one of new religious movements, more precisely as a movement for charismatic renewal. The key institution which constitutes the identity and social compactness of the Maniny society is a kind of "small group" - a small social group in which its members live their daily life. Through the "small group", Maniny become the primary group for its members. This study is based on concepts of grounded theory and objective hermeneutics. Its main part is built on analysis of biographic tales of former members of the society. The text analysis then shows that joining the society, staying with it and the degrees of identification with it are primarily determined not by "ideologic" resonance but rather by the biographic situation and personal relations to other members of the community. Departure from the society is then determined not by theological disputes but by biographic changes - the member who changes his social role does not "need" any more the background of a near but controlling community.