This movement comprises countless theologies that often center on religious tolerance and moral diversity. Precise scholarly definitions of the new age differ in their emphasis, largely as a result of its highly eclectic structure. The principles, cultural origin and impor tance of new age have been the focus of detailed research see heelas 1996. New age is a compilation of metaphysical, easterninfluenced thought systems. The organizational forms of unorganized religion ann taves and michael kinsella there has been much debate over whether new age spirituality nas is a useful category and, if so, how best to characterize the phenomena clustered under that heading. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This article contains a list of new age topics that are too extensive to include in its main article new age. The first chapter introduces the new age movement as the contemporary. New age spirituality ontario consultants on religious. The editors and authors do a fine job including illustrations or reallife examples with their data and theses. The organizational forms of unorganized religion ann taves and michael kinsella there has been much debate over whether new age spirituality nas is a useful category. The new age movement is made of a diverse group of people with a diverse set of beliefs.
Comparative religion expert ron rhodes writes, sociologists at the university of californiasanta barbara estimate that as many as 12 million americans could be considered active participants in the movement, and another 30 million are avidly interested. New age has roots in taoism, hinduism, gnosticism, theosophy, spiritualism and neopganism. Rethinking religion uses some academic terms and a scholarly approach. Sutcliffe and ingvild saelid gilhus acumen publishing ltd, 20. While, newage spirituality is concerned with carving out a new, more exotic role for the ego to play. Sep 08, 2015 the 10 commandments of new age spirituality. Has new age spirituality been sidelined in the study of religion. What is new age religion, and why cant christians get. Seven major teachings of the new age jeremiah project. Please contact a member of library staff for further information. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading new age spirituality. The new age does express a cloudy sort of religion, claiming vague connections with both christianity and the major faiths of the east new agers like to say the jesus spent 18 years in india absorbing hinduism and the teachings of buddha, plus an occasional dab of pantheism and sorcery. New age, also referred to as the new age movement or new age spirituality, is a spiritual movement whose purpose is to seek the universal truth, and for each human to reach its highest potential.
Rethinking religion makes many crucial points that are relevant not only to new age, that residual and often repugnant category, but to religion in general. Sep 18, 2014 below is the index for my posts inspired by this excellent book. True spirituality is allembracing and is about as religion specific as it is genderspecific. Sutcliffe and ingvild saelid gilhus acumen publishing ltd, 20 rather than treating new age as exotic or on the fringes of proper religion, new age spirituality. As such, the novel approach and ambitious objective of new age spirituality. Apr 29, 2015 all journal articles featured in journal of contemporary religion vol 30 issue 2. The contribution of new age to a spatial model of religion, in steven sutcliffe and ingvild s. The age of aquarius is a reference to the precession of the zodiac. The fluid and popular nature of new age makes these movements a very challenging field to understand using traditional models of religious analysis. The tendency to change ourselves manifest in varying degrees, from the subtle to the extreme, but regardless of the severity this business of changing ourselves is always violent. It is often only a minority within the new age movement, who stands behind a certain practice, and a critique of a certain practice might be irrelevant for another part of. Sutcliffe, ingvild saelid gilhus free pdf d0wnl0ad, audio books, books to read, good books to read, cheap books, good books, online books, books online, book.
It blends the theology of pantheistic eastern religions with practices from western occultism. Rather than treating new age as an exotic specimen on the margins of proper religion, new age spirituality examines these movements as a form of everyday or lived religion. Rethinking religion 20 and coeditor with marion bowman of beyond new age. Despite their continued visibility within many aspects of modern culture and society, new age beliefs and practices remain on the periphery of academic analysis. Rather than treating new age as exotic or on the fringes of proper religion, new age spirituality. Rethinking religion, examines the field as part of everyday lived religion. The main phrases or isms that reveal the focal point of new age thought are feelgoodism. The term new age itself refers to the age of aquarius, which. Rather than treating new age as an exotic specimen on the margins of proper religion, new age. Self spirituality, new spirituality, mindbodyspirit.
Some make the extravagant claim that our human consciousness is somehow connected directly to a cosmic consciousness. New age and holistic beliefs and practices sometimes called the ne. Do scholars need a new model of religion to encompass new age phenomena. Sep 01, 2015 despite their continued visibility within many aspects of modern culture and society, new age beliefs and practices remain on the periphery of academic analysis. In her books isis unveiled 1877 and the secret doctrine 1888, blavatsky claimed that her society was conveying the essence of all world religions, and it thus emphasized a focus on comparative religion. The term new age was used as early as 1809, in an epic poem called milton a poem, written and illustrated by william blake, while the elements of. Selfspirituality, new spirituality, mindbodyspirit. What is new age religion, and why cant christians get on. The term new age was used as early as 1809, in an epic poem called milton a poem, written and illustrated by william blake, while the elements of todays new age first started appearing in the. The state does not express religious beliefs or preferences and does not intervene in the. Ecospirituality is not connected to any one tradition. A further major influence on the new age was the theosophical society, an occult group cofounded by the russian helena blavatsky in the late 19th century. These thought systems unite theology, nature, and philosophy.
Rather than treating new age as an exotic specimen on the margins of proper religion, new age spirituality examines these movements as. Scholars such as mcguire 2008 and ammerman 20 have argued for the concept of lived religion or everyday religion as. The earth passes into a new sign of the zodiac approximately every 2,000 years. The following is a brief survey of some facts and characteristics of the new age movement. Rethinking religion make it an important contribution to the field. Ecospirituality can refer to those who do not want any religious affiliation. The new age movement is a diverse and eclectic spiritual view.
As a discourse community, new age denotes a group of people who embrace a shared core of social and religious values and speak about those values in a common language. The book brings together an international range of scholars to explore the key issues. New age doctrine says that humans are currently estranged from god due to a lack of insight concerning gods real nature and reality. New age and holistic beliefs and practices sometimes called the. Considering that new age remains a disputed category, as the editors of this collection stress from the start, it is ironic to see how many books and articles continue to use it, for lack of a better or should we rather say catchier. Rethinking religion kindle edition by sutcliffe, steven j. New age, world religions and elementary forms steven j. Unlike most formal religions, it has no holy text, central organization, formal membership, ordained clergy, geographic center, dogma, creed, etc. March 26, 25pm a religious studies special event to mark the publication of an international volume. The first part rethinking new age spiritualities discusses the position of new age within the entire field of religion and within the scientific. The difference between newage spirituality and authentic.
Spirituality requires consciousness because we need to be aware, and to be selfaware, in order to apprehend spirituality of any kind. By treating new age as core or elementary religion and by linking contemporary studies of new age to classic literature on religion, the book has the potential. The spiritual dynamics of the new age nevement storre. The editors acknowledge the problematics of the new age category, and almost by. The fluid and, isbn 97818446571 buy the new age spirituality. The word spirituality is used because many people in the movements consider that they belong to a new age of spirituality that is to follow the age of religion as it comes to an end. New age spiritualitythe new age movement in america can be best understood as both a discourse community and a new social movement. Barbara curtis, now a prolific christian writer, was a new age seeker for seven years before learning the truth about jesus christ in 1987. We hear in prince charles assertion the broader, wellknown religious critique of sec. Although analytically often considered to be religious, those involved in it typically prefer the designation of spiritual or. Many people think of it as a fad from the 60s and 70s.
Consider newage thinkers such as ken wilber, who promises in his book the marriage of. Sutcliffe and ingvild saelid gilhus published on 01 jan 2016 by brill. True spirituality is allembracing and is about as religionspecific as it is genderspecific. There is not one single organization that new agers must be part or a creed they must adhere to. A new body of work, including fedele and knibbes 20 collection of ethnographic studies of gender, critique the spirituality religion distinction. Six common traits of new age that distort spirituality.
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