| The Challenge of the New Age
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As a priest I have noted different ways in which the New Age movement has been impinging upon the Catholic Church. For example, when I look at lists of forthcoming events in some retreat centres, it becomes apparent that a number of them, such asTi Chi, the Enneagram and Dream Therapy, are not of the traditional Christian kind, Many people contact me, by phone and in person, to ask whether I think modern practices such as aromatherapy Reiki healing, reflexology the Sila Method and Yoga are compatible with Christian belief. I have also noticed how some conservative and fundamentalist Christian writers are highly critical of anything to do with the New Age, seeing it as either pagan or diabolical in nature. Perplexed about New Age, bishops and pastors have turned to Rome for help Many bishops and pastors have, understandably been perplexed by all
these developments. As a result, a number of them turned to Rome for
help. They wanted answers to a number of questions. What exactly is
the New Age movement? What are its distinctive beliefs and practices?
To what extent is it compatible with official Christian teaching?
Can the Church learn anything helpful from the New Age movement? Some
weeks ago a discussion document entitled, "Jesus Christ the Bearer
of the Water of Life:
What are the main conclusions of the Pontifical document? Firstly, it sees the New Age movement as a laudable reaction to the materialism and rationalism of a good deal of western culture. Secondly, it is well attuned to the subjectivism of postmodern culture.Thirdly, it is attracting many people who are keen to have a meaningful spiritual life but who are disillusioned, for one reason or another; with the institutional churches. Fourthly rather than being a new phenomenon, it sees the New Age as a reappearance of ancient Gnosticism which talked, nearly 2000 years ago, about achieving salvation through higher states of consciousness. Whereas early Gnosticism synthesized Christian, Platonic and pagan beliefs, the New Age version adds in contemporary elements such as science, psychology and spiritualism. But just as many Gnostic beliefs were not acceptable in early Christianity so many New Age beliefs are unacceptable in modern Christianity. Many New Age beliefs unacceptable to Christianity The document notes many of the reasons why. Firstly God is not an impersonal energy as New Age thinking suggests. Secondly when the New Age says that, Jesus Christ is not God, but one of the many historical manifestations of the cosmic and universal Christ, it is quite mistaken.Thirdly whereas the New Age movement believes that we save ourselves by raising our levels of consciousness by using man made techniques, Christians believe, that we are justified by grace through faith in Christ and not by our own unaided efforts. Fourthly Christians reject the New Age notion of sin, which New Age sees as merely an imperfect form of knowledge which can be redressed by means of New Age methods.
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The
name, "New Age," has an astrological origin. According to
its devotees we are about to leave the age of Pisces i.e. the Christian
era, which has been characterised by a lot of violence. Instead we
are now entering the Age of Aquarius, i.e. the era of universal religion,
which will be a time of peace, harmony, and wholeness. The New Age
movement, with its distinctive beliefs and practices, has become i
ncreasi ngly influential over the last thirty years. It is hard to
describe because it has no fixed creed or identifiable organisation.
Someone has, rightly observed that understanding it is like trying
to wrestle with a jelly As soon as you think you have got it under
control, the shape of the whole thing changes and you have to start
again.
