Christian answers for the new age, arlington, virginia. I had the opportunity to ask marcia several questions on what christian parents need to know about new age and occult beliefs. In the 2 nd century irenaeus 120202 ad wrote against heresies, he catalogued the beliefs and history of gnostics. What is new age religion, and why cant christians get on board. Doreen virtue, one of the most prominent figures in the new age movement, gave her life to jesus recently after an experience of the lord. New age objections to christianity are mostly just an excuse for new age believers to live they way that they want without accountability. Recommended christian books related to occult new age topics and some apologetics books listed alphabetically by author note. As a new age enthusiast, i fancied myself a free spirit and a. The new age appears to be in good shape in the first decade of the 21st century with a very wide following. New age deception our most effective defense against the. Defending christianity against the challenges of postmodernism.
Over the past few years, and particularly the past several months, the christian market has been virtually glutted with books on the new age movement nam. What christian parents need to know about new age and. The new age movement is growing rapidly and gaining influence in our modern society. Christian books on the new age movement 12 books goodreads. I originally intended to launch into a critique of the nam following.
The age of aquarius is a reference to the precession of the zodiac. What is new age religion, and why cant christians get on. Since christianity was the historical winner against roman polytheism, nonspecialists often have a distorted impression of how. Certainly, the topic is broad enough and important enough to warrant several treatments of it. This is a bibliography of literature treating the topic of criticism of christianity, sorted by source publication and the authors. Mar 06, 2018 many christians arent even aware of how new age beliefs have infiltrated christendom through the progressive church. From new age to christianity dougherty, melissa, bright, taz, ward, daniel, virtue, doreen, dougherty, melissa on. Many christians arent even aware of how new age beliefs have infiltrated christendom through the progressive church. What book makes the best argument against christianity. Apologetics in the new age represents the first serious attempt by evangelical philosophers to answer eastern. Nancy detweilers book has joined the ranks of classic literature for guidance on spiritual growth for those truly seeking to know and understand that god is love. What christian parents need to know about new age and occult. This list is not comprehensive and includes only books i have read or am familiar with. Is the new age movement pure deception as doreen virtue.
While it is passed off as new and exciting, there are many other teachers who preceded the secret with a similar message. This list does not include books on the da vinci code issue. As to the books below, they are all almost of equal value. As a new age enthusiast, i fancied myself a free spirit and a good person. Bibliography of books critical of christianity wikipedia. The last days deceptions in the churches and the apostasy of the church. The one version of the new age that does not exist.
Geisler and frank turek make the claim that all belief systems and world views require faith, including atheism. I would collect crystals and study strange spiritual books. She lives with her husband tripp in a rapidlydwindling nest with 6 of their 12 children in waterford, virginia. In his books and workshops he encourages people to do guided meditations and visualizationsjust as he once didto initiate. They believe there have been many christ, jesus being only one of many. It seemed that a lot of intelligent people believed in christianity. A few decades later, in 380 ce, theodosius made christianity the sole authorised religion of the roman empire. Im aware that the rise of gnosticism was after the new testament was written but it would seem that a lot of the ideas on which it was built were floating around at the time. By reading and contemplating his words, we will gain a better understanding of how to live. As a new age enthusiast, i fancied myself a free spirit and a good. New age is a term applied to a range of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices that grew rapidly in the western world during the 1970s. It objectively and methodically documents the hidden alliance between new versions and the new age movements one world religion. Part 3 of my series on the new age movement in my previous post i highlighted some of the fundamental beliefs of the new age movement nam.
Every thoughtful christian can probably appreciate these 40 volumes in the journey to. As christians, we should be watchful to recognize what is false and teach what is true. This book is full of factual errors in particular with regards to heresies and the canonisation of scripture, theological cherry picking, snark against the new age and prejudice toward anything other than a fundamentalist view of christianity. A christian reflection on the new age refers to a sixyear study by the roman catholic church on the new age movement. Recommended christian books related to occult new age topics. Ive written about progressive christianity here, and talked about it here, here, and here. Dec 21, 2017 as a new age enthusiast, i fancied myself a free spirit and a good person then a strange dream, an old friend, and a disturbing psalm woke me up to reality.
Apr 16, 2018 doreen virtue, one of the most prominent figures in the new age movement, gave her life to jesus recently after an experience of the lord. There is not one verse in the bible that supports new age christianity. Seven major teachings of the new age jeremiah project. New agers also believe that you go to heaven by being a good person. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. Some counselors and fellow christians had encouraged me to forgive myself, but. Barbara curtis, now a prolific christian writer, was a new age seeker for seven years before learning the truth about jesus christ in 1987. New age prophetess alice bailey and author of many occult books, including the reappearance of the christ, describes the avatar of synthesis, who she says is a close associate of the christ. What is the new testament argument against gnosticism. After providing a basic introduction and historical background, douglas groothuis proceeds to offer an overview of new age. The study, published in 2003, is highly critical of the new age movement and follows the 1989 document aspects of christian meditation, in which the vatican warned catholics against mixing christian meditation with eastern approaches to spirituality. Charles fillmore, who founded the unity school of christianity, talked about the twelve powers of man, arguing that the causes of all things are essentially mental. In combating the prevailing deception, this site has many resources for you to use. A thoughtful philosophical probe of pantheism and its relation to the new age movement.
On my quest, i read tarot cards, collected crystals, and studied buddhism, meditation, visualization and wicca. This is an area i personally knew very little about before doing this interview. This former editor of christian research journal, with an ma in. Christians believe jesus christ is god, the second person of the trinity, the same jesus of nazareth about which the gospels speak, who is the only son of god, true man and true god.
The new age plan to defeat christianity by sherry shriner. The same thing happened to another valuable christian book on the nam by tom snyder called myth conceptions. Many of those taking an interest in new age are seeking deep, spiritual experiences and meaning in their lives. Fox states christianity has been out of touch with its. The 10 best books for skeptics of christianity in 2020. The group of surveys cited above classify religious beliefs into 7 faith groups. His parables are pools of water where different things are learned at different depths. With more and more people practicing meditation to alleviate stress and maintain peace of mind, it is important to be clear of the distinctions between christian meditation versus other traditional forms of meditation. 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.
Lets create a new category, the silverbullet argument. She was a wellknown channeler of what she considered angelic entities, and was an author of many books and oracledivination cards. Jesus is often represented in new age writings as one among many wise men or great prophets. Warren smith points out bernie siegel continues to influence countless numbers of people in his role as a new age leader. In the early 80s, it became apparent to me that eastern religion was being widely promoted in the west as something new. In his book, searching issues, popular theologian nicky gumbel quotes a survey that estimates that 25% of americans are involved in some form of new age practice. Authors like the feminist neopagan starhawk were among my. 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. Recommended reading on the new age movement culturewatch.
Groothuis intervarsity press, 1986 the first good christian book on the new age movement is still at the top of my list. As i mentioned before, it is important to understand what jesus was teaching us. We should be wary because the edenic lie still rings strong in the hearts of the deceivedand they want us to believe as they. In this post i will briefly catalog some of the differences between christianity and the nam. The gnostics offered the world a different type of christianity, with a different jesus and a different gospel. The new age nam movement has many subdivisions, but it is generally a collection of easterninfluenced metaphysical thought systems, a conglomeration of theologies, hopes, and expectations held together with an eclectic teaching of salvation, of correct thinking, and correct knowledge. That is a salvationbyworks belief, which is unbiblical. This book is the result of an exhaustive six year collation of new bible versions, their underlying greek manuscripts, editions, and editors. The new age plan to defeat christianity sherry shriner. 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. The first spiritual discipline of a new age christian is immersion in scripture. May 23, 2017 the single best evidence against christianity is the continued existence of alternative religions. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. May 04, 2019 most people who have dabbled in new age circles will recognize the name doreen virtue.
Major confusion about the new age has been generated by academics, countercult groups, fundamentalist and other evangelical christians and traditional muslim groups, etc. He has written several books, including truth decay, in defense of natural theology coeditor, unmasking the new age, jesus in an age of controversy, deceived by the light, the soul in cyberspace, and, in the wadsworth philosophers series, on pascal and on jesus. Jun 09, 2009 over the past few years, and particularly the past several months, the christian market has been virtually glutted with books on the new age movement nam. It wasnt until i recently did a study of new age spirituality that i realized how much progressive christianity has in common with it. This is an argument that, in a single shot, takes down christianity or at least christianity. His thorough, biblical analysis helps christians know how to respond to this. Many new age writers on the other hand refer to a christ spirit. The history and beliefs of the new age history and beliefs of the new age pdf format. Does this evidence thrive in the marketplace of ideas. Oprahs mantra, find your own spirit, has become the rally cry of many. Maclaine has written two bestselling books that chronicle her conversion to the new age. What is new age religion, and why cant christians get. Since christianity was the historical winner against roman polytheism, nonspecialists often have a distorted impression of how the new religion took cultural hold. 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.
Sep 20, 2009 he has written several books, including truth decay, in defense of natural theology coeditor, unmasking the new age, jesus in an age of controversy, deceived by the light, the soul in cyberspace, and, in the wadsworth philosophers series, on pascal and on jesus. The secret is a feature length, historic and factually based account of an age old secret, said to be 4,000 years in the making, and known to a fortunate few, as told by some of the greatest leaders of our time. In his book, searching issues, popular theologian nicky gumbel quotes. I like the books of bart ehrman, and taken as a whole they might be effective at undermining the reliability of the bible, but they dont really focus on philosophical problems. Most people who have dabbled in new age circles will recognize the name doreen virtue. As marcia explains, your kids are probably exposed to these beliefs more than you realize.
I like the books of bart ehrman, and taken as a whole they might be effective at undermining the reliability of the bible, but they dont really focus on philosophical problems with christianity. Virtue had an experience of jesus in an episcopal church in early 2017, and says she has given up the angels, divination. Selfspirituality, new spirituality, mindbodyspirit. The bible opposes almost all the tenets of the new age movement. As a new age enthusiast, i fancied myself a free spirit. And, even though those new age books i had read years ago implied and blatantly stated that information about the gnostic gospels and changes in the bible were squelched by the organized church, i was seeing that there were christians who did know about these things and. Of course reading the bible itself causes some people to doubt christianity, but im looking for a book that takes a systematic approach in arguing against the faith.
Recognize the danger of the new age movement, read more about spiritual life growth, christian living, and faith. The single best evidence against christianity is the continued existence of alternative religions. It is an eclectic mix of practices involving eastern mysticism, occult, meditation, humanism, nature religions, and various selfimprovement techniques. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Her life has since took a complete 180 degree turn away. Many books have successfully defended christianity against western rational skepticism. The best books on the new age movement christian research. But it is becoming increasingly difficult for booksellers to stock all these titles, let. Precise scholarly definitions of the new age differ in their emphasis, largely as a result of its highly eclectic structure. Elliot miller, a crash course on the new age movement. I so appreciate all the prayers and support ive continued to receive over the past six years.