(4) the New Age

What is the New Age?

• range of spiritual/ religious practices + beliefs that emerged in Western society during early 70s

• characterised by eclectic nature, lacking common founder/ dogma

• often encompasses self-spirituality + de traditionalisation (+ consumer culture)

• eg. ouija, astrology, interest in traditional remedies such as yoga, contacting aliens, spiritually inclined astrology etc.

What does Paul Hellas (1996) argue the diverse range of New Age activities have in common?

• belief in self-spirituality

• people turn away from traditional rel. organisations for the spiritual & have begun to look inside themselves

• New Age offers account of salvation which doesn’t rely on acceptance from an external god

• values personal experience over “truths”

Who argued that the common feature of New Age movements is a belief in self-spirituality?

Paul Hellas (1996)

How does John Drane (1999) describe the New Age?

“[a] response to the acknowledged failure of the scientific and material worldview to deliver the goods”

Who describes the New Age as “[a] response to the acknowledged failure of the scientific and material worldview to deliver the goods”?

John Drane (1999)