It is indeed our conviction that through many of our contemporaries who are searching, we can discover a true thirst for God. Its purpose is also to encourage discernment by those who are looking for sound reference points for a life of greater fulness. It is hoped that this work will in fact provide a stimulus for further studies adapted to different cultural contexts. Those who wish to go deeper into the study of New Age will find useful references in the appendices. Some suggestions of a pastoral nature are also made.
From Chapter Three onwards some indications are offered for an investigation of New Age in comparison with the Christian message. The first two chapters present New Age as a multifaceted cultural tendency, proposing an analysis of the basic foundations of the thought conveyed in this context. The present publication calls attention to the need to know and understand New Age as a cultural current, as well as the need for Catholics to have an understanding of authentic Catholic doctrine and spirituality in order to properly assess New Age themes. It should be recognized that the attraction that New Age religiosity has for some Christians may be due in part to the lack of serious attention in their own communities for themes which are actually part of the Catholic synthesis such as the importance of man' spiritual dimension and its integration with the whole of life, the search for life's meaning, the link between human beings and the rest of creation, the desire for personal and social transformation, and the rejection of a rationalistic and materialistic view of humanity. This study invites readers to take account of the way that New Age religiosity addresses the spiritual hunger of contemporary men and women. These reflections are offered primarily to those engaged in pastoral work so that they might be able to explain how the New Age movement differs from the Christian faith. It is the fruit of the common reflection of the Working Group on New Religious Movements, composed of staff members of different dicasteries of the Holy See: the Pontifical Councils for Culture and for Interreligious Dialogue (which are the principal redactors for this project), the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The present study is concerned with the complex phenomenon of “New Age” which is influencing many aspects of contemporary culture. Historical, descriptive and analytical works Documents of the Catholic Church's Magisteriumĩ.2. Some brief formulations of New Age ideasĨ.1. Guidance and sound formation are neededħ.1. Jesus Christ offers us the water of lifeĦ.1. New Age and Christian faith in contrastĥ. Christian mysticism and New Age mysticismĤ. Why has New Age grown so rapidly and spread so effectively?ģ.4. “Inhabitants of myth rather than history”: New Age and cultureĢ.5. The essential matrix of New Age thinkingĢ.4.
A global response in a time of crisisĢ.3.2.
The fundamental principles of New Age thinkingĢ.3.1. Harmony and Understanding: Good VibrationsĢ.3. Enchantment: There Must be an AngelĢ.2.2. What does the New Age claim to offer?Ģ.2.1. PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUEĢ.2. Jesus Christ The Bearer Of The Water Of Life - A Christian reflection on the New Age
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