Criticisms:

• The problem of scale - New age spirituality is not large enough in its current form to replace traditional religion.
• Socialisation of the next generation - for a belief system to survive it must be passed on

  Kendal: only 32% of parents involved in the New Age movement said their children shared their interests
• women engaged in the holistic milieu are more often childless. In at least 3/4 of marriages with the women in the holistic milieu, husband does not share their beliefs.
• Weak commitment: Glendinning and Bruce 2006: serious commitment to New Age beliefs rare
• Bruce 2011: 'most people in every demographic category show no interest in alternative spirituality'
• Structural Weakness: the New Age

  1. lacks external power to ensure commitment
  2. cannot achieve consensus as everyone is able to believe what they wish
  3. cannot evangelise as they believe enlightenment comes from within
• Bellah 1996: Sheliaism - if everyone saw their beleifs the same there would be 220 million American religions