the new age-religion, renewal and choice

• What characterizes the New Age movement?

  Alternative approaches to traditional Western culture
• What are the main interests of the New Age movement?

  Spirituality, mysticism, holism, and environmentalism
• What practices are included in the New Age movement?

  Meditation, crystal healing, yoga, astrology, tarot
• How does the New Age differ from traditional religion?

  New Age emphasizes personal development and autonomy
• What is the spiritual revolution according to some sociologists?

  Shift from traditional Christianity to holistic spirituality
• Who investigated the spiritual revolution and what was their focus?

  Paul Heelas and Linda Woodhead studied religion's decline
• What method did Heelas and Woodhead use in their study?

  Surveys, case studies, and questionnaires
• What percentage of the population attended church in 2000?

  7.9%
• What percentage of the population participated in holistic milieu activities in 2000?

  1.6%
• What trend did Heelas and Woodhead find regarding traditional churches?

  Traditional churches were losing support
• Why is New Age spirituality growing according to Heelas and Woodhead?

  Due to a massive subjective turn in culture
• How do evangelical churches differ from traditional churches?

  They emphasize spiritual healing and personal growth
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Heelas and Woodhead's study?

  Strengths:

  • High validity and reliability
  • Uses both quantitative and qualitative methods

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Small town, not representative
  • Focused only on Christianity, lacking other religions
• What is Bruce's view on the nature of religion today?

  Religion is changing, not declining
• What is the problem of scale in New Age spirituality according to Bruce?

  It needs to grow significantly to fill gaps
• What percentage of Kendal's population attended church in 1851?

  38%
• How many churchgoers would be needed today to match 1851 attendance?

  14,500 churchgoers
• How many people were involved in the holistic milieu in Kendal?

  270 people
• What percentage of New Age parents in Kendal said their children shared their interests?

  32%
• What demographic trend affects the transmission of New Age beliefs?

  Women in the holistic milieu are often childless
• What did Glendinning and Bruce find about commitment to New Age beliefs?

  Serious commitment is very rare
• What does Bruce note about interest in alternative spirituality?

  Most people show no interest in it
• What are the structural weaknesses of New Age spirituality?

  • Lacks external authority for commitment
  • Cannot achieve consensus on beliefs
  • Cannot evangelize or persuade others
• Why is New Age spirituality unlikely to fill the gap left by traditional religion?

  It is structurally weak and individualistic
• Socialisation of the next generation- For a belief system to survive, it must be passed down to the next generation the new age is individual so wont be passed down