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Title: Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs (In Defense of the Faith Series, 1) by John Ankerberg, John Weldon ISBN: 1-56507-160-3 Publisher: Harvest House Publishers, Inc. Pub. Date: February, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (4 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: Bad for Christianity
Comment: As a Christian who is constantly looking for ways to reach non-believers, I found this book disappointing. The book covers a wide variety of New Age topics and succeeds in providing some valuable background information. However, the book is written in a manner that is certain to help drive away non-Christians from Christianity and to make many Christians doubt the ways in which they practice their faith.
It soon becomes clear that the authors of this book see occultism and demons in almost everything. For example: Don't listen to your inner voice - it could be an evil spirit and is unlikely to be your conscience or the Holy Spirit speaking. Steer clear of psychotherapy and hypnosis - they hold the risk of spirit contact. Don't practice martial arts as a sport - it's an easy doorway to Taoism and other non-Christian religions. Don't use herbal medicines - you may unknowingly get an astrology treatment as a bonus. And so it goes on and on.
The authors use carefully chosen scripture and subtle fear-provoking ideas to draw the reader into their world of suspicion and neurosis, much like conspiracy theorists armed with persuasive arguments and "inside" knowledge. The extremity of this book dawned on me when the authors, in attacking visualization, described good old positive thinker Norman Vincent Peale as an occult promoter. (Peale was instrumental in bringing me closer to God in my younger days). Next, the authors' faulty logic struck me when they write: "Will an hour a day of our busy lives be better spent in visualization or in prayer?" Of course, the simple truth is that they are not mutually exclusive: one can pray and visualize. In fact, one can pray, visualize, work, take a herbal tablet for a dry throat, help a fellow-human in need, go to the movies and use many other human skills - all on the same day.
In my view, there is a very real possibility that the judgmental tone of this book may lead to self-doubt among many Christians. It is also hard to see this book playing any positive role in introducing non-believers to the joys of everyday practical Christianity. After reading this book, I couldn't help but wonder if books like these may not do more harm than some of the New Age beliefs they warn against.
Rating: 5
Summary: A resourse book to have on your shelf
Comment: The New Age is not so new, as the authors point out in this fine book. They cover a variety of topics that could be considered as occultic and definitely not Christian. I have found it useful more than once when a topic came up where I wanted more information. They have written this book in such a way that you don't have to read it cover to cover. I like the dual columns, and the information they provide is well worth the price of admission. As a researcher myself, I know that it took these gentleman thousands of hours of tedious research to compile this tome, so my hat goes off to them.
Rating: 4
Summary: Devastating Critique of the New Age
Comment: Ankerberg and Weldon have produced a highly detailed examination of several aspects of New Age thought in this book. In my view, what makes this book good is that it spends a large amount of time quoting from folks in the New Age movement, rather than simply writing an exclusively Christian commentary on New Age thought. By analyzing what New Age leaders are saying about their own teachings, Ankerberg and Weldon help quell the notion that they are simply writing an ad hominem attack on the New Age. In particular, I thought that the section on Eastern gurus was one of the best commentaries yet written on this phenomenon, precisely because the chapter includes so many quotes from the gurus themselves that are simply devastating. When confronting New Age thought, Christians have the considerable challenge of getting the discussion out of the clouds and getting down to the level of how New Age thought can be practically lived with any real assurance that its claims are true. It's very hard to get the discussion to this level precisely because many New Age disciples don't want to go there. The one thing about this book that came across loud and clear without it ever being said is that many folks who become involved in the New Age don't want a practical spirituality that can be relied upon and put into everyday living. They want a dimestore spirituality that doesn't require them to live by any moral code other than whatever they think is right at any point in time. Self divinity sounds nice and it attracts an awful lot of people to New Age thought, but this book effectively shows that not only is the concept of self divinity a complete denial of what we know to be true about the human race, it also tends to be very debilitating to the New Age disciple once it becomes clear that the realities of the New Age movement don't fulfill the promises it makes.
I did not give the book 5 stars for 2 main reasons. First, I thought that the authors spent too much time interjecting the concept of demonic possession or demonic influence into the discussion. After a while, this became a distraction to me while reading the book, and frankly, I think the whole concept was significantly overemphasized. Entering the concept of demonic influences into a discussion with a non Christian is probably the best way to alienate that person from the joy of Christianity. Secondly, the one thing I was hoping to see that I didn't see was an in depth discussion of the latest New Age craze - nature based spirituality. Whether it takes the form of wicca, native american spirituality, or other forms of paganism, there is not a comprehensive discussion of this area. It is touched upon in a few places in the book, but because it's such a hot topic right now, I would have greatly enjoyed a separate section that was devoted specifically to this arm of New Age thought and having it thoroughly examined as its own topic.
With the exception of the 2 concerns addressed above, Ankerberg and Weldon have produced a formidable response to New Age thought. It is my hope that as the New Age movement continues to change, the authors will continue to publish revised versions of this book in order to keep current.
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Title: Unmasking the New Age by Douglas R. Groothuis ISBN: 0877845689 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: September, 1989 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Confronting the New Age: How to Resist a Growing Religious Movement by Douglas Groothius, Douglas Groothuis ISBN: 0830812237 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: September, 1989 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions: Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Mind Sciences, Baha'I, Zen, Unitarianism (In Defense of the Faith Series, 2) by John Ankerberg, John Weldon ISBN: 0736900748 Publisher: Harvest House Publishers, Inc. Pub. Date: December, 1999 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
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Title: Inside the New Age Nightmare: For the First Time Ever...a Former Top New Age Leader Takes You on a Dramatic Journey by Randall N. Baer ISBN: 0910311587 Publisher: Huntington House Pub Pub. Date: August, 1989 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross by Norman L. Geisler, Abdul Saleeb ISBN: 0801064309 Publisher: Baker Book House Pub. Date: July, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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