Catherine Groves

Freelance Writer, Copywriter & Editor

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A History of
Christian*New Age Quarterly

A quality periodical published since 1989, Christian*New Age Quarterly examines the differences between and common ground of traditional Christianity and alternative spiritualities often umbrellaed under the term "New Age." Though somewhat peripheral to our central focus, secular humanists are also often participants in the exchange of ideas. Dedicated to dialogue, we do not assume underlying unity, but instead affirm that mutual respect is necessary to fairly explore the beliefs of the other. Ours is a vital resource for any who wish to understand the diversity of religious thought in the Western world, especially as a cultural expression of spiritual worldviews, whether in agreement or clash. A lively journal with regular columns and feature essays, C*NAQ consistently offers high quality writing, sound scholarship and the sparkle of heartfelt camaraderie.

When Christian*New Age Quarterly premiered in January 1989, an almost palpable tension existed between traditional Christians and New Agers. Back then, most Christians, if they had heard of the Movement at all, equated it with the occult, black arts, magick, deception, etc. — surely something to be shunned if not exposed as evil. Most New Agers, and most had grown up as Christians and rejected Christianity as a spirit-stifling, authoritarian, patriarchal force that had wrought many of society's ills, dismissed Christianity as a wholly unenlightened, unevolved, ignorant relic of a bygone era. Hence, Christian*New Age Quarterly was born as a vehicle that invites both Christians and New Agers to see the issues between "the camps," to address the misunderstandings each held about "the other," and to replace mutual distrust with genuine goodwill.

Fast-forwarding to today, it's a wholly different environment. The New Age Movement has largely dispersed itself into the larger, socially progressive areas of general society. While interest in spiritual phenomena remains, the focus today is more on unitive spirituality, inner awareness, planetary and personal health, global consciousness. Today, New Age ideas are widely known and largely embraced. Those segments of Christianity that continue to hold alternative spirituality in contempt are increasingly limited to a fundamentalistic, conservative — though very vocal — bent. Similarly, those New Age circles that continue to distrust and denigrate Christianity are increasingly limited to the fringe.

Still, some of the old "prejudices" exist on both sides of the coin. And C*NAQ provides a vehicle, as well, to address the issues in a way that can provide a sharpened understanding of the theological/ideological questions and dilemmas that underlie the issue. In other words, questions about one's own beliefs and theology are very often sharpened when seen juxtaposed to a different and contrasting belief and theology.

Here at C*NAQ, it's an often startling awakening to those principles we've simply assumed as the basis of understanding when we meet with other, very different bases of understanding. Dialog exacts from us how our own assumed premises, too self-obvious within a given belief system to even see, are in fact belief choices that are not universally shared. In that realization lies a myriad of questions and wonders as to what, indeed, we can know and what, instead, are reflections of the beliefs we simply assume are truths. With every hurdle passed, a new terrain opens up ahead!

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Catherine Groves
116 Washington Street
Lodi, New Jersey 07644

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