You might also know the New Spirituality by its other names of the "New Consciousness" or "New Age Movement". But we are deliberately using this phrase, "The New Spirituality"; for it is important to stress the specifically spiritual claims of this religious development. All the nuts and bolts of the New Spirituality have been in existence for millennia. What we are seeing today is merely the culmination of a long process involving spiritual warfare on many different levels.

The New Spirituality is not new. What is perceived to be NEW today in the religious sphere is never new; it is merely something considerably older but dressed up in newer clothes. As Solomon has wisely said, "There is nothing new under the sun", and this would most certainly apply to the topic that we are looking at over the course of these articles. Allow me to give you an example. Earlier this year, CNN, Cable News Network, ran a story headed, "New Religion Uses Chants and Meditations for Worship", which said: "A hunger for spirituality is leading people to a new type of worship that focuses on chanting and meditation.

You repeat it over and over again and it becomes more relaxing. And you go from whatever your present state of consciousness is to a much more relaxing state of consciousness". Well, that is NOT a new religion or style of worship at all. People have been practising that sort of thing for millennia; but yet it is described here as being "new" -- a common misperception. In fact, this article was referring to Taizé chanting, as practised in a French monastery of that name. (The present Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey, is very keen on participating in such chanting at this monastery).

And from a web site describing Taize worship: At the local level, the eclectic, syncretistic Taize worship style is influencing many congregations. In Vancouver, British Columbia, for example, four United Church of Canada congregations are holding regular Taize services. The services were described in an article in the Vancouver Sun (April 14, 2000). A "shadowy medieval" atmosphere is created with the use of such things as candles, icons, and incense.

The goal is to bring the "worshipper" into a meditative state, "to a place beyond words, a place of just being." That, of course, is also the goal of Hindu and Buddhist meditation. There is a lot of repetition, with "one-line Taize harmonies repeated up to 15 times each." The Taize services are non-dogmatic, non-doctrinal, non-authoritative. "It does not dictate what people must believe. No confessions of faith are required. No sermons are given. No emotional, evangelical-style testimonials are expected. Clergy are not required." This is desirable to the unsaved religionist who loves the "non-authoritarian, but mystical, approach to faith."