Editing New Age (section)

===Christian perspectives===
Mainstream Christianity has typically rejected the ideas of the New Age;{{sfn|Chryssides|2007|p=21}} Christian critiques often emphasise that the New Age places the human individual before God.{{sfn|Heelas|Woodhead|2005|pp=61–62}} Most published criticism of the New Age has been produced by Christians, particularly those on the religion's [[Fundamentalist Christianity|fundamentalist wing]].{{sfn|Heelas|1996|p=201}} In the United States, the New Age became a major concern of [[Evangelicalism|evangelical]] Christian groups in the 1980s, an attitude that influenced British evangelical groups.{{sfn|Hexham|1992|p=152}} During that decade, evangelical writers such as [[Constance Cumbey]], [[Dave Hunt (Christian apologist)|Dave Hunt]], [[Gary North (economist)|Gary North]], and [[Douglas Groothuis]] published books criticising the New Age; a number propagated [[conspiracy theories]] regarding its origin and purpose.{{sfn|Hexham|1992|p=154}} The most successful such publication was [[Frank E. Peretti]]'s 1986 novel ''[[This Present Darkness]]'', which sold over a million copies; it depicted the New Age as being in league with [[feminism]] and secular education as part of a conspiracy to overthrow Christianity.{{sfn|Hexham|1992|p=156}} Modern Christian critics of the New Age include [[Doreen Virtue]], a former New Age writer from California who converted to fundamentalist Christianity in 2017.<ref name="Wild Hunt">{{cite news |last1=Aldrich |first1=Renu |date=September 5, 2017 |title=Doreen Virtue's conversion to Christianity sparks debate |url=https://wildhunt.org/2017/09/doreen-virtues-conversion-to-christianity-sparks-debate.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027044927/https://wildhunt.org/2017/09/doreen-virtues-conversion-to-christianity-sparks-debate.html |archive-date=27 October 2023 |access-date=October 8, 2023 |work=The Wild Hunt}}</ref>

Official responses to the New Age have been produced by major Christian organisations like the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Church of England]], and the [[Methodist Church]].{{sfn|Chryssides|2007|p=21}} The Roman Catholic Church published ''[[A Christian reflection on the New Age]]'' in 2003, following a six-year study; the 90-page document criticizes New Age practices such as yoga, meditation, [[feng shui]], and crystal healing.<ref name="BBC News-2003">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2722743.stm|title=Vatican sounds New Age alert|date=2003-02-04|work=BBC News|access-date=2010-10-27|archive-date=2019-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025115902/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2722743.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>''Handbook of vocational psychology'' by W. Bruce Walsh, Mark Savickas. 2005. p. 358. {{ISBN|978-0805845174}}.</ref> According to the Vatican, euphoric states attained through New Age practices should not be confused with prayer or viewed as signs of God's presence.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1D61531F934A35752C0A966958260&sec=&spon=|title=Trying to Reconcile the Ways of the Vatican and the East |last=Steinfels|first=Peter|date=1990-01-07|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2008-12-05}}</ref> Cardinal [[Paul Poupard]], then-president of the [[Pontifical Council for Culture]], said the New Age is "a misleading answer to the oldest hopes of man".<ref name="BBC News-2003" /> Monsignor [[Michael L. Fitzgerald|Michael Fitzgerald]], then-president of the [[Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue]], stated at the Vatican conference on the document: the "Church avoids any concept that is close to those of the New Age".<ref>{{Citation |url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_press-conf-new-age_en.html |title=Presentations of Holy See's Document on "New Age" |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=Michael L. |last2=Poupard |first2=Paul |year=2003 |work=Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life: a Christian Reflection on the "New Age" |publisher=Roman Catholic Church |access-date=2010-11-06 |location=Vatican City |archive-date=2007-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809113335/https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_press-conf-new-age_en.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On the contrary, some fringe Christian groups have adopted a more positive view of the New Age, among them the Christaquarians, and Christians Awakening to a New Awareness, all of which believe that New Age ideas can enhance a person's Christian faith.{{sfn|Chryssides|2007|pp=21–22}}