The Making of the New Spirituality: The Eclipse of the Western Religious Tradition (Paperback)

by James A. Herrick (Author) "OUR PURPOSE IN WRITING THIS BOOK is to address what we call the developmental dilemma-the fact that existing developmental theory lacks a guiding teleology..." (more)
Key Phrases: reciprocating self, differentiated faith, reciprocating relationships, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, New Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this wide-ranging survey, Herrick (a professor of communications at Hope College) explores the historical roots of what he calls the "New Religious Synthesis." This synthesis, which brings together streams of thought from Darwin to Swedenborg to Jung, is challenging the "Revealed Word" tradition of historical Christianity with increasing success thanks to its doctrinal flexibility and knack for public relations. (Herrick amply documents the popularizing instincts of several centuries' worth of spiritual innovators, from medieval kabbalists to Joseph Campbell.) Herrick is clearly no fan of the New Religious Synthesis, and his tone wavers between academic detachment and disdain. But he does an impressive job of showing just how continuously a tradition of pantheism, evolutionary thinking, mysticism and shamanism has existed in Western culture, thus dispelling the notion that today's alternative spiritualities are either genuinely new or a leap over history into a purer past. He shows particular insight into the long relationship between magic and science, and his chapter on Darwin admirably charts the legacy of evolution in spiritual thought. A final chapter unveils Herrick's own evaluation of the New Synthesis's claims and scores some telling points. Unfortunately, Herrick's prose (and a small type size) do little to engage the reader, and his cover-the-waterfront approach diminishes the book's analytical vigor. Still, this is a solid introduction to a vast subject.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
A 2004 ECPA Gold Medallion Finalist!One of Preaching magazine's 2004 "Top Ten Books Every Preacher Should Read"!Neo-paganism.
The paranormal.
Astrology.
Nature religion.
Holistic thinking.
Healing.
New Age.
New spirituality.A massive shift in Western religious attitudes has taken place almost without our noticing it. The Judeo-Christian tradition of Western culture has slowly but steadily been eclipsed by a new way of viewing spirituality.This shift has been in the making for some three hundred years. James A. Herrick tells the story of how the old view has been dismantled and a new one created not primarily through academic or institutional channels but by means of popular religious media--books, speeches, magazines and pamphlets, as well as movies, plays, music, radio interviews, television programs and websites.Although the new spirituality is diffuse and eclectic in its sources and manifestations, Herrick demonstrates a significant convergence of ideas, beliefs, assumptions, convictions and images in the myriad ways this New Religious Synthesis makes its way into our culture. In fact, the new spirituality, says Herrick, directly calls into question each major tenet of Judeo-Christian tradition and so represents a radical alternative to it.Interest in spirituality increases while participation in institutional religion wanes. Many welcome this evolution of religion. However, few are familiar with its roots, and fewer still have critically examined its prospects. As we stand at a spiritual crossroad, Herrick questions whether we are wise to discard the Western religious tradition and adopt the new spirituality.

Product Details

• Paperback: 331 pages
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press (December 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830832793
• ISBN-13: 978-0830832798
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #512,892 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Things are never as simple as they appear..., March 1, 2004

By	Gregory J. R. Bourke (New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Making of the New Spirituality: The Eclipse of the Western Religious Tradition (Hardcover)

A fine book. While the them of this work contrasts "Revealed Word" religion with the "New Spirituality" rather than just focusing on Christian (revealed word) perspectives, Herrick expands his investigation of New Age to throughly trawl our society's quest for transcendence. This work has acted to focus many threads of thought I have suspected for a while, particularly the popularity of Eastern mysticism and the quasi-mystical language of pop-science, as is the case with Carl Sagan and Dick Dawkins. Furthermore, it is rather serious in it's exposition of the background spirituality of many famous "secular" thinkers of the 18-20th centuries. It turns out many of these paragons of logic were as mired in "irrational" behaviour as the proles they scorned.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Informative Survey, October 4, 2008

By	Carl Orr (San Francisco) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Making of the New Spirituality is an informative survey of western religious ideas and how they have evolved over the past few centuries. It is also a rather sad survey in that it chronicles a steady erosion of what the author calls the "Revealed Word" view (essentially Christian orthodoxy) as various new notions of spirituality have overtaken that view and in some instances crept into the church. The author did a huge amount of research to pull together all of the ideas and information contained in the book.

As I read, I had several recurring thoughts:

First, I was struck by how many proponents of the various new views rejected the Revealed Word view on the basis of reason, modern criticism, science, etc., and then set up in its place something less scientific, less reasonable, more subjective, more mystical, more speculative, etc. The inconsistency was often glaring.

Second, I was struck by the vehemence of the opposition to the Revealed Word view and the apparent readiness of the masses to cast off that view and adopt other views. I've wondered a lot about the causes of this vehemence. The possibilities, some of which the author himself raises, include: the appeal of novelty; the appeal of intellectual or spiritual fads; a desire to believe in the innate goodness and progress of mankind; resentment of Christianity's truth claims; a desire to shed moral absolutes; a "burned over," spiritually weary mindset that existed in some places; and the manner in which the church conducted herself and represented (or misrepresented) Christ.

Third, I found myself wondering whether anyone in the church was effectively replying to the various new notions of spirituality and religious truth. I kept wanting to hear the Christian response -- either then or now. In this regard the last chapter of the book, which points out the deficiencies of the various new spiritualities as compared to the Revealed Word view, was a welcome ending.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Reminiscent of Schaeffer, March 9, 2007

By	M. P. Ryan (Bowen Is, BC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This new work by Hope College's professor of communication is a helpful examination of the decline of Christianity and the rise of a more synthetic spirituality. Through examining representative figures and influential statements that have contributed to a new way of thinking about religion in the West, Herrick strives to clarify the sources and interconnections that make up what he terms "the New Religious Synthesis". Herrick also endeavors to assess the implications of this new spirituality, finally contrasting it with the religion of the Revealed Word.

The approach of this book generally and its sweeping tour of history specifically are reminiscent of Schaeffer. With this in mind, I think it will appeal to students who enjoy a "history of ideas' approach to learning as well as generalists who simply want to `catch up' on those persons and trends that have shaped the western religious tradition since the 1700's.

As James Sire has stated of this work, this is a "lucid intellectual history with important implications for navigating the religious currents of our day".