Shining a Light on the New Age Deception | with Melissa Dougherty
Aug 25, 2023
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Melissa Dougherty, a former New-Ager and member of CrossExamined Apologist Team, discusses the rise and impact of the New Age movement in America and the church. Topics include the distinction between New Age and New Thought, overlap with Progressive Christianity, redemption for the Gospel, the influence of Jehovah's Witnesses, and God's role in the New Age. The episode explores how New Age teachings compromise the truth of the Gospel.
New Age teachings compromise the truth of the Gospel and downplay the sovereignty, holiness, and providence of God.
Kingdom Now Theology fails to reckon with suffering, mortality, and God's sovereign will while striving for signs, wonders, and miracles as a way to bring Jesus back.
Personal experiences should not take precedence over biblical authority; grounding theology in the Bible is crucial to avoid adopting non-Christian beliefs.
Deep dives
The Influence of New Thought on Christian Beliefs
The podcast episode discusses the influence of New Thought on Christian beliefs, particularly within the context of the Bethel movement. New Thought is a movement that originated in the 1800s and focuses on the power of positive thinking, manifestation, and the belief that individuals can tap into their own divinity. It emphasizes the idea that thoughts, words, and emotions have an impact on the energy and frequencies around us. The episode highlights how New Thought teachings have infiltrated some Christian churches, blurring the lines between Christian theology and New Age ideologies. It explores concepts like the law of attraction and prosperity gospel, which overlap with New Thought beliefs and can lead to an over-realized eschatology. The episode also touches on the challenges and contradictions that arise when faced with suffering, sickness, and death in light of these beliefs.
Critiquing the Kingdom Now Theology
The podcast delves into the Kingdom Now Theology prevalent in the Bethel movement and similar charismatic circles. Kingdom Now Theology espouses the belief that the Kingdom of God is manifested in the present, striving for signs, wonders, and miracles as a way to bring Jesus back. This theology rejects the notion of suffering and believes that Christians should not experience sickness or poverty. The episode highlights the challenges and contradictions associated with this theology, as it fails to reckon with the biblical reality of suffering, mortality, and God's sovereign will.
The Authoritative Role of Personal Experience
The episode raises the concern of personal experience taking precedence over biblical authority. It discusses how some individuals prioritize their own experiences and feelings over the clear teachings of the Bible. This approach leads to a subjective interpretation of scripture and the adoption of beliefs from outside the Christian faith, such as New Age and New Thought ideologies. The episode emphasizes the importance of grounding theology in the Bible rather than relying solely on personal experiences or interpretations.
The Blurring of Boundaries Between Christianity and New Thought
The podcast explores how some Christian churches unintentionally blend Christianity with New Thought teachings. This blending occurs when Christian terminology is used to convey New Thought concepts, such as redefining biblical terms to reflect metaphysical ideas. The episode also highlights the danger of adopting beliefs and practices from New Age and New Thought while still identifying as Christian, pointing out the inconsistency and potential spiritual harm that can arise from such a syncretism.
The Need for a Biblical Foundation and Discernment
The episode underlines the importance of having a solid biblical foundation and exercising discernment in one's beliefs. It emphasizes that Christians should prioritize scripture as the ultimate authority in determining their theology and reject teachings that deviate from biblical truth. The need to discern between authentically Christian teachings and ideologies that blend Christian terminology with non-Christian beliefs is also emphasized. The episode encourages listeners to critically evaluate the beliefs and teachings they encounter, seeking to align them with the principles and teachings found in the Bible.
Does the New Age movement offer a "higher level" of Christianity? Often used interchangeably, New Age and New Thought have appealed to the masses, both in secular society as well as within Christian churches. If New Age practices have somehow managed to creep into your church, can you identify them?
Who better to ask about the New Age than someone who actually practiced it? This week, Frank sits down with ex New-Ager, CrossExamined Apologist Team (CAT) member and YouTube phenom, Melissa Dougherty, to talk about some of the key aspects of New Age philosophy, how it rose to popularity in America, and how it's impacting the American Church. As Melissa shares her testimony, she'll also answer questions like:
What is the distinction between New Age and New Thought?
What is the overlap between the New Age and Progressive Christianity?
Can the New Age or New Thought be redeemed for the Gospel?
How did a Jehovah's Witness bring Melissa closer to the truth of Jesus Christ?
What is God's role and purpose within the New Age movement?
The idea that you can manipulate the circumstances of your life by finding the 'true' meaning of the Scriptures has drawn many to embrace New Age teachings. Believing yourself to have more spiritual power than other Christians may be appealing, but it comes with its own set of consequences. During this episode, you'll find out these teachings compromise the truth of the Gospel and ultimately downplay the sovereignty, holiness, and providence of God.
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Melissa's website: https://www.melissadougherty.co/
Melissa's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MelissaDougherty/
Melissa's blog post on this topic: https://bit.ly/46WTVuT
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