BELIEF SERIES LECTURE

New Spirit from Old Wisdom:

Ancient sources & modern revelations

in the New Age Movement

Revd Kevin Tingay

Rector of Camperton

13 June 2005

Our speaker considered the background to the New Age, including 19^th century cultural changes (such as urbanisation, the growth of a literate middle class, religious freedom and diversity, and Imperial expansion – especially in India), then strands of tradition such as Spiritualism from the 1840s, esoteric explorations (Masons, Rosicrucians and The Order of the Golden Dawn) and the discovery of Eastern wisdom – Theosophy and its heirs. He proceeded to consider 20^th century spiritual teachers and groups, such as the expansion of Theosophy and its schism, Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy, Gurdjieff, Ouspensky and ‘The Work’ (see also Belief lecture ‘The Fourth Way’ given by Janie Thomas on 7 May 2004), Dion Fortune, WE Butler and Golden Dawn derivatives, Modern Paganism in the West, spiritual teachers and traditions from Asia, dialogue in a pluralist society, and Aldous Huxley’s Perennial Philosophy.

Regrettably the full record of Revd Tingay’s contribution was damaged, but we look forward to his continued and valued participation in our meetings. MS.