Book review - The New Age Cult

The New Age Cult by Walter Martin (out of print but available used at Amazon)

I approached this book with some trepidation. Having been involved in the New Age movement in my younger years I know there is much that has been written about it that is simply wrong.

This book happily surprised me. Dr. Martin treats the New Age movement is a fair and even manner and tells the truth.

He begins with a quick overview of the New Age movement, then gives one entire chapter to the words of New Age teaches and proponents themselves, without any interpretation. Who better to state what they believe than New Agers themselves? The chapter following this gives the Biblical answers to these teachings and shows how they change and distort what Jesus has said.

He continues on with Jim Jones and Sirhan Sirhan were influenced by the New Age movement. We know the disasters consequences of these people well, but how they got there is a story most people don't hear.

After this Mr. Martin writes about how the New Age is making inroads in the public school system and society in general, and had an entire chapter devoted to reincarnation, what New Agers believe about it, and what the Bible says about it - all the passages dealing with it, not just selective ones that New Agers quote.

There is a chapter on how to approach New Agers to witness to them without turning them off. He than had a chapter on identifying New Age groups and leaders including a veritable glossary of people, organizations, books, and magazines.

He concludes with a glossary of many of the words New Agers use, and what they mean. For example, what is the "Age of Aquarius" or the "Akashic Record"? What are crystals used for and who is "Gaia"?

At the very end of the book is a recommended reading list of other books to read for more information on any aspect of the New Age you would like to know about.

Well written and surprisingly balanced given the strong Christian viewpoint of the author.

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