The Christian Roots of the New Age: The Aquarian Gospel

Louis A. Ruprecht writes a fascinating article at Religion Dispatches about the reissue of a 1908 book by Levi Dowling, The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, which is a retelling of the gospels. In this book, like similar esoteric accounts of Jesus' life, Jesus travels to India, Persia, and Greece, preaching of a “cord of love” that binds all humanity together. Ruprecht asks what The Aquarian Gospel has to teach us about Christianity and New Age religion.

This article presents an interesting critique of New Age versions of understanding Jesus. He emphasizes the importance Christianity has always placed on not only the non-physical side but also the physical side of Jesus' personhood. Creation is not simply immaterial but also material. He also brings out that the New Age movements that were born out of the Christian strands of Western spiritual culture didn't start in the 1960's with the "hippies," but can be traced back to 19th century Romanicism, theosophy, and Liberal Protestantism in general.

It's a good read for those interested in The Aquarian Gospel and the connection between New Age spirituality and Christianity. Read it at Religion Dispatches.

(Image from Religion Dispatches)