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The Second Coming of the New Age: The Hidden Dangers of Alternative Spirituality in Contemporary America and Its Churches
The New Age movement has returned with full force in our culture taking the West and its churches by storm.
All across North America, Christian churches have unknowingly encouraged occult beliefs and practices far removed from what the Bible teaches. This unfortunate reality is intrinsically linked to the popularity increase of New Age spirituality in the twenty-first century, and we've been so influenced by its integration into our society that we have become blind to recognizing, and preventing, the effects of this mainstream, pop-culture heresy, even within the walls of God's house.
In this imperative and timely book, former New-Agers Josh Peck and Steven Bancarz reveal:
*What perverse dealings the authors personally witnessed from their experiences deep within the New Age Movement
*Which real and dangerous supernatural force lurks behind the New Age
*Facts that reveal how the occult has worked its way into modern, evangelical churches
*Connections between New Ageism, fallen angels, extraterrestrials, and the Nephilim
*Solid, historical associations between the New Age Movement and Satanism
*What false-Christ and false-gospel doctrines are being pushed by New Age teachers
*How the central deity of the New Age is a thinly veiled version of Leviathan, the ancient personification of chaos
*How quantum physics is being manipulated to promote the New Age agenda
*How to reach friends and family lost in the New Age movement
*Warning signs and influences of the occult in your life and home, and what to do if you are under spiritual attack
Our lives, our relationships, our world, and our churches all depend on our willingness to take action against the deceit of New Age spirituality. The first step toward prevention is knowledge. Now is the time to be informed.
All across North America, Christian churches have unknowingly encouraged occult beliefs and practices far removed from what the Bible teaches. This unfortunate reality is intrinsically linked to the popularity increase of New Age spirituality in the twenty-first century, and we've been so influenced by its integration into our society that we have become blind to recognizing, and preventing, the effects of this mainstream, pop-culture heresy, even within the walls of God's house.
In this imperative and timely book, former New-Agers Josh Peck and Steven Bancarz reveal:
*What perverse dealings the authors personally witnessed from their experiences deep within the New Age Movement
*Which real and dangerous supernatural force lurks behind the New Age
*Facts that reveal how the occult has worked its way into modern, evangelical churches
*Connections between New Ageism, fallen angels, extraterrestrials, and the Nephilim
*Solid, historical associations between the New Age Movement and Satanism
*What false-Christ and false-gospel doctrines are being pushed by New Age teachers
*How the central deity of the New Age is a thinly veiled version of Leviathan, the ancient personification of chaos
*How quantum physics is being manipulated to promote the New Age agenda
*How to reach friends and family lost in the New Age movement
*Warning signs and influences of the occult in your life and home, and what to do if you are under spiritual attack
Our lives, our relationships, our world, and our churches all depend on our willingness to take action against the deceit of New Age spirituality. The first step toward prevention is knowledge. Now is the time to be informed.
411 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2018
252 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 16, 2018
It's very unclear who's supposed to be the target audience of this book.
I'm very disappointed. In his video, the author promised that the book would be objective and based on research. I can't see anything like that here. It's only about NA beliefs and tons of biblical quotes. I hoped there would be some sociological, psychological, scientific insights included, but I didn't find anything of that sort in the book.
I was so annoyed with Bible quotes that I didn't get very far. I won't waste my time reading. I wish I could get my money back.
Who's supposed to be Bancarz's audience? It's aimed at neither Christians, nor New age believers. Christians know everything he writes about, and Bible quotes are irrelevant to the people in the new age. So who's supposed to benefit from this book? I have no idea.
I'm very disappointed. In his video, the author promised that the book would be objective and based on research. I can't see anything like that here. It's only about NA beliefs and tons of biblical quotes. I hoped there would be some sociological, psychological, scientific insights included, but I didn't find anything of that sort in the book.
I was so annoyed with Bible quotes that I didn't get very far. I won't waste my time reading. I wish I could get my money back.
Who's supposed to be Bancarz's audience? It's aimed at neither Christians, nor New age believers. Christians know everything he writes about, and Bible quotes are irrelevant to the people in the new age. So who's supposed to benefit from this book? I have no idea.
January 12, 2022
Bancarz and Peck. The Second Coming of the New Age: The Hidden Dangers of Alternative Spirituality in Contemporary America and its Churches. Crane, MO: Defenders Publishing, 2018.
Those engaged in counter-cult ministries will welcome this new addition. The book’s base isn’t new, since the New Age isn’t a new phenomenon. On the other hand, there are new practices and “mindsets” that require an updated response.
On Truth
While the section on “truth” was quite basic, the authors point out a problem with pragmatic theories of truth: “we often don’t know what the utility of a belief is ahead of time. We don’t have perfect access to the full consequences of a belief in the moment” (101).
God and the Force
While New Age teachers often point to personal “spirit guides,” God, such as they understand, is an impersonal force. For Christians prayer is talking to a personal God. For the New Age, it is tapping into a force. All of this is old stuff in counter-cult ministries. Peck and Bancarz, however, take the analysis to the next level.
The Bible does talk about a force. It is the personification of Chaos, Leviathan. In the ANE it was also known as “Litanu, Lotan, Behemoth, Tiamat, Mot, Seth-Horus, and Cerberus” (132). I agree with them, but I don’t think Behemoth is in the same category. The authors then note the similarities in vocabulary between the Ugaritic Baal Cycle and the book of Job. This is not to say, of course, that one borrows from the other. Rather, it shows that the people in both used similar vocabulary and concepts.
Let’s assume that Leviathan = Chaos Monster, as both Job and the Ugaritic literature suggest. Could New Agers actually be tapping into this rather infernal entity? Perhaps. We don’t mean to suggest that every time a New Ager meditates she is channeling Leviathan; rather, the possibility is there.
Pantheism
The biggest takeaway is that the Big Bang theory refutes pantheism, since it logically precludes an infinite universe.
Ye are gods
Jesus’s use of Psalm 82 doesn’t lend credence to the New Age claim that “ye are gods.” If the verse refers to Old Testament judges (which I don’t think it does), then Jesus isn’t talking about you. You aren’t an Old Testament judge. If the verse refers to the divine council, and Jesus’s use hints at the sons of God in the New Testament replacing the fallen bene elohim, then it also doesn’t refer to you. Bancarz and Peck seem to clinch the argument with a lexical analysis of Psalm 89. Whoever these bene elohim are, they are in the clouds.
The authors don’t mention it, but the literal translation of Psalm 82 is Elohim takes his stand in the Council of El,” which has a very specific meaning in the ancient world. They didn’t need to mention it, to be sure, since they had already refuted the New Age reading of the verse.
Zeitgeist and Pagan Mythology
Mithra: Emerged from a rock; no virgin birth (John Hinnels; James Hastings).
Dionysius: Zeus impregnated Semele; no virgin birth.
Aliens
More Americans believe in aliens than in the classical doctrine of God. The authors do a good job explaining the general parameters of the discussion. Basically, you have your:
Greys (Reticuluns)
Origin: Zeta Reticuli
Appearance: 3-4 feet tall
UFO: Saucer; sphere
Myth association: Fairies
Claims: cloning; genetic manipulation
Abilities: mind-based
Nordics
Origin: Pleiades
Appearance: 5-7 feet tall
Repitilians
Origin: Draco Star system
Appearance: 6-7 feet tall
Myth association: Dragons; djinn; maybe the Nachash
Mantis Aliens
Origin: Draco Star System
Appearance: 6-7 feet tall; triangular heads
Whatever else we may believe about UFO encounters, they never tell us how they got here (270). They always tell us that we need to promote world government and be inclusive and stuff. The section on why interstellar space travel is impossible is probably the death-knell to all views of aliens. Moreover, if alien technology is so advanced, then why are the so medically inept in their procedures? Our medicine today can do invasive procedures without leaving too much noticeable after effect. When aliens do anal probes (and apologists for our alien brethren, so-called, need to explain why brutal anal probes are even necessary), why are they several decades behind in anestheisa? If they are dark entities, then it makes sense.
The book ends with a critique of New Age practices that one might find in American churches: contemplative prayer, yoga, labyrinthine prayer, Angel boards, etc.
Criticism
I hate to do this next part because it seems like I might imply the book isn’t worth getting. One of the problems of Defenders Press is the lack of good editing. The physical quality of Defenders books is quite good. The binding is good and the cover has a nice feel to it. The artwork is also fun. The typos and omission of proper formatting threatens to undo the whole project. For example:
* Titles of books are never italicized. I don’t know why they routinely fail to do this.
* Concerning our heavenly bodies, they write, “This begs the question” (254). It raises the question. Begging the question is a logical fallacy. What they meant to write was “raise the question.”
Those engaged in counter-cult ministries will welcome this new addition. The book’s base isn’t new, since the New Age isn’t a new phenomenon. On the other hand, there are new practices and “mindsets” that require an updated response.
On Truth
While the section on “truth” was quite basic, the authors point out a problem with pragmatic theories of truth: “we often don’t know what the utility of a belief is ahead of time. We don’t have perfect access to the full consequences of a belief in the moment” (101).
God and the Force
While New Age teachers often point to personal “spirit guides,” God, such as they understand, is an impersonal force. For Christians prayer is talking to a personal God. For the New Age, it is tapping into a force. All of this is old stuff in counter-cult ministries. Peck and Bancarz, however, take the analysis to the next level.
The Bible does talk about a force. It is the personification of Chaos, Leviathan. In the ANE it was also known as “Litanu, Lotan, Behemoth, Tiamat, Mot, Seth-Horus, and Cerberus” (132). I agree with them, but I don’t think Behemoth is in the same category. The authors then note the similarities in vocabulary between the Ugaritic Baal Cycle and the book of Job. This is not to say, of course, that one borrows from the other. Rather, it shows that the people in both used similar vocabulary and concepts.
Let’s assume that Leviathan = Chaos Monster, as both Job and the Ugaritic literature suggest. Could New Agers actually be tapping into this rather infernal entity? Perhaps. We don’t mean to suggest that every time a New Ager meditates she is channeling Leviathan; rather, the possibility is there.
Pantheism
The biggest takeaway is that the Big Bang theory refutes pantheism, since it logically precludes an infinite universe.
Ye are gods
Jesus’s use of Psalm 82 doesn’t lend credence to the New Age claim that “ye are gods.” If the verse refers to Old Testament judges (which I don’t think it does), then Jesus isn’t talking about you. You aren’t an Old Testament judge. If the verse refers to the divine council, and Jesus’s use hints at the sons of God in the New Testament replacing the fallen bene elohim, then it also doesn’t refer to you. Bancarz and Peck seem to clinch the argument with a lexical analysis of Psalm 89. Whoever these bene elohim are, they are in the clouds.
The authors don’t mention it, but the literal translation of Psalm 82 is Elohim takes his stand in the Council of El,” which has a very specific meaning in the ancient world. They didn’t need to mention it, to be sure, since they had already refuted the New Age reading of the verse.
Zeitgeist and Pagan Mythology
Mithra: Emerged from a rock; no virgin birth (John Hinnels; James Hastings).
Dionysius: Zeus impregnated Semele; no virgin birth.
Aliens
More Americans believe in aliens than in the classical doctrine of God. The authors do a good job explaining the general parameters of the discussion. Basically, you have your:
Greys (Reticuluns)
Origin: Zeta Reticuli
Appearance: 3-4 feet tall
UFO: Saucer; sphere
Myth association: Fairies
Claims: cloning; genetic manipulation
Abilities: mind-based
Nordics
Origin: Pleiades
Appearance: 5-7 feet tall
Repitilians
Origin: Draco Star system
Appearance: 6-7 feet tall
Myth association: Dragons; djinn; maybe the Nachash
Mantis Aliens
Origin: Draco Star System
Appearance: 6-7 feet tall; triangular heads
Whatever else we may believe about UFO encounters, they never tell us how they got here (270). They always tell us that we need to promote world government and be inclusive and stuff. The section on why interstellar space travel is impossible is probably the death-knell to all views of aliens. Moreover, if alien technology is so advanced, then why are the so medically inept in their procedures? Our medicine today can do invasive procedures without leaving too much noticeable after effect. When aliens do anal probes (and apologists for our alien brethren, so-called, need to explain why brutal anal probes are even necessary), why are they several decades behind in anestheisa? If they are dark entities, then it makes sense.
The book ends with a critique of New Age practices that one might find in American churches: contemplative prayer, yoga, labyrinthine prayer, Angel boards, etc.
Criticism
I hate to do this next part because it seems like I might imply the book isn’t worth getting. One of the problems of Defenders Press is the lack of good editing. The physical quality of Defenders books is quite good. The binding is good and the cover has a nice feel to it. The artwork is also fun. The typos and omission of proper formatting threatens to undo the whole project. For example:
* Titles of books are never italicized. I don’t know why they routinely fail to do this.
* Concerning our heavenly bodies, they write, “This begs the question” (254). It raises the question. Begging the question is a logical fallacy. What they meant to write was “raise the question.”
December 7, 2023
Much useful material in this book. Particularly, in describing the history of the New Age movement (chapter 3), its supernatural reality (chapter 1), and its influence upon the church (chapter 10).
The book covers a lot of ground, and it is sorely in need of an index. Because of this lack, in the event I ever want to refer to it again, I decided to write out below the headings which appear in the book, as even they were not in the table of contents. (I added quotations or comments for some of the places that caught my attention, but there is not space here on Goodreads to retain them.)
The book also had some poor exegesis or theological comments at a few places. (And could have used some copy editing.)
However, all told, I am thankful for this book, for the work the authors put into it, and for God's work in their lives to bring them out of such a movement and have the knowledge to clearly speak about it and refute its teachings. May the Lord bless their efforts for the kingdom of God.
INTRODUCTION
What Is the New Age Movement?
Lack of a Common Doctrine
No Christians Allowed in the New Age Clubhouse
Why Does the New Age Reject Jesus?
Defining the Popularity of the New Age Movement
The Reason Behind the Popularity of New Age
The Tragedy of Being One's Own God
CHAPTER 1: THE SUPERNATURAL REALITY OF THE NEW AGE
Channeling, Mediumship, and Fortune-telling
Magik and Sorcery
Pagan Prayer, Sacrifice, and Worship
Astral Projection
Astral Projection in Satanism
Demonic Attacks in the Astral Planes
Aren't There Good Astral Planes?
Jesus Christ Stops Demonic Astral Attacks
The Truth About Astral Projection
Josh Peck's Personal Experiences
Steven Bancarz's Experience Out of Body
Warnings of Spiritual Danger
New Age: Not Just a Different Worldview, a Supernatural Playing Field
CHAPTER 2: NEW AGE IS NOTHING NEW
Back to Gnosticism
The Monad
Sophia and Yaltabaoth
The Yaltabaoth and Sexism Problem in Gnosticism
Eastern Mysticism Influences in New Age Theology
The Ancient Root of Modern Self-Godhood
CHAPTER 3: NEW AGE AND THE OCCULT
Helena Blavatsky
Alice Bailey
Aleister Crowley
Anton LaVey
Gerald Gardner
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Edgar Cayce
Spirit Science, Lucifer, and Thoth
Occultism, Satanism, and New Age Connected
CHAPTER 4: SCIENCE FALSELY SO CALLED
"Truth...What Is Truth?"
The Devil's Plan from the Beginning
The Pragmatic Theory of Truth
The Coherence Theory of Truth
Postmodernism
Inference to the Best Explanation
Open-Minded, Not Mindless
Observation and Interpretation
The Scientific Method
New Age Borrowing from Science without the Scientific Method
Quantum Physics and the New Age
"What the Bleep Do We Know?"
Quantum Physics in the Real World
Blavatsky Interpreting Evolution into Eastern Avatars from Isis Unveiled
Objective Science vs. Subjective Beliefs
CHAPTER 5: PERSONAL GOD VS. IMPERSONAL FORCE
The Chaos Dragon Leviathan Compared Against the New Age Force
Pantheism: The Theology of the New Age Movement
Pantheism as the Crutch of New Age Practice
The Beginning of the Universe Refutes Pantheism
The Fine Tuning of the Universe Refutes Pantheism
Is Consciousness a Fundamental Field?
The Bible Refutes Pantheism
The Theology of Jesus Refutes Pantheism
CHAPTER 6: FALSE CHRIST, FALSE GOSPEL
Jesus Mythicism
Master Jesus of the Great White Brotherhood
Eastern Jesus of Christ Consciousness
The Kingdom of God Is Within You?
Did Jesus Say We Are All "Gods"?
Elohim, the Divine Council, and the Sons of God
The Second Coming of Christ Consciousness
Zeitgeist and Pagan Mythology
The Gospels Reveal the Real Historical Jesus
Jesus, the Jewish Monotheist
Jesus as Risen Lord
CHAPTER 7: RELIGIOUS PLURALISM, TOLERANCE, AND POSTMODERN RHETORIC
Pluralism: More Extreme than One True Religion
Pluralism: Premised on a False Idea of Tolerance
Pluralism: Impossible Because Religions Contradict Each Other
But Don't All Religions Teach Love?
Being "Spiritual" Doesn't Make Us Experts in World Religion
CHAPTER 8: DEATH AND BEYOND
The Journey and Destiny of Souls in the New Age
Didn't Jesus Say John the Baptist Was Elijah Reincarnated?
Everything in the Bible You've Never Heard about the Afterlife
Eternity vs Infinity
Celestial Flesh
Kings and Priests
Death, Hell, and the Lake of Fire
The Final Judgment for Christians
The Defeat of Leviathan, New Jerusalem, and Restoration of All Creation
CHAPTER 9: SPACE AND BEYOND - EXTRATERRESTRIALS IN THE NEW AGE
Alien Species and Teachings
Ancient Astronaut Theory
The Impossibility of Interstellar Space Travel
The Interdimensional and Extradimensional Hypotheses
Demonic Origins of Alien Abductions
Aliens in the Bible
Sons of God
The Fallacy of the Sethite Theory
Giants
Fallen Angels and Flesh Bodies
Generations and Bloodlines
Future Prophecies
Be Prepared but Not Obsessed
CHAPTER 10: NEW AGE INFILTRATING THE CHURCH
Pray for the Teachers, Expose the Teaching
Christalignment
Card Use: Incompatible with Christianity
Angel Boards
Yoga in the Church
Karma
Mother Earth and Panentheism
New Age Principles Claimed by the Church
Baptist Labyrinth Meditation Prayer
Contemplative Prayer
Additional Teachings from Another Jesus
Near-Death Experiences That Defy the Gospel
CHAPTER 11: MINISTERING TO THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT
What New Agers Are Looking For
The Love of God
The Holiness of God
The Person of the Holy Spirit
Christianity Is Different from Every Other Religion
Jesus Is the Only Way
CONCLUSION
Occult Objects in Your House Give Demons Legal Ground
Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance
Josh's Personal Experiences of the Supernatural Reality of the Christian Walk
Steve's Supernatural Reality of Walking with Jesus
How To Be Saved
Forgiveness
Justification
Regeneration
Reconciliation
Sanctification
Prayer of Salvation
The book covers a lot of ground, and it is sorely in need of an index. Because of this lack, in the event I ever want to refer to it again, I decided to write out below the headings which appear in the book, as even they were not in the table of contents. (I added quotations or comments for some of the places that caught my attention, but there is not space here on Goodreads to retain them.)
The book also had some poor exegesis or theological comments at a few places. (And could have used some copy editing.)
However, all told, I am thankful for this book, for the work the authors put into it, and for God's work in their lives to bring them out of such a movement and have the knowledge to clearly speak about it and refute its teachings. May the Lord bless their efforts for the kingdom of God.
INTRODUCTION
What Is the New Age Movement?
Lack of a Common Doctrine
No Christians Allowed in the New Age Clubhouse
Why Does the New Age Reject Jesus?
Defining the Popularity of the New Age Movement
The Reason Behind the Popularity of New Age
The Tragedy of Being One's Own God
CHAPTER 1: THE SUPERNATURAL REALITY OF THE NEW AGE
Channeling, Mediumship, and Fortune-telling
Magik and Sorcery
Pagan Prayer, Sacrifice, and Worship
Astral Projection
Astral Projection in Satanism
Demonic Attacks in the Astral Planes
Aren't There Good Astral Planes?
Jesus Christ Stops Demonic Astral Attacks
The Truth About Astral Projection
Josh Peck's Personal Experiences
Steven Bancarz's Experience Out of Body
Warnings of Spiritual Danger
New Age: Not Just a Different Worldview, a Supernatural Playing Field
CHAPTER 2: NEW AGE IS NOTHING NEW
Back to Gnosticism
The Monad
Sophia and Yaltabaoth
The Yaltabaoth and Sexism Problem in Gnosticism
Eastern Mysticism Influences in New Age Theology
The Ancient Root of Modern Self-Godhood
CHAPTER 3: NEW AGE AND THE OCCULT
Helena Blavatsky
Alice Bailey
Aleister Crowley
Anton LaVey
Gerald Gardner
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Edgar Cayce
Spirit Science, Lucifer, and Thoth
Occultism, Satanism, and New Age Connected
CHAPTER 4: SCIENCE FALSELY SO CALLED
"Truth...What Is Truth?"
The Devil's Plan from the Beginning
The Pragmatic Theory of Truth
The Coherence Theory of Truth
Postmodernism
Inference to the Best Explanation
Open-Minded, Not Mindless
Observation and Interpretation
The Scientific Method
New Age Borrowing from Science without the Scientific Method
Quantum Physics and the New Age
"What the Bleep Do We Know?"
Quantum Physics in the Real World
Blavatsky Interpreting Evolution into Eastern Avatars from Isis Unveiled
Objective Science vs. Subjective Beliefs
CHAPTER 5: PERSONAL GOD VS. IMPERSONAL FORCE
The Chaos Dragon Leviathan Compared Against the New Age Force
Pantheism: The Theology of the New Age Movement
Pantheism as the Crutch of New Age Practice
The Beginning of the Universe Refutes Pantheism
The Fine Tuning of the Universe Refutes Pantheism
Is Consciousness a Fundamental Field?
The Bible Refutes Pantheism
The Theology of Jesus Refutes Pantheism
CHAPTER 6: FALSE CHRIST, FALSE GOSPEL
Jesus Mythicism
Master Jesus of the Great White Brotherhood
Eastern Jesus of Christ Consciousness
The Kingdom of God Is Within You?
Did Jesus Say We Are All "Gods"?
Elohim, the Divine Council, and the Sons of God
The Second Coming of Christ Consciousness
Zeitgeist and Pagan Mythology
The Gospels Reveal the Real Historical Jesus
Jesus, the Jewish Monotheist
Jesus as Risen Lord
CHAPTER 7: RELIGIOUS PLURALISM, TOLERANCE, AND POSTMODERN RHETORIC
Pluralism: More Extreme than One True Religion
Pluralism: Premised on a False Idea of Tolerance
Pluralism: Impossible Because Religions Contradict Each Other
But Don't All Religions Teach Love?
Being "Spiritual" Doesn't Make Us Experts in World Religion
CHAPTER 8: DEATH AND BEYOND
The Journey and Destiny of Souls in the New Age
Didn't Jesus Say John the Baptist Was Elijah Reincarnated?
Everything in the Bible You've Never Heard about the Afterlife
Eternity vs Infinity
Celestial Flesh
Kings and Priests
Death, Hell, and the Lake of Fire
The Final Judgment for Christians
The Defeat of Leviathan, New Jerusalem, and Restoration of All Creation
CHAPTER 9: SPACE AND BEYOND - EXTRATERRESTRIALS IN THE NEW AGE
Alien Species and Teachings
Ancient Astronaut Theory
The Impossibility of Interstellar Space Travel
The Interdimensional and Extradimensional Hypotheses
Demonic Origins of Alien Abductions
Aliens in the Bible
Sons of God
The Fallacy of the Sethite Theory
Giants
Fallen Angels and Flesh Bodies
Generations and Bloodlines
Future Prophecies
Be Prepared but Not Obsessed
CHAPTER 10: NEW AGE INFILTRATING THE CHURCH
Pray for the Teachers, Expose the Teaching
Christalignment
Card Use: Incompatible with Christianity
Angel Boards
Yoga in the Church
Karma
Mother Earth and Panentheism
New Age Principles Claimed by the Church
Baptist Labyrinth Meditation Prayer
Contemplative Prayer
Additional Teachings from Another Jesus
Near-Death Experiences That Defy the Gospel
CHAPTER 11: MINISTERING TO THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT
What New Agers Are Looking For
The Love of God
The Holiness of God
The Person of the Holy Spirit
Christianity Is Different from Every Other Religion
Jesus Is the Only Way
CONCLUSION
Occult Objects in Your House Give Demons Legal Ground
Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance
Josh's Personal Experiences of the Supernatural Reality of the Christian Walk
Steve's Supernatural Reality of Walking with Jesus
How To Be Saved
Forgiveness
Justification
Regeneration
Reconciliation
Sanctification
Prayer of Salvation
July 9, 2022
Oh my goodness. This was such an insightful book. Things I didn't even realize were wrong are so extremely clear now and it's really exposed the way I was living as well as taught me how to discern lies from truth, in the world!
I highly recommend this book to Christians and non-Christians alike if you're on a search for truth!
I highly recommend this book to Christians and non-Christians alike if you're on a search for truth!
January 5, 2020
This book was all over the place. It seemed to switch from being written to unbelievers to being written to Christians, and it needed to pick one audience. The authors seemed to drone on and say the same things over and over, and at other times, they embarked on long tangents that were unnecessary. This book is marketed as a resource to learn about the New Age movement and how it is infiltrating the church, so this is what I expected most of this long book to be about. The parts of the book that did this, which explained the history and practices of the New Age movement, were engaging. However, the majority of the book is either evidential apologetics for Christianity, lengthy explanations of Christian doctrine or other random tangents. While it is alright to mention and explain these things briefly in order to support the arguments the authors offered, it is unnecessary to spend dozens of pages on each of these things. It's great that they want to educate others on basics of the Christian faith, and I'm sure this will benefit a few who read the book, but there are many other books that do this more succintly and efficiently. For an example of one of the tangents, why does it need to explained, for many pages, why extraterrestrials cannot exist because that would mean that they have to travel at the speed of light, which is impossible, because they would have to travel through a wormhole, or they would have reached the end of time the moment they reach the speed of light, and they would have reached infinite mass, and even before they did that, they and everything thing they were traveling with turned into black holes? Really?! Focus, guys. If this was meant to help some people in the New Age movement who are really bogged down by that stuff, great, but that is not who you marketed this book to. Besides this, they say a few goofy things, like someone can be saved, and yet not a follower of Christ. They try to assert that books on the occult give demons legal ground to dwell in your house. I am open to this, but they did not prove this biblically, despite trying.
In conclusion, I do not recommend spending $20 on this book, unless you're the type of person who likes to own and read every book written on the New Age from a Christian perspective. You might be able to find something more concisely written, with more thoughtful arguments, perhaps by reading something by Walter Martin. Additionally, if you search Steven Bancarz on YouTube and listen to a ton of interviews by him, you can glean everything that he said in the book and waste a lot less time.
P. S. The book is 411 pages, not 647, like this page says. Also, there are numerous typos.
In conclusion, I do not recommend spending $20 on this book, unless you're the type of person who likes to own and read every book written on the New Age from a Christian perspective. You might be able to find something more concisely written, with more thoughtful arguments, perhaps by reading something by Walter Martin. Additionally, if you search Steven Bancarz on YouTube and listen to a ton of interviews by him, you can glean everything that he said in the book and waste a lot less time.
P. S. The book is 411 pages, not 647, like this page says. Also, there are numerous typos.
December 19, 2021
It took me so long to “finish” this book because a lot of the chapters and topics covered were areas that I have already become knowledgeable in but didn’t want to just skip over.
This book is my most recommended book for every Christian and PASTOR, it’s perfect for the non believers and new agers/occultists. While it’s extremely thorough it still gives you topics to research history and scripture on, as well as taking it to wise counsel and the Lord.
I’ve probably influenced about 20 people now to purchase this book and every single one of them has continued to refer it to their friends. With that being said it’s a great Bible study book and will honestly probably ruffle a ton of feathers in the church.
This book is my most recommended book for every Christian and PASTOR, it’s perfect for the non believers and new agers/occultists. While it’s extremely thorough it still gives you topics to research history and scripture on, as well as taking it to wise counsel and the Lord.
I’ve probably influenced about 20 people now to purchase this book and every single one of them has continued to refer it to their friends. With that being said it’s a great Bible study book and will honestly probably ruffle a ton of feathers in the church.
February 15, 2019
The Danger of the New Age Movement
This is a truly great book for anyone interested in the new age movement and it's dangers. I have been following Steven Bancarz since I first heard him on YouTube, I am amazed at his knowledge of the Bible!
I also follow him on Facebook.
This is a truly great book for anyone interested in the new age movement and it's dangers. I have been following Steven Bancarz since I first heard him on YouTube, I am amazed at his knowledge of the Bible!
I also follow him on Facebook.
March 10, 2020
Churches really need to have their guard up against some of these practices that are slowly creeping in. Steven Bancarz has firsthand experience with why new age spirituality can be so dangerous for anyone.
April 29, 2022
I'm sad to rate this low because I generally really like Steven Bancarz and his content. I read this because I wanted to hear more from him, but honestly, he is a better orator than writer and his YouTube videos do him more justice.
Let's start with the good: the content itself is interesting and useful. The personal anecdotes from the authors were the best part of the book and I wish the whole book were just filled similar stories from people being in and then leaving the New Age. The authors' heart and passion for this stuff is evident.
And the not so good: I have never read a book with so many typos - there's no way this was proofread or edited. There's a typo on every other page, on average.
The information is not always very well presented, and I find this to be the case in a lot of Christian nonfiction, unfortunately. There's a lot of chunks of quotations, ideas repeated in different ways excessively, and some fluff added.
The intended audience is not very clear either. It strives to appeal to open new agers and christians alike but would benefit from two different books for each group.
There's only one chapter about what it purports to be about (new age infiltrating the church), and it was really just about the hypercharismatic movement, not "The Church".
Ultimately, despite the low rating, I would say it's worth the read for anyone interested in this topic. HOWEVER, you can glean a lot of this in a better format from Steven's YouTube videos.
Let's start with the good: the content itself is interesting and useful. The personal anecdotes from the authors were the best part of the book and I wish the whole book were just filled similar stories from people being in and then leaving the New Age. The authors' heart and passion for this stuff is evident.
And the not so good: I have never read a book with so many typos - there's no way this was proofread or edited. There's a typo on every other page, on average.
The information is not always very well presented, and I find this to be the case in a lot of Christian nonfiction, unfortunately. There's a lot of chunks of quotations, ideas repeated in different ways excessively, and some fluff added.
The intended audience is not very clear either. It strives to appeal to open new agers and christians alike but would benefit from two different books for each group.
There's only one chapter about what it purports to be about (new age infiltrating the church), and it was really just about the hypercharismatic movement, not "The Church".
Ultimately, despite the low rating, I would say it's worth the read for anyone interested in this topic. HOWEVER, you can glean a lot of this in a better format from Steven's YouTube videos.
April 8, 2021
Eye Opening!!!
This book was an eye opener. I was exposed to occult practices almost from birth and see clearly now how these practices opemed me up to demonic influence. Thank you for writing this book and thank you especially for the last chapter which so beautifully and clearly describe how God through Christ redeemed such a wretch as me!!! God bless you both!
This book was an eye opener. I was exposed to occult practices almost from birth and see clearly now how these practices opemed me up to demonic influence. Thank you for writing this book and thank you especially for the last chapter which so beautifully and clearly describe how God through Christ redeemed such a wretch as me!!! God bless you both!
December 1, 2021
Nicely written. Profound, shocking at moment, insightful. As a new Christian, I was interested about many dangers of new age and this book really covers that aspect. I really liked the openness of authors, sharing their experiences and richly researched material they represented in this book.
August 30, 2025
This is really an incredible book for its sheer amount of information, analysis, and helpful research. This book goes very, very in depth into the plethora of New Age ideologies and practices, from astral projecting, angel guides, Jesus as part of the “Great White Brotherhood”, the I Am Presence, etc etc. Written by two ex-New Age spiritualists, now saved and living their lives for Christ, this book’s credibility and research are also bolstered by the fact that is is written by two people who were intimately connected with New Age spiritualism, and have even encountered genuine spiritual powers in doing so.
I believe the greatest threat to the modern church (Apart from lukewarmness, and its administrating agent, the prosperity gospel) is Nee Age Spiritualism. It is everywhere in our modern day, even infiltrating churches through disguised deception. This book is an absolute must read for those wanting to learn more about the specifics and intricacies of such a global, pagan, and threatening worldview.
I believe the greatest threat to the modern church (Apart from lukewarmness, and its administrating agent, the prosperity gospel) is Nee Age Spiritualism. It is everywhere in our modern day, even infiltrating churches through disguised deception. This book is an absolute must read for those wanting to learn more about the specifics and intricacies of such a global, pagan, and threatening worldview.
October 22, 2024
Eye Opening!
A while back, I saw the authors being interviewed about this book on Skywatch TV. I was impressed with their interview and decided to order a copy. I was not at all disappointed. This is a great book. Steven Bancarz and Josh Peck are both Christians who have come out of the New Age Movement. They give a history of New Ageism and share testimony of how their faith in Christ delivered them from the demonic movement. I shuddered when I read how New Age Spirituality has influenced the church. If you want to have your eyes opened to New Age deception, "The Second Coming of the New Age" is the book for you.
A while back, I saw the authors being interviewed about this book on Skywatch TV. I was impressed with their interview and decided to order a copy. I was not at all disappointed. This is a great book. Steven Bancarz and Josh Peck are both Christians who have come out of the New Age Movement. They give a history of New Ageism and share testimony of how their faith in Christ delivered them from the demonic movement. I shuddered when I read how New Age Spirituality has influenced the church. If you want to have your eyes opened to New Age deception, "The Second Coming of the New Age" is the book for you.
August 1, 2023
This book does a nice job at presenting a view of New Age that emphasizes the spiritual warfare element and not falling into naturalistic presuppositions. It also warns of dangers in bringing eastern heresies such as karma and reincarnation into the church. However, the chapters of the book were not descriptive of the content, were too long, and rarely had a distinct flow. Most of the chapters were collections of different thoughtful and interesting points but little cohesion. If the book were shorter and more structured it would have been more enjoyable and profitable.
April 6, 2024
TWO FORMER ‘NEW-AGERS’ PROVIDE A CHRISTIAN CRITIQUE OF ITS KEY CONCEPTS
Authors Steven Bancarz and Josh Peck wrote in the Introduction to this 2018 book, “The purpose of this book is… to help New Age believers by exposing the lies within the movement while providing a better alternative: Christianity. Both authors of this book were heavily involved in New Age practices prior to coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Rather than preaching at the readers, [the authors] hope to put forth a persuasive argument against New Age theology and in defense of Christianity… [They] will provide both objective evidence and subjective experience to present their case. The goal is to provide readers with the necessary facts and arguments to make an informed choice about their own spirituality.” (Pg. 1)
They continue, “The New Age movement simply does not tolerate ideological intolerance, holding that everything is true except for the belief that not everything is true. It accepts all viewpoints as valid except the one that says only the Gospel is valid… The teachings of Jesus and the belief system of the first-century Church are antithetical to New Age theology. The biggest difference is … their view of Jesus Himself… The New Age version … considers Jesus as either merely a wise, human teacher or something quasi-divine, such as an Ascended Master, spirit guide, or even an extraterrestrial being who came here to teach us how we can ascend and reach the same level of consciousness He had.” (Pg. 5-6)
They note, “The … problem with this has to do with the gnostic view men have of women. Gnosticism teaches that the female Sophia introduced error into the lower world… Many times, New Age theology is conflated with various political movements such as feminism and liberalism. Within these movements, a female’s worth, power, identity, and role are seen as at least equal to, if not higher than, a male’s. Therefore… New Age theology is forced to pick and choose which parts are acceptable and which are not…” (Pg. 58)
They observe, “New Age theology has a bad habit of borrowing from science, especially quantum physics, to push its beliefs. This, of course, is done without using the scientific method. New Age teachers take the observable science and put their own spin on it. Or even worse, they label something as ‘observable science’ even though it is rejected by the majority or entirety of the scientific community… many New Age teachers and followers say their beliefs are PROVEN by the scientific observation itself. They say, for example, that the spooky relationship between human consciousness and quantum mechanics proves that both arise out of a field of universal consciousness. This implies nothing even close. This is why it is so important to understand the difference between observation and interpretation.” (Pg. 119)
They assert, “If pantheism is false, the New Age movement and everything it strives to achieve becomes empty and without substance. The essential pillars of the movement fall immediately the minute … this theology is negated, such as the spiritual aspirations of toward a state of ‘God-consciousness,’ the practices of yoga and meditation, the doctrine of man, the affinity with and deification of nature, and many others.” (Pg. 142)
They argue, “The New Age movement rejects the idea that Jesus is the only way and that Allah is the one true God… If someone says, ‘I have found the truth; it’s called Islam,’ and you reply, ‘There is no one true path; Islam is not the only way to God,’ then you are calling Islam fundamentally false because it teaches that it is the only path to God. Religious pluralism itself is a claim that fundamentalist religions and their main beliefs cannot possibly be true as a matter of principle. Statistically, this is equivalent to saying that almost every religious person in the world is wrong.” (Pg. 222)
They explain, “There is a big difference between eternity and infinity. Most Christians understand that we are given eternal life if we put our faith in Jesus. However, most think that means we will be in Heaven forever… ‘forever’ isn’t technically the right word… Infinity is the concept of something such as time going on and on without an end… Eternity is unlike infinity… Eternity is a state of being outside of time itself. This is how God has no beginning or end, yet is the beginning and the end. He is outside of time… When we are given eternal life, it means we get to exist outside of time too… While this sounds strange, confusing, and probably exciting, it is only the beginning of what the Bible has to teach us about the life to come.” (Pg. 250-251)
Josh Peck says, “If we are to believe in a literal Lake of Fire, does it make sense to believe the references to Death and Hell are metaphoric? In my humble opinion, the spiritual entities named Death and Hell are cast into the Lake of Fire. They have these names because they have something to do with the idea of death and the location of Hell. What those exact connections are, I have no idea other than pure speculation. Perhaps, down the road and with further study, an answer will present itself.” (Pg. 260)
They note, “One big question arises when considering aliens traveling to Earth from other worlds: How are they getting here? Most assume they can travel through space incredibly fast or are utilizing bends in spacetime called ‘wormholes.’ The former is outright impossible and the latter… is still incredibly unlikely.” (Pg. 272) They continue, “For a wormhole to be traversable, it would have to be stabilized… it would take an … extreme force to counteract and stabilize the wormhole… If one could harness all the energy in the universe, possibl[y] such a feat could be accomplished, but … even this is highly unlikely… a spacecraft with the power to create and stabilize a wormhole would have to create and store more energy than a star (incredibly more). It is just not reasonable to assume this is the case.” (Pg. 275-276)
They suggest, “Given the extreme limitations of interstellar space travel, the EDH [ExtraDimensional Hypothesis] provides a much more plausible hypothesis. Instead of these things being from other planets, perhaps they are from other dimensions. If they are extradimensional, this could explain why some people report seeing those being[s] shape-shift. This could explain how their supposed spacecraft are able to disappear. Perhaps it is not godlike technology, but just a breach of a higher dimension…The problem many more scientifically minded people have with this is that it sounds an awful lot like we’re talking about a spirit realm. Typically, however, New Agers do not have an issue with this, and many have embraced the EDH.” (Pg. 279)
They point out, “Quantum physics does not imply that protons have consciousness, nor does it suggest a field of universal consciousness. This is simply a false statement… This … attempts to use the infamous ‘observer effect’ in which the wave function of a subatomic particle collapses in the presence of the observer … The observer effect only demonstrates a relationship between the presence of observation and the behavior of a subatomic particle. Our minds seem to have an influence of subatomic particles when they are under inspection from a human observer. But this says nothing about a person’s intent having any relevance to the behavior of a subatomic particle. Observation---not intent, declaration, prayer, or faith---caused the wave function of an electron to collapse. That is the first error.” (Pg. 325)
They advise, “A major way New Age thought is infiltrating the Church is through best-selling NDEs abut Heaven that Christians innocently mistake as legitimate. This, in part, may be a reason such high numbers of professing Christians believe in reincarnation. Their local Christian bookstore might happen to shelve works that endorse it. We need to be more vigilant about the material we read, and we should test every story and teaching against the Word of God.” (Pg. 343)
This is a useful Christian commentary and critique of many New Age concepts.
Authors Steven Bancarz and Josh Peck wrote in the Introduction to this 2018 book, “The purpose of this book is… to help New Age believers by exposing the lies within the movement while providing a better alternative: Christianity. Both authors of this book were heavily involved in New Age practices prior to coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Rather than preaching at the readers, [the authors] hope to put forth a persuasive argument against New Age theology and in defense of Christianity… [They] will provide both objective evidence and subjective experience to present their case. The goal is to provide readers with the necessary facts and arguments to make an informed choice about their own spirituality.” (Pg. 1)
They continue, “The New Age movement simply does not tolerate ideological intolerance, holding that everything is true except for the belief that not everything is true. It accepts all viewpoints as valid except the one that says only the Gospel is valid… The teachings of Jesus and the belief system of the first-century Church are antithetical to New Age theology. The biggest difference is … their view of Jesus Himself… The New Age version … considers Jesus as either merely a wise, human teacher or something quasi-divine, such as an Ascended Master, spirit guide, or even an extraterrestrial being who came here to teach us how we can ascend and reach the same level of consciousness He had.” (Pg. 5-6)
They note, “The … problem with this has to do with the gnostic view men have of women. Gnosticism teaches that the female Sophia introduced error into the lower world… Many times, New Age theology is conflated with various political movements such as feminism and liberalism. Within these movements, a female’s worth, power, identity, and role are seen as at least equal to, if not higher than, a male’s. Therefore… New Age theology is forced to pick and choose which parts are acceptable and which are not…” (Pg. 58)
They observe, “New Age theology has a bad habit of borrowing from science, especially quantum physics, to push its beliefs. This, of course, is done without using the scientific method. New Age teachers take the observable science and put their own spin on it. Or even worse, they label something as ‘observable science’ even though it is rejected by the majority or entirety of the scientific community… many New Age teachers and followers say their beliefs are PROVEN by the scientific observation itself. They say, for example, that the spooky relationship between human consciousness and quantum mechanics proves that both arise out of a field of universal consciousness. This implies nothing even close. This is why it is so important to understand the difference between observation and interpretation.” (Pg. 119)
They assert, “If pantheism is false, the New Age movement and everything it strives to achieve becomes empty and without substance. The essential pillars of the movement fall immediately the minute … this theology is negated, such as the spiritual aspirations of toward a state of ‘God-consciousness,’ the practices of yoga and meditation, the doctrine of man, the affinity with and deification of nature, and many others.” (Pg. 142)
They argue, “The New Age movement rejects the idea that Jesus is the only way and that Allah is the one true God… If someone says, ‘I have found the truth; it’s called Islam,’ and you reply, ‘There is no one true path; Islam is not the only way to God,’ then you are calling Islam fundamentally false because it teaches that it is the only path to God. Religious pluralism itself is a claim that fundamentalist religions and their main beliefs cannot possibly be true as a matter of principle. Statistically, this is equivalent to saying that almost every religious person in the world is wrong.” (Pg. 222)
They explain, “There is a big difference between eternity and infinity. Most Christians understand that we are given eternal life if we put our faith in Jesus. However, most think that means we will be in Heaven forever… ‘forever’ isn’t technically the right word… Infinity is the concept of something such as time going on and on without an end… Eternity is unlike infinity… Eternity is a state of being outside of time itself. This is how God has no beginning or end, yet is the beginning and the end. He is outside of time… When we are given eternal life, it means we get to exist outside of time too… While this sounds strange, confusing, and probably exciting, it is only the beginning of what the Bible has to teach us about the life to come.” (Pg. 250-251)
Josh Peck says, “If we are to believe in a literal Lake of Fire, does it make sense to believe the references to Death and Hell are metaphoric? In my humble opinion, the spiritual entities named Death and Hell are cast into the Lake of Fire. They have these names because they have something to do with the idea of death and the location of Hell. What those exact connections are, I have no idea other than pure speculation. Perhaps, down the road and with further study, an answer will present itself.” (Pg. 260)
They note, “One big question arises when considering aliens traveling to Earth from other worlds: How are they getting here? Most assume they can travel through space incredibly fast or are utilizing bends in spacetime called ‘wormholes.’ The former is outright impossible and the latter… is still incredibly unlikely.” (Pg. 272) They continue, “For a wormhole to be traversable, it would have to be stabilized… it would take an … extreme force to counteract and stabilize the wormhole… If one could harness all the energy in the universe, possibl[y] such a feat could be accomplished, but … even this is highly unlikely… a spacecraft with the power to create and stabilize a wormhole would have to create and store more energy than a star (incredibly more). It is just not reasonable to assume this is the case.” (Pg. 275-276)
They suggest, “Given the extreme limitations of interstellar space travel, the EDH [ExtraDimensional Hypothesis] provides a much more plausible hypothesis. Instead of these things being from other planets, perhaps they are from other dimensions. If they are extradimensional, this could explain why some people report seeing those being[s] shape-shift. This could explain how their supposed spacecraft are able to disappear. Perhaps it is not godlike technology, but just a breach of a higher dimension…The problem many more scientifically minded people have with this is that it sounds an awful lot like we’re talking about a spirit realm. Typically, however, New Agers do not have an issue with this, and many have embraced the EDH.” (Pg. 279)
They point out, “Quantum physics does not imply that protons have consciousness, nor does it suggest a field of universal consciousness. This is simply a false statement… This … attempts to use the infamous ‘observer effect’ in which the wave function of a subatomic particle collapses in the presence of the observer … The observer effect only demonstrates a relationship between the presence of observation and the behavior of a subatomic particle. Our minds seem to have an influence of subatomic particles when they are under inspection from a human observer. But this says nothing about a person’s intent having any relevance to the behavior of a subatomic particle. Observation---not intent, declaration, prayer, or faith---caused the wave function of an electron to collapse. That is the first error.” (Pg. 325)
They advise, “A major way New Age thought is infiltrating the Church is through best-selling NDEs abut Heaven that Christians innocently mistake as legitimate. This, in part, may be a reason such high numbers of professing Christians believe in reincarnation. Their local Christian bookstore might happen to shelve works that endorse it. We need to be more vigilant about the material we read, and we should test every story and teaching against the Word of God.” (Pg. 343)
This is a useful Christian commentary and critique of many New Age concepts.
May 12, 2021
The Second Coming of the New Age is a book which I believe every Christian ought to read. This book is by far the best apologetics book on what I would consider the apologetics issue of this age.
While there is a whole lot that I could say about this book, I will start by saying that this book really helped me to unhitch myself from the post-enlightenment worldview in which I was raised and helped to direct me toward the supernatural worldview of the Bible and its authors. The fact that this book emphasizes the supernatural worldview of the Bible is important because once you know what the Bible says about the supernatural forces of the unseen realm you begin to realize that the New Age movement which has gained so much popularity in the past 4 decades is nothing but a rehash of the witchcraft the Bible so vehemently opposes. The New Age is not simply breathing exercises and fake spiritual encounters, on the contrary the spiritual encounters of the New Age movement are very real encounters with malevolent spirit beings. All this being said Christians are called to do as Ephesians 6:10-13 says which states "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
While there is a whole lot that I could say about this book, I will start by saying that this book really helped me to unhitch myself from the post-enlightenment worldview in which I was raised and helped to direct me toward the supernatural worldview of the Bible and its authors. The fact that this book emphasizes the supernatural worldview of the Bible is important because once you know what the Bible says about the supernatural forces of the unseen realm you begin to realize that the New Age movement which has gained so much popularity in the past 4 decades is nothing but a rehash of the witchcraft the Bible so vehemently opposes. The New Age is not simply breathing exercises and fake spiritual encounters, on the contrary the spiritual encounters of the New Age movement are very real encounters with malevolent spirit beings. All this being said Christians are called to do as Ephesians 6:10-13 says which states "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
February 23, 2022
I honestly stumbled across this because of a podcast I was listening to and the way Steve was breaking down scripture and explaining some of the experiences I also had as a child-teen everything was making much more sense. That those experiences I had were truly demonic. I want to be able to minister and have compassion and understanding for all groups. With both Authors being Ex-New Age now Christians they first hand know the tricks of the Deceiver. And use proper scripture to stand on their viewpoints in a time when everything seems backwards (good called evil and evil called good). It says “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,” 2 Timothy 4:3 ESV
Overall this is a solid book I recommend.
Overall this is a solid book I recommend.
April 17, 2022
3.5 stars
Took me a long time to make it through this book unfortunately. It was interesting especially from someone who has walked that path. Coming from a hyper charismatic background I could relate with several mystic/occultic ideas and practices. Grateful I got out of that.
Took me a long time to make it through this book unfortunately. It was interesting especially from someone who has walked that path. Coming from a hyper charismatic background I could relate with several mystic/occultic ideas and practices. Grateful I got out of that.
April 23, 2020
I very much enjoyed this book! Myself coming out of the New Age and into the arms of Jesus, this book answered a lot of unanswered questions I still had about both the New Age and of my faith in Jesus and my Christian walk. This book approaches each secular view/belief in the New Age and points out the false and destructive flaws in each view/belief, and at the same time presents the Christian standpoint which the reader sees is a better solution and holds stronger ground. This book was beautifully written and both Steven and Josh do a great job putting things into terms where the reader can understand.
July 27, 2023
If I could give a half rating I would have went for 3.5. While the content of the book was quite interesting, the book seriously needed some proofreading. I found errors on almost every page which took away from the flow of the read. Nevertheless, it’s an important topic for those in the New Age movement and also for those slipping under its spell in the Church.
December 1, 2025
If you left the New Age hoping for something more grounded, be warned that this book mirrors the same dramatic thinking patterns you walked away from.
This book is NOT serious theology. It is Christianized conspiracy culture dressed up as scholarship. Bancarz and Peck gather every fringe and sensational idea they can find, from Nephilim hybrids to alien abductions as demons to occult bloodlines to Spirit Science cartoons to pop-New-Age mythology, and they glue it all together into something they call biblical truth.
They skip over the mainstream interpretations held across Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. They skip over the real complexities of Hebrew and ancient Near Eastern context. Instead they cherry-pick the most dramatic readings available and treat them as definitive.
Ambiguous passages become airtight proof. Extra-biblical myths get slipped in as if they come from Scripture. Modern internet folklore is elevated to theological authority. What you end up with is a fear-driven and sensational remix of the Bible that resembles ancient-alien documentaries far more than historic Christian thought.
The authors claim to be exposing the New Age, but the real irony is that this book simply reproduces the New Age at its worst by creating grand plots, hidden villains, and a cosmic drama built on speculation rather than substance.
This book is NOT serious theology. It is Christianized conspiracy culture dressed up as scholarship. Bancarz and Peck gather every fringe and sensational idea they can find, from Nephilim hybrids to alien abductions as demons to occult bloodlines to Spirit Science cartoons to pop-New-Age mythology, and they glue it all together into something they call biblical truth.
They skip over the mainstream interpretations held across Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. They skip over the real complexities of Hebrew and ancient Near Eastern context. Instead they cherry-pick the most dramatic readings available and treat them as definitive.
Ambiguous passages become airtight proof. Extra-biblical myths get slipped in as if they come from Scripture. Modern internet folklore is elevated to theological authority. What you end up with is a fear-driven and sensational remix of the Bible that resembles ancient-alien documentaries far more than historic Christian thought.
The authors claim to be exposing the New Age, but the real irony is that this book simply reproduces the New Age at its worst by creating grand plots, hidden villains, and a cosmic drama built on speculation rather than substance.
August 11, 2021
I used this as a resource for a class I taught at my church. It was great for that but it also has several issues. There should have been a lot more editing done, sometimes the errors made it difficult to read/understand. The material in this book is very dense and sometimes it feels like the author is going on a tangent instead of staying on topic. It was also hard to tell who the book was for. Sometimes it felt like they were writing to Christians and sometimes non-Christians.
There was a lot of really good information in here and I am glad that I was able to utilize it for the class. I was happy with the amount of information and that it did feel pretty personal most of the time. It’s an important topic for Christians to learn about and it’s good to know there are people out there sharing their personal experiences and their knowledge of the New Age movement so that others may be equipped to combat the poor philosophy.
There was a lot of really good information in here and I am glad that I was able to utilize it for the class. I was happy with the amount of information and that it did feel pretty personal most of the time. It’s an important topic for Christians to learn about and it’s good to know there are people out there sharing their personal experiences and their knowledge of the New Age movement so that others may be equipped to combat the poor philosophy.
February 12, 2023
I was not impressed with the book. The book was more about the history and current practices of the New Age movement than how it is infiltrating the church. There were a few claims that they made which were not cited. In their “expose” of Yoga being used in churches they stated that one could not possibly do movements of that discipline without partaking of New Age worship. On pg.314 they say that practicing Yoga is akin to eating meats offered to idols and Acts 15:29 states that we are not to do that. What they fail to do with that verse is to harmonize it with the rest of scripture or, at the least, take it in its original context. They also follow the hyper-subjective “abstain from all appearance of evil” paradigm. If one wants to get a Christian perspective on New Age practices this book might be beneficial. Most of the stuff they refute and warn against is obvious for the discerning Bible Believer. I do like what they have to say about contemplative prayer.
August 14, 2023
First of all, I only give this book three stars not because the content isn't sound, but because it would have greatly benefitted from a lot more editing and proofreading. I wholeheartedly volunteer for this task, too, if the authors so choose to take me up on this offer. The spelling mistakes, extra words, and confusing sentences could be distracting, and I think some more editing in regards to flow or extraneous material made this book a lot harder to get through than if had been successfully edited.
That said, I believe this is a valuable resource and great companion to the OG Kingdom of the Occult. The "New Age" has been around for a long time but it is definitely seeing a resurgence, no longer on the fringe but very much main stream and everywhere you look. This book will equip you with the tools you need to recognize these practices and teachings and how to combat them Biblically.
That said, I believe this is a valuable resource and great companion to the OG Kingdom of the Occult. The "New Age" has been around for a long time but it is definitely seeing a resurgence, no longer on the fringe but very much main stream and everywhere you look. This book will equip you with the tools you need to recognize these practices and teachings and how to combat them Biblically.
November 13, 2023
Overall this book was very interesting, and had a lot of good information on how New Age practices are not compatible with Christianity.
While I don’t agree with absolutely everything in it (for example, the authors have a strange interpretation of what the leviathan and behemoth are from Job… and I also stay away from Michael Heiser’s stuff, who wrote the introduction for this book), I still found it worth my while to read.
I have one huge complaint about this book, however… And that is the fact that it was clearly not proofread before it was published. There were grammatical errors, missing or added words, and misspellings on just about every other page all the way throughout the book. At times it was a bit distracting, and it made an otherwise great book feel amateurish and unprofessional. I really cannot understand why no one would have fixed those issues before having it published. 😬
Anyway, if you can look past that issue, it was an enjoyable read. 👍
While I don’t agree with absolutely everything in it (for example, the authors have a strange interpretation of what the leviathan and behemoth are from Job… and I also stay away from Michael Heiser’s stuff, who wrote the introduction for this book), I still found it worth my while to read.
I have one huge complaint about this book, however… And that is the fact that it was clearly not proofread before it was published. There were grammatical errors, missing or added words, and misspellings on just about every other page all the way throughout the book. At times it was a bit distracting, and it made an otherwise great book feel amateurish and unprofessional. I really cannot understand why no one would have fixed those issues before having it published. 😬
Anyway, if you can look past that issue, it was an enjoyable read. 👍
August 18, 2019
I actually support the premise and the book was okay. However, the editing was not great in that there were many mistakes. Mostly dropped words and typing errors. Not that big of deal but I wished I could fix it, so it bothered me a little. The content of the book was not extremely enlightening *(no pun intended. The early part of the book (the first half or so) made me think a lot about my experiences. I never considered myself "new age" but I have had experiences and a conversion to Christianity, the details of which I have never been able to discuss with other Christians. Being reminded of these things made me feel more lonely.
December 21, 2020
This was not a bad book, but was not what I expected it to be. It started strong with the author's personal testimonies, but at chapter 4 it turned into an apologetics book for the next 6 chapters. Around chapter 9 it picks back up with New Age beliefs and their dangers. There were too many audiences in mind, and they had a hard time focusing on one issue at a time. On top of that, the amount of grammatical errors, at least in my edition, was astronomical. Like I said, not a bad book and is informative, but not what I was expecting at all from the title along with the other works these author's have done.
May 5, 2021
This book has a lot of information that is valuable to anyone who wants to understand the New Age movement from a Christian perspective. The most useful chapters were on the history of thr New Age movement (Ch3) and New Age practices that are infiltrating the church (Ch10). However, it was organized in a confusing manner and has several grammatical and spelling errors, which really distracted me as a reader. Additionally there is some questionable exegesis in a few chapters. Overall, there is a lot of good information here, but it is not as clearly written or as organized as some other books I have read on this topic written by Christian authors
August 26, 2019
Very eye-opening, and a good reminder that the spirit world is real, and the Enemy is powerful, and on the prowl. With so many activities once firmly in the realm of the occult being brought into the church through the back door, we need to be aware of the tools the enemy has at his disposal. This book will definitely help.
September 6, 2019
A MUST READING !!
I've read many good books on the subject for decades but, I have to say, I've finally found an in depth analysis, and unmasking, of the New Age based in authentic sources . I'm planning on buying several books to share around. Infinite thanks to its authors !!
I've read many good books on the subject for decades but, I have to say, I've finally found an in depth analysis, and unmasking, of the New Age based in authentic sources . I'm planning on buying several books to share around. Infinite thanks to its authors !!
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