Wouter J. Hanegraaff

New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought (Studies in the History of Religions, 72.) Wouter J. Hanegraaff

Analyzing contemporary New Age beliefs, this work argues that the foundations of such beliefs lie in the Western esoteric traditions of the Renaissance. The modern New Age movement is seen as having emerged from the secularization of those esoteric traditions during the 19th century. the author makes extensive use of primary sources, and uses a thematic approach to the subject, from the perspective of the study of religions.