St. Teresa of Avila's understanding of the link between the trinity and all other human mysteries is enough to discredit the pseudo-mysticism of the New Age, according to a Spanish prelate.
Bishop Cecilio Raúl Berzosa Martínez of Ciudad Rodrigo said this Sept. 4 at the conclusion of the weeklong 2nd International Teresian Congress.
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He explained that St. Teresa's "The Way of Perfection" provides "keys or antidotes to confront the mystical deceits of the New Age." For example, he drew from her teachings to refute pantheism, and the pretension of being able to save oneself.
The prelate detailed spiritual features and theological elements of New Age and highlighted some of the points in which it contrasts with Christianity. He contrasted it with the mysticism of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross.
Bishop Berzosa warned that New Age "does not go against religions but tries to transcend them from within."
In this connection, he summarized the process: "the 60s, Christ yes, the Church no. The 70s: God yes, Christ no. The 80s: Religion yes, God no. The 90s: spirituality yes, religion no."
[. . .]
The prelate said those most drawn to New Age spirituality are "people of the first world, of the middle class, between 25 and 50 years of age -- whose stomachs are full, but whose heads and hearts are empty, and who are the great absent ones from our Christian communities."
Still, Bishop Berzosa proposed that "New Age fashion will vanish but the questions posed by it will remain (...) questions that Christianity has been able to respond to, and will respond to from the profound and integral mystery of Jesus Christ."
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| St. Teresa of Avila, detail of a painting by François Gerard (1827) |
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