Alternative spirituality and new religious movements (nrms)

1
Alternative spirituality and new religious
movements (nrms)

• Boundaries not barriers

2
The Church of England and other faiths
3
National Policies

• Inter faith policy and new religions/new
  spirituality policy are different at NATIONAL
  level in the Church of England
• We have formal relationships with other members
  of the nine
• Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism,
• Sikhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Baha'i

4
Involving what?
5
Christianity and other faiths

• Engagement
• Advocacy
• Dialogue
• Exchange
• Diplomacy
• Sharing
• Debate
• Friendship, hospitality, mutuality, faith-sharing

6
New Religious Movements
7
NRM portfolios

• The NRM umbrella covers everything else
• De facto New Religious Groups
• Personal Development Movements
• Pagan traditions
• Alternative spiritualities
• Alternative spiritual practice
• Atheistic belief and morality systems
• Extreme political groups
• Organisations offering NRM services and ceremonies

8
How do we relate to the NRM world?
9
Inter faith basis of engagement

• Historic
• Leadership
• Conformity
• Common elements
• Deeply rewarding, but often difficult
• Some NRMs show some of these elements, some have
  none of them

10
The weddings project?
11
NRM policy

• We have NO formal engagement with NRMs, why?
• 3000 groups
• want formal access
• change fast
• not accountable
• difficult to monitor

12
What then?

• We encourage informal contacts with NRMs
• Knowing neighbours
• Getting info
• Removing suspicion
• Supporting families
• Open door
• Appropriate engagement

13
The Good Stuff
14
The Good Stuff

• In addition to free calendars
• Many peaceful and friendly
• Good, helpful contacts
• Enable pastoral care
• Mutual boundaries

15
The Bad Stuff

• Church of Celestial Light
• Redeemed Christian Church of God
• Church of the Holy Blood of the Lamb
• Holy Spirit Church of Love and Fellowship

16
The Bad stuff

• Unnacceptable behaviour
• Harm
• Exploitation
• Hostility
• Two-faced
• Contrary to the gospel

17
Boundaries not Barriers 1people

• What do boundaries do?
• Protect from harm
• Protect from exploitation
• Protect the vulnerable
• Help leavers

18
Boundaries not Barriers 2Christian faith

• What do the boundaries do?
• distinctiveness, integrity and authenticity
• avoid compatibility issues
• insist on Christian values
• set apart from racist and supremacist groups

19
The network

• Every diocese should have an NRM/AS adviser for
  pastoral support
• INFORM provides information
• INFORM provides access to counselling, legal
  advice etc
• AR provides specialist advice eg ecclesiastical
  law

20
Policy

• No formal engagement, only informal contacts
• No access, advocacy,
• Listen, encourage, support informal engagement
• Use INFORM for information
• No suppression of groups

21
Resources

• Sense Making Faith
• www.spiritualjourneys.org.uk

22
We provide

• Information
• Guidance
• Pastoral care
• Negotiation
• Support
• Access to specialist
• ministries (eg deliverance)