By the middle of the twentieth century, there was already a core of beliefs and attitudes widely held among America's unchurched spiritual seekers. Although many of these seekers turned to exotic new sources of religious thought, they tended to filter these exotic philosophies through a familiar set of beliefs that grew out of the American metaphysical tradition. Many Americans have,e.g., become fascinated with Asian spiritual teachings (e.g., Hindu meditation systems, Zen Buddhism, and Daosim). Others have embraced feminist spiritualities, ecological spiritualities, Wicca, and many versions...

By the middle of the twentieth century, there was already a core of beliefs and attitudes widely held among America's unchurched spiritual seekers. Although many of these seekers turned to exotic new sources of religious thought, they tended to filter these exotic philosophies through a familiar set of beliefs that grew out of the American metaphysical tradition. Many Americans have,e.g., become fascinated with Asian spiritual teachings (e.g., Hindu meditation systems, Zen Buddhism, and Daosim). Others have embraced feminist spiritualities, ecological spiritualities, Wicca, and many versions of Neo‐Paganism. Together these exotic sources of religious thought constitute what is commonly known as the New Age movement, a cluster of interests that informs the personal spirituality of millions of churched and unchurched Americans.