Christians Called to Engage, Not Retreat

Britain is experiencing a noticeable rise in interest in spirituality outside traditional religion, with practices such as tarot reading, astrology, crystals and manifestation becoming increasingly visible in popular culture. The Evangelical Alliance believes this growing curiosity could provide churches with a valuable opportunity to begin meaningful conversations about Christianity. At the same time, it is urging Christians not to dismiss these practices as harmless or simply another form of personal interest. To help churches respond, the Evangelical Alliance has published a free resource titled Spiritual Curiosity through its Being Human initiative. The guide looks at the reasons people are turning towards alternative spirituality and provides Christians with biblical and practical guidance on how to respond. It also includes stories of individuals who explored different spiritual practices before eventually finding their way to Christianity. Katherine Brown, co-lead of Being Human, said spiritual themes are now appearing in many areas of everyday culture. She highlighted everything from psychic events being advertised locally to celebrities openly discussing manifestation, witchcraft and other spiritual beliefs. The guide suggests that Britain’s religious environment is very different from previous decades. Although secularism and atheism once appeared to be increasingly influential, there is now renewed interest in questions surrounding God, faith and the supernatural. This change is also being noticed within churches. According to the resource, some congregations are meeting people who have previously experimented with New Age spirituality. Social media is also exposing younger generations, including Christians, to a wide variety of alternative spiritual ideas. The booklet points out that people may no longer be asking only, “Does God exist?” Increasingly, they may be asking which spiritual belief is true and which God they should follow. Among the subjects covered are astrology, angel numbers, chakras, crystals, karma, manifestation, tarot cards, psychics, mediums, psychedelics and online spiritual communities such as “WitchTok”. The guide notes that many people involved in these activities do not necessarily identify themselves as followers of the New Age movement. They may simply use the word “spiritual” to describe their beliefs and experiences. However, the Evangelical Alliance argues that Christians should examine these practices carefully. From its biblical perspective, spiritual practices cannot automatically be considered neutral, particularly when they involve seeking guidance, power or supernatural experiences apart from God. The resource connects the popularity of alternative spirituality with broader changes in society. It identifies secularism, individualism and postmodernism as significant factors behind the current spiritual landscape. Traditional religious belief may have declined, but the human desire for purpose, belonging, healing and something beyond the physical world has remained. The guide argues that alternative spirituality often attempts to fulfil those desires through individual beliefs and experiences. Christianity, however, offers a different understanding. The booklet explains that Christians believe people were created to know God and that the search for meaning ultimately points towards a relationship with Him. It also refers to biblical passages that describe the reality of spiritual conflict and to Old Testament warnings concerning practices such as divination and necromancy. Despite its strong warning about these practices, the Evangelical Alliance says Christians should not approach spiritually curious people with condemnation. Instead, the guide encourages believers to listen carefully, build genuine relationships and understand why someone has become interested in alternative spirituality. “These people are not our enemies,” is the message of the resource. They are people searching for answers, purpose, healing and truth. The organisation believes this creates an important opening for Christians to share the message of Jesus in a way that is both confident and compassionate. Churches are encouraged to create spaces where people can ask questions without feeling judged. The practical recommendations include welcoming newcomers, sharing personal testimonies, praying regularly and being prepared to discuss difficult subjects such as healing and deliverance. The guide also makes an important distinction about Christian conversion. It says becoming a Christian should not be presented as simply adding Jesus to a person's existing spiritual beliefs. According to the resource, following Christ involves a complete change of direction and wholehearted commitment to His teaching. The Evangelical Alliance therefore wants Christians to recognise the current spiritual curiosity as an opportunity rather than something to fear. Its message is that churches need both biblical discernment and compassion as they engage with people exploring spirituality, particularly those who are searching for answers about God, truth, purpose and the supernatural. Rachael Heffer, head of mission at the Evangelical Alliance, said the organisation hopes the new resource will help Christians become more confident in having these conversations and in introducing spiritually curious people to Jesus.