Postmodern or modern?
Hammer (2004, p. 319) have an interesting discussion about whether the new spirituality is modern or postmodern? His answer is that it has traits of both. It is postmodern in its questioning of the authority of the world. Likewise, in the celebration of the individual's freedom to create their own mix of beliefs. But beneath the surface, it is strikingly modern. A true postmodern approach to one's own identity would be to cheerfully affirm the divided, the contradictory, in one's own identity. But within the new age there is instead a strong focus on "finding oneself", "one's true self", etc. Nor is the notion of a world plan, an ever-advancing development, particularly postmodern, Hammer writes. Once again, the extremes meet. A conservative order is paired with a very progressive one.