One by one, new believers find Jesus and share their faith with thousands of online audiences.
On Instagram, she told her followers about the moon cycle, Mother Earth, astrology, womb consciousness and other new age-related topics under the handle Juurimama.
Then, in autumn 2021, he saw an Instagram update from a woman familiar with neo-spiritual circles. She said she had come to Christianity and realised how the rituals she had previously practised were connected to “the forces of darkness”.
Soon, Maria Aronson began to suspect that she had strayed off the beaten track in her search for her own truth.
At that time, many social media influencers who were looking for meaning in the circle of new spirituality did so.
Jesus came online
Several figures who have been influential in neo-spiritual circles have recently found Jesus. They have shared their conversion stories to their thousands of followers on social media.
The topic has recently been discussed in numerous podcasts and YouTube videos. A TV program for the Christian TV7 channel was also founded around it.
According to Sohlberg, searching and finding always happens, but what is new about this phenomenon is its presence on social media.
– While in the past you could read about those who found Christianity through the new spiritual tradition mostly in the Christian media, now the conversion stories are part of the many Instagram and YouTube realities, says Sohlberg.
Self-development changed to serving the family
Maria Aronson describes her previous life as a \”spiritual squirrel’s wheel\ which constantly included new courses, books, rituals and teachers.
After converting to faith, he says that he thinks less about himself and more about how he can serve his family and God. Aronson believes in an order in which God is the head of the man, the man of the woman and the woman of the children.
He doesn’t hesitate to tell his Instagram followers this either.
– I no longer have a need to manifest my own dreams. I appreciate that I get to be a wife and mother and do housework. I enjoy and am grateful for the life I have been blessed with, he says.
Maria Aronson is a stay-at-home mom and feels free when she doesn’t have to work in addition to childcare and home care.
Many other converts from the circle of new spirituality have also adopted very traditional family values.
The romanticization of patriarchal gender roles has also been seen on social media recently. The so-called tradwife phenomenon, where women adopt the values \u200b\u200bof the 50s and the role of a housewife, has been trending on Tiktok since the pandemic.
The books got burnt
Maria Aronson has made a clear difference to the new spirituality. In his Instagram video published at the end of the year, he burns an Ikea bag of books that talk about womb-awareness, natural beliefs and moon worship.
– I threw all new-spirited rituals and ceremonies out of my life. I burned the books because I didn’t want to put forward a modified truth.
In the circle of renewal, everyone has their own truth and all truths are equally good. Christianity has God’s comprehensive truth, he characterizes.
According to research coordinator Jussi Sohlberg, the unconditional attitude towards previous beliefs has been reflected in the attitudes of several converts from new spiritual circles.
On Some, for example, some have criticized the church for adopting yoga, mindfulness or tarot readings as part of the teaching.
The attitudes of many are also strict in matters of social values. For example, Maria Aronson has taken a stand against abortion and trans rights on her Instagram account.
New spirituality, orthodoxy and revivalism have much in common
Among those who slowly came to faith, several found a new spiritual home in Neo-Charismaticism, revival movements and Orthodox Christianity.
According to Jussi Sohlberg of the church’s research and education unit, these trends in Christianity have a lot in common with the New Age.
– New Spirituality and New Charismaticism have similar features: emphasizing the inner spiritual experience, taking the supernatural world seriously and talking about spiritual growth, miracles, signs, prophecies or gifts of grace.
– And Orthodoxy has a long tradition of Christian mysticism and liturgy, icons and symbolism.
Although the Aronsons are now critical of the New Age, they still keep in touch with the friends they found in these circles.
The Aronsons, however, say that although different beliefs are accepted with an open mind in neo-spiritual circles, the attitude towards Christianity tends to be a little rough.
*Correction 24.1. 10.55am: David Aronson’s name.*
*You can discuss the topic on 25.1. until 11 p.m.*