The period from about 800BCE to about 200BCE is often called the axial age by historians. During this time, the ethos of cultures in Europe and Asia underwent a profound change. The focal points of the axial age were Persia, India, China, Greece, and the Jewish kingdom. The Zoroastrians in Persia introduced the first monotheistic religion to the world.  In China, Confucianism and Taoism came into being during that time. In India, Buddhism was born and Hinduism underwent major changes. In Greece, the minds of the great philosophers forever changed the way we think. 

There has been much ink spilled in an effort to explain why the axial age occurred. Invasion of Aryan tribesmen? Shift from a purely agricultural society to a mercantile society? Larger, more populous cities? Many reasons have been given, but one thing is for sure; the profound changes in the religions and societies of these people did not come without conflict and opposition. That is to be expected, as most people do not like change, and when a society is dealing with a major paradigm shift, naturally there will be opposition.

I propose that we are on the cusp of a new axial age. Many of the conflicts that we are seeing in the world now, are in part, a reaction against the transformation of consciousness that is slowly taking place. I would say that the seeds of the new axial age were sown in the age of enlightenment, i.e. eighteenth century Europe, but the modern age, with its ease of travel, and ability of instantaneous exchange of information, has accelerated the impetus of transformation.

It is my belief that America will be (already is) a focal point of the new ethos of humanity. The reason for this is that our nation has such a diverse religious demographic. America is not only a melting pot of races. It is a melting pot of religions and cultures. We have people of every faith living side by side in this country. There has already been a certain amount of fruitful dialogue between people of different faiths, but this is still in its early stages.

As the old traditions slowly die away, there has been a resurgence of religious ideas that are thousands of years old, and have been suppressed for almost two millennia. These beliefs systems are usually lumped together under the umbrella terms ‘New Age’ and ‘Paganism.’

In America there has been a growing interest in Eastern religions as well as Western religious traditions that have been suppressed by the powerful Catholic and Protestant churches. Certain very learned individuals who possess vast knowledge of the world’s traditions, as well as keen insight and wisdom, have pointed out the commonalities of the world’s traditions, and also have highlighted each tradition’s good points and bad points. The Late Joseph Campbell was certainly at the forefront of this movement, within the intelligentsia, of studying all of the world’s major religious traditions, and finding what they have in common, as well as piercing to the core of each tradition, peeling away the accruals of time and seeing the essence of each religion in its pristine form.

As believers in the more fundamentalist sects of the Judeo-Christian tradition see the threats to their old-fashioned, outmoded system, they will become more and more vocal. We have been witnessing that already. Many people in America are no longer afraid to say out loud that they are not Christians, and those that do still call themselves Christians, are gradually abandoning such concepts as everlasting hell, being saved by grace alone, Jesus as the one and only son of God, concepts that were not part of Christianity in its early forms.

As the old religions die, something has to fill in the vacuum. Science will not fill this vacuum, but will in some way influence what does fill it. Science has changed the way people view the world, especially educated people. Yet there are still many people whose world-view is scarcely different from that of the average Medieval peasant (I  have personally known some), but for the educated person, science has profoundly changed the way we understand the cosmos and our place in it. Science has explained so much and has transformed our lives. But it does not provide a moral code nor does it give meaning to people’s lives. I am not trying to imply that an atheist or nonreligious person will necessarily behave immorally. Far from it. I am only pointing out that some sort of moral code is found in all religions, and is an essential element of religion.

People have a deep psychological need to believe in something that gives their lives meaning, and provides comfort. Religion has its place and always will. What is needed in this world is more tolerance of other viewpoints than one’s own. Each religion should recognize that it represents only one path to God. As long as all paths lead to the same ultimate goal, then why worry about which path you are on?

What kind of belief systems will take the place of the old Judeo-Christian-Muslim tradition? It is impossible to predict, but it will somehow be a syncretic mixture of many different traditions. Without a doubt the new ethos that is emerging is strongly influenced by Eastern religion. It will also be influenced by certain Native American traditions as well as the variegated potpourri of ancient beliefs that fall under the umbrella terms ‘Paganism’ and ‘New Age.’ There is an emerging interest in Gnostic Christianity, and this will no doubt leave its mark on the new ethos. Gnosticism, the earliest form of Christianity, was much closer to Buddhism than to any form of modern Christianity. It was about knowing the Christ within, becoming one with God by knowing one’s self.

Whatever the eventual outcome is, I think it will be an improvement, and a step forward in humanity’s spiritual evolution. Like any change, it will not come without opposition.