Editing New Message from God

{{Short description|American new religious movement}}
{{unreliable sources|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox religion
| name           = The New Message from God
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| type           = [[New religious movement]]
| founder        = [[Marshall Vian Summers]]
| founded_date   = 1992
| headquarters   = [[Boulder, Colorado]], United States
| scripture      = ''Steps to Knowledge'', ''The Allies of Humanity'', ''The Greater Community'', ''Secret of Heavens''
| website        = {{URL|https://www.newmessage.org/}}
}}

The '''New Message from God''' is a [[new religious movement]] founded by [[Marshall Vian Summers]]. Headquartered in [[Boulder, Colorado]], the movement is based on a series of writings and recordings that Summers claims to have received as [[Revelation|divine revelation]] from a spiritual source referred to as the "Angelic Assembly".<ref name="Liang2">Liang, Celetia Ming (2019). ''"Relationship is What Life is": The New Message from God as Lived Religion'' (Master of Arts thesis). University of Colorado, Department of Religious Studies. p. 2.</ref>

The movement combines elements of spirituality, such as meditation and the cultivation of inner guidance (referred to as "Knowledge"), with [[Ufology|ufological]] beliefs regarding extraterrestrial life and humanity's future in the "Greater Community" of the universe.<ref name="Liang3">Liang, 2019, p. 3.</ref>

== History ==
Founder Marshall Vian Summers (b. [[Berkeley, California]]) was raised in a conservative [[Episcopalian]] family and worked as a special education teacher for the blind before reporting a "profound encounter" with the Angelic Assembly.<ref name="Liang2"/> Summers described this as the beginning of a process of direct revelation that guided him to record teachings over several decades.<ref name="Liang2"/> His son, Reed Summers, claims that the voice of the Angelic Assembly was audibly recorded during these encounters, asserting this preserves the 'Voice of Revelation' for the first time in history.<ref name="Pakman"/> The first of these texts, ''Wisdom from The Greater Community'', was published in 1990.<ref name="Liang2"/>

Summers explicitly claims the title of "Messenger," asserting that he is part of a lineage of prophets that includes the [[Buddha]], [[Jesus]], and [[Muhammad]], sent to prepare humanity for a new era of global change and extraterrestrial contact.<ref name="Liang421">Liang, 2019, p. 35 (citing "The Lineage of the Messenger").</ref>

Summers later relocated to Boulder, Colorado, which serves as the headquarters for "The Society for the New Message from God," the organization responsible for preserving and disseminating the movement's texts and recordings.<ref name="Liang5">Liang, 2019, p. 5.</ref> The Society manages the "New Knowledge Library" and organizes global outreach efforts.<ref name="Society">{{cite web |title=The Society |url=https://www.newmessage.org/about/the-society/ |publisher=The New Message from God |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>

== Beliefs ==
The New Message from God presents a syncretic theology that integrates [[monotheism]] with a cosmology centered on extraterrestrial life.<ref name="Liang3"/> While the movement acknowledges figures like [[Jesus]] and [[Buddha]], it explicitly distinguishes itself from [[Christianity]], asserting that it is a new revelation entirely.<ref name="Pakman">{{cite AV media |people=Pakman, David (Host); Summers, Reed (Guest) |date=November 17, 2016 |title=Interview with the Son of God's Messenger |medium=Video |language=en |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7eVrZUnnjo |access-date=November 25, 2025 |publisher=[[The David Pakman Show]]}}</ref>

=== The Greater Community ===
A central tenet of the movement is the concept of the "Greater Community," which refers to the vast universe of intelligent life.<ref name="Liang10">Liang, 2019, p. 10.</ref> Unlike many UFO religions that view extraterrestrials as messianic or benevolent saviors, the New Message teaches that the universe is a competitive environment.<ref name="Liang4">Liang, 2019, p. 4.</ref> The group claims that humanity is currently facing an "Intervention" by opportunistic extraterrestrial races seeking to exploit Earth's resources and undermine human sovereignty.<ref name="Liang4"/>

This narrative is expounded in ''The Allies of Humanity'', a series of texts Summers claims were transmitted to him by a group of ethical extraterrestrial observers who wish to warn humanity without directly interfering.<ref name="Allies">{{cite web |title=The Allies of Humanity Book One |url=https://www.alliesofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Allies-of-Humanity-Book-1.pdf |format=PDF |publisher=The Allies of Humanity |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>

=== Theology of Knowledge ===
The movement's soteriology centers on "Knowledge" (capitalized), described as a deeper spiritual intelligence within every individual that connects them to God.<ref name="Liang35">Liang, 2019, p. 35.</ref> The movement teaches a form of cosmic monotheism, asserting that "God is Knowledge" and is the creator of all life in the universe, transcending any single human religion.<ref name="Liang36">Liang, 2019, p. 36.</ref> Salvation is defined as the "reclamation of Knowledge," which allows individuals to fulfill their specific purpose in the physical world.<ref name="Liang41">Liang, 2019, p. 41.</ref>

{{Quote|In the Greater Community, Knowledge is the essence and substance of all religious experience... Knowledge is the part of your mind that is spiritual and permanent. It is the part of your mind that knows who you are and why you have come here.|author=[[Marshall Vian Summers]]|source=''Greater Community Spirituality''<ref name="KnowledgeQuote">Liang, 2019, p. 35. See also: {{cite web |title=What is Knowledge? |url=https://www.newmessage.org/the-message/volume-4/greater-community-spirituality/what-is-knowledge/ |work=Greater Community Spirituality |publisher=The New Message from God |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>}}

=== The Great Waves of Change ===
The movement teaches that humanity is facing a converging set of global crises termed the "Great Waves of Change." These include environmental degradation, resource depletion, poverty, and the risk of conflict over diminishing resources.<ref name="Liang831">Liang, 2019, p. 67.</ref> 

According to the New Message, these catastrophic events are not merely physical challenges but are evolutionary thresholds that require humanity to mature spiritually and unite.<ref name="Waves">Summers, Marshall Vian (2009). ''The Great Waves of Change: Navigating the Difficult Times Ahead''. Boulder: New Knowledge Library. {{ISBN|978-1-884238-60-4}}.</ref> The movement explicitly rejects "End Times" or [[Rapture]] theology, viewing these crises instead as a difficult but survivable transition into a new world reality.<ref name="Pakman"/>

=== The Mental Environment ===
A distinctive feature of the New Message cosmology is the concept of the "mental environment." This is described as a non-physical but tangible realm of influence where thoughts and mental energies interact.<ref name="Liang593">Liang, 2019, p. 48.</ref> 

Scholar Celetia Liang notes that in New Message theology, the mental environment is "a parallel environment to our physical one" where "minds have a palpable influence over all individuals regardless of their awareness."<ref name="Liang593"/> The movement teaches that extraterrestrial forces (the "Intervention") utilize this environment to influence human leadership and pacify the public, relying on "human belief and acquiescence" rather than direct military force.<ref name="Liang845">Liang, 2019, p. 68.</ref> Students of the movement practice shielding their minds and developing "noetic" discernment to navigate this environment safely.<ref name="Liang28">Liang, 2019, p. 3.</ref>

== Practices ==
=== Steps to Knowledge ===
The central spiritual practice of the movement is contained in the book ''Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing''. The text is structured as a 365-day curriculum designed to teach students how to experience "Stillness" and access the spiritual intelligence known as "Knowledge".<ref name="ForewordReview">{{cite web |last=Tarila |first=Sophia |title=Review of Steps to Knowledge |url=https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/steps-to-knowledge/ |publisher=Foreword Reviews |date=15 June 1999 |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>

The book was the recipient of the ''Foreword Magazine'' Book of the Year Award for Spirituality in 2000.<ref name="ForewordAward">{{cite web |title=Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Steps_To_Knowledge_The_Book_of_Inner_Kno.html?id=VZIJAQAAQBAJ |publisher=Google Books (citing New Knowledge Library award history) |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref> In a professional review from 1999, ''Foreword Reviews'' described it as a "complete self-study spiritual program" comparable to ''[[A Course in Miracles]]'', noting its "sense of urgency for living an inspired life."<ref name="ForewordReview"/>

The curriculum focuses on self-inquiry and meditation, with lessons ranging from affirmation-style statements (e.g., "I am here to serve a greater purpose") to active practices of shielding one's mind from the "mental environment."<ref name="Liang67">Liang, 2019, p. 67.</ref>

=== Community and Service ===
Followers, referred to as "Students," participate in the "Worldwide Community." As of 2017, the movement's online "Free School" had approximately 2,900 registered students, with the total community estimated conservatively in the thousands.<ref name="Liang72">Liang, 2019, p. 3.</ref>

A local community exists in Boulder, where adherents gather for events such as "Tuesday Night Meditation," a weekly meeting involving meditation and the reading of revelations.<ref name="Liang1">Liang, 2019, p. 1.</ref> The community observes two primary annual holidays: the "Messenger's Vigil", which commemorates the birth of Marshall Vian Summers, and the "Steps Vigil", a twenty-day period marking the reception of the ''Steps to Knowledge'' text.<ref name="Liang689">Liang, 2019, p. 56.</ref>

== Organization ==
=== The Society ===
The movement is organized legally under "The Society for the Greater Community Way of Knowledge", doing business as "The Society for the New Message from God".<ref name="Guidestar">{{cite web |title=The Society for the Greater Community Way of Knowledge |url=https://www.guidestar.org/profile/84-1209819 |publisher=GuideStar |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref> Founded in 1992, it is a [[501(c)(3)]] non-profit religious organization based in [[Boulder, Colorado]].<ref name="Guidestar"/>

The Society is responsible for preserving the recordings and texts of the movement, translating them into other languages to reach an international audience, and organizing the "Worldwide Community" of adherents.<ref name="Liang5">Liang, 2019, p. 5.</ref> It operates the "New Knowledge Library," the publishing arm for Summers' written works and audio recordings.<ref name="Liang5"/>

=== Publications ===
The movement's literary corpus is collectively referred to as "The One Book" and is organized into several volumes covering prophecy, spiritual practice, and the nature of the universe. The Society makes these texts available online.<ref name="Library">{{cite web |title=The New Message Library |url=https://www.newmessage.org/the-message/ |publisher=The New Message from God |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2" | Bibliography of Key Texts
|-
! Collection !! Titles
|-
| '''The Allies of Humanity''' ||
* ''The Allies of Humanity, Book 1'' (2001). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-45-1}}
* ''The Allies of Humanity, Book 2'' (2005). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-37-6}}
* ''The Allies of Humanity, Book 3'' (2012). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-43-7}}
* ''The Allies of Humanity, Book 4'' (2019). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-97-2}}
|-
| '''Volume 1''' ||
* ''God Has Spoken Again'' (2015). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-00-2}}
* ''The One God'' (2016). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-10-1}}
* ''The New Messenger'' (2016). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-17-0}}
* ''The Greater Community'' (2017). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-40-8}}
* ''The Power of Knowledge'' (2019). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-44-6}}
* ''The Journey to a New Life'' (2019). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-42-2}}
* ''The New World'' (2019). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-46-0}}
* ''The Pure Religion'' (2019). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-48-4}}
* ''The Time of Revelation''
* ''The Reformation''
* ''The New Way Forward for Humanity''
|-
| '''Volume 2''' ||
* ''Building the Foundation for a New Life''
* ''The Bridge to a New Life''
* ''Preparing for the Great Waves of Change'' (2009). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-33-0}}
* ''Preparing for the Greater Community'' (2020). {{ISBN|978-1-942293-55-2}}
* ''Love and Relationships''
* ''The Worldwide Community of the New Message from God''
|-
| '''Volume 3''' ||
* ''Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing'' (1999). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-77-2}}
* ''Steps to Knowledge: Continuation Training'' (1998). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-83-3}}
* ''Living The Way of Knowledge''
* ''The Great Practices''
* ''Deepening Your Spiritual Practice''
|-
| '''Volume 4''' ||
* ''The New God Experience''
* ''Greater Community Spirituality: A New Revelation'' (1998). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-21-5}}
* ''Relationships and Higher Purpose''
* ''The Soul’s Journey on Earth''
|-
| '''Volume 5''' ||
* ''The New World Prophecy''
* ''Life in the Universe'' (2012). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-49-9}}
* ''The Great Waves of Change'' (2009). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-60-4}}
* ''The Greater Darkness''
|-
| '''Volume 6''' ||
* ''Wisdom from The Greater Community, Vol. 1'' (1990). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-11-6}}
* ''Wisdom from The Greater Community, Vol. 2'' (1993). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-12-3}}<br />''Winner of the 1997 [[Independent Book Publishers Association|IBPA]] Benjamin Franklin Silver Medal Award for Spirituality''
|-
| '''Volume 7''' ||
* ''Secrets of Heaven'' (2013). {{ISBN|978-1-884238-16-1}}
|}

== Reception and Academic Analysis ==
Scholarship on the New Message from God is limited but growing within the field of [[New Religious Movements]] (NRM). Sociologist [[William Sims Bainbridge]] lists the group as a new religious movement established in the 1990s, questioning whether it constitutes a "significant movement" or a "mass media fad" driven by the publication of mystical books.<ref name="Bainbridge2017">{{cite book |last=Bainbridge |first=William Sims |title=Dynamic Secularization: Information Technology and the Tension Between Religion and Science |publisher=Springer International Publishing |year=2017 |isbn=9783319565026 |page=8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S66fDwAAQBAJ }}</ref>

The movement has also been categorized by scholars as a "contactee religion" within the broader context of UFO-related spiritual groups.<ref name="Tumminia">{{cite book |editor-last=Tumminia |editor-first=Diana G. |title=Alien Worlds: Social and Religious Dimensions of Extraterrestrial Contact |publisher=Syracuse University Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8156-0858-5 |page=xxv |location=Syracuse, NY}}</ref>

In a 2019 master's thesis, scholar Celetia Ming Liang analyzed the movement as a case study of "lived religion."<ref name="Liang6">Liang, 2019, p. 6.</ref> Liang categorizes the group within the framework of American metaphysical religion, noting its focus on mental power and the correspondence between the material and spiritual worlds.<ref name="Liang6"/> Liang argues that the group's "metaphysical hallmarks of correspondence and noetic power" distinguish it from other UFO religions that may focus more on physical contact or worship.<ref name="Liang3"/>

The movement's texts have also been cited in educational research. A 2019 thesis from the [[:es:Universidad San Pedro|Universidad San Pedro]] in Peru referenced Summers' ''Greater Community Spirituality'' (''Espiritualidad de la Comunidad Mayor'') in a study regarding values and religious education in secondary schools.<ref name="Jamanca">{{cite thesis |last=Jamanca Gonsáles |first=Antonia Bacilia |date=2019 |title=Enseñanza religiosa y valores en educación secundaria, institución educativa "Micaela Bastidas" - Huamarín 2017 |type=Licentiate Thesis |publisher=Universidad San Pedro |location=Huaraz, Peru |language=Spanish |page=79 |url=https://repositorio.usanpedro.edu.pe/handle/20.500.129076/9837 |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>

In the broader metaphysical community, author Carrie L'Esperance has discussed Summers' work in her book ''Soul Breathing'' (2016), referencing his teachings on the "Greater Community" and the spiritual implications of extraterrestrial contact.<ref name="SoulBreathing">{{cite book |last=L'Esperance |first=Carrie |title=Soul Breathing: Spiritual Light and the Art of Self-Mastery |publisher=Bear & Company |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-59143-249-4 |pages=Table of Contents}}</ref>

The movement has received coverage from media outlets focusing on its extraterrestrial claims. In 2015, ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]'' published an interview with Reed Summers, the director of the movement, discussing the ''Allies of Humanity'' texts and the group's belief that an extraterrestrial "intervention" is currently taking place on Earth.<ref name="Vice2015">{{cite news |last=Gonzalez |first=Romain |title=Vous ne le savez peut-être pas, mais des aliens sont sur le point de nous réduire en esclavage |trans-title=You may not know it, but aliens are about to enslave us |url=https://www.vice.com/fr/article/allies-de-lhumanite-394/ |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |date=January 14, 2015 |language=French |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref> The following year, Summers appeared on ''[[The David Pakman Show]]'' to discuss the movement's theology and its distinction from traditional Christianity.<ref name="Pakman"/>

In 2017, ''[[The Atlantic]]'' featured the movement in an article exploring the appeal of new religious movements. The article highlighted the experiences of adherents, such as David Drimmel, who described finding a "sense of connection" in the movement's teachings that they had not found elsewhere. The piece contextualized the New Message from God alongside other modern spiritual groups, examining the specific features that attract followers in the 21st century.<ref name="AtlanticSamuel">{{cite news |last=Samuel |first=Sigal |title=Why Are Some People Attracted to New Religions? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/08/sankofa-urantia-new-message-from-god/622331/ |work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=August 30, 2017 |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>

Later that year, the Denver-based publication ''[[Westword]]'' covered the group's release of the book ''The Greater Community'', discussing its claims regarding the spiritual significance of the [[Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017]].<ref name="Westword">{{cite news |last=Roberts |first=Michael |title=Solar Eclipse Bringing Message From God About Aliens |url=https://www.westword.com/news/solar-eclipse-bringing-message-from-god-about-aliens-9394141/ |work=Westword |date=August 21, 2017 |access-date=November 25, 2025}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[UFO religion]]
* [[List of new religious movements]]
* [[Exopolitics]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.newmessage.org/}}
* [https://www.newmessage.org/the-message/ The New Message Library]
* [https://stepstoknowledge.com/ Steps to Knowledge] – Free text of the book of spiritual practice.
* {{YouTube|r7eVrZUnnjo|Interview with Reed Summers on The David Pakman Show (2016)}}

[[Category:New religious movements established in the 1990s]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1992]]