adele ahlberg calhoun

Letter to the Editor From Dallas Theological Seminary Student—DTS Does Advocate for Contemplative Spirituality

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To Lighthouse Trails: The relationship Dallas Theological Seminary has with contemplative spirituality has been debated on Lighthouse Trails, and defended by DTS. As a current student, I can confirm some departments and professors do advocate explicitly for the contemplative brand of spirituality.  The school requires four semesters of spiritual formation. Students must engage with the … [Read more…]

The Tragic Influence of Catholic Priest Richard Rohr’s Mysticism on Millennial Evangelicals

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An April 2019 Religion News Service article titled, “For Millennials, Mysticism Shows a Path to Their Home Faiths” reveals how young (millennial) evangelicals are “[d]iscovering the Christian mystical tradition through the work of Franciscan friar Richard Rohr.” The article states: [Anthony] Graffagnino [28] was one of a number of millennials drawn to The Universal Christ—a … [Read more…]

Biola University – Going . . . Going . . . Gone As President Takes Sabbatical At Catholic Contemplative Monastery

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For many years, Lighthouse Trails has written about the slide that Biola University in Southern California has taken into contemplative spirituality. Our first indication that the school was heading that way was in February of 2006 when we learned that Biola was actively participating in a publication called Conversations Journal, a magazine whose primary purpose … [Read more…]

Southern Baptist Leaders Call for a “Great Awakening” in US—But SBC Continues Promoting the Anti-Gospel New Spirituality

In the Summer 2015 Journal of the Southern Baptist Convention, an article titled “Great Awakening” states: Thousands of messengers at the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention knelt in prayer and raised their hands to heaven July 16 as they prayed for revival in the church and a great awakening across the United States. . . . … [Read more…]

Letter to the Editor: Campus Crusade for Christ “Gospel Message” Includes Spiritual Formation/Contemplative Spirituality

Hi, I am a semi-retired pastor who has been growing more and more troubled by the trend in evangelical churches toward new age, emergent, and eastern mysticism. We were looking for some sound material to give to a Korean lady who is showing interest in Christianity. We went to Power to Change, __________  (formerly Campus … [Read more…]

Biola Conference Welcomes Ruth Haley Barton as it Continues Heartily Down Contemplative Path

On October 16th, Biola University will host its Torrey Conference 2013, and contemplative teacher Ruth Haley Barton will be a featured speaker at the event. This does not come as a great surprise to the editors at Lighthouse Trails because Biola has been going down the contemplative path for quite sometime. But because there are … [Read more…]

‘LECTIO DIVINA” List – Who is Promoting it?

This list is taken from our Lectio Divina: What it is, What it is Not, and Should Christians Practice it? Print Booklet Tract. This list will be updated as needed. You can read that booklet by going here. On February 25th, 2013, Redeemed Presbyterian Church (Timothy Keller’s church) was added to the list. On February … [Read more…]

2012 YEAR IN REVIEW – Part 1: “Top 10 Book and Film Reviews”

Note: At the end of every year, Lighthouse Trails presents its YEAR IN REVIEW. Over the next few days, we post about 4 or 5 categories with our top 10 stories in that category. Our first category this year is our “Top 10 Book and Film Reviews for 2012.” This is an opportunity to read important … [Read more…]

“Spiritual Disciplines Handbook” – Christian Organizations, Seminaries, and Ministry Leaders Incorporate This Mystical Primer into Christian Education

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun is a primer on contemplative mysticism, bursting with contemplative meditation instruction along with references and quotes by some of the movement’s most prolific mystics on the scene today. It’s a book one might expect to find on the shelves of a Catholic monastery, a New Age … [Read more…]