LTRP Note: Lighthouse Trails received the following letter this week from a student at Biola University (one we have been in contact with for some time). The student has asked to remain anonymous. Biola has been the subject of several Lighthouse Trails articles because of their promotion of contemplative spirituality. This letter is just one of many examples of how the school is introducing students to this mystical belief system, all the while calling it Christianity.
The Letter:
To Lighthouse Trails editors:
Biola’s entire chapel has been reformatted to become a totally postmodern way of doing things. Any time the Bible is pulled out it is simply just read, about 1 verse or maybe a couple in a passage. There is no expository preaching or much explanation. The new Chapel director is a total emergent, postmodern embracing person who leads the entire student body through the motions of contemplative prayer.
Last chapel the entire session was dedicated to being silent and listening to the Bible being read slowly, then having people focus in on it and do the entire contemplative prayer thing. This was Lectio Divina, which was mentioned by name.
Every chapel there is time to “reflect” and it’s always being silent and contemplating everything. So far it is, of course, innocent looking and harmless, but this is only opening the door to Biola’s bigger agenda, which is to bring people further down the mysticism route.
Constantly in chapel the director is saying “We have lost many ancient practices, so we are trying to bring them back.” Speakers also say that Christians HAVE to do these things in order to be close to God and effective Christians. They mention that this prayer is not “Bible study”–it is different. They claim you have to do such spiritual disciplines to really know God. To me, this is a works-based salvation.
Also in the Chimes [Biola magazine], there was a big article about the chapel director. I believe his name is Todd Pickett [“now working on an M.A. in spiritual formation at Talbot (Biola)”]. He mentioned that he does not plan to give messages because college students are given too many messages all the time. Basically he thinks it’s too complicated for us to learn a message about God. It’s a joke. He plans to waste our time going through meditative practices.
Also Torrey Bible Conference is happening next week with Dallas Willard [and contemplative John Coe]. The topic is “Sex and the Soul.”
Please warn people not to send their kids to Biola, or if they do, make sure their kids are spiritually mature and are ready for an intense spiritual battle on campus.
From a concerned student at Biola
Related Information:
“The Shape of Things to Come: Biola University Embraces Contemplative Spirituality”
