God’s Dream for humanity is the gradual realization that we can become One.—Jean Vanier (1)
On May 7th, Canadian Catholic humanitarian, Jean Vanier, died at the age of 90.2 Vanier, founder of L’Arche where Henri Nouwen spent the last ten years of his life, was a major proponent of contemplative spirituality, believing that all religions lead to God. In Roger Oakland’s report, “Rick Warren, Jean Vanier, and the New Evangelization,” Oakland states:
Vanier is a contemplative mystic who promotes interspiritual and interfaith beliefs, calling the Hindu Mahatma Gandhi “one of the greatest prophets of our times”[3] and “a man sent by God.”[4] In the book Essential Writings, Vanier talks about “opening doors to other religions” and helping people develop their own faiths be it Hinduism, Christianity, or Islam.[5] The book also describes how Vanier read Thomas Merton and practiced and was influenced by the spiritual exercises of the Jesuit founder and mystic St. Ignatius.
This description of Vanier is certainly fitting for a Catholic contemplative mystic, but what about “America’s Pastor,” Rick Warren?
Oakland’s report documents comments made by Rick Warren in 2014 in an interview with Catholic television host Raymond Arroyo:
The following question was asked by Raymond Arroyo:
The Vatican recently sent a delegation here to Saddleback—the pontifical council—the academy for life. Tell me what they discovered and why did they come? This is a sizeable group. [6]
Warren’s response was immediate and enthusiastic. He said:
It was. They were about 30 bishops from Europe. One of the men had been actually trained and mentored by Jean Vanier, which is an interesting thing because we have a retreat center here [at Saddleback] and my spiritual director, who grew up at Saddleback, actually went and trained under Jean Vanier too. So I am very excited about that. [7] (emphasis added) [LTRP Note: “Spiritual director” is a person involved with contemplative prayer who “mentors” someone having contemplative esoteric experiences.]
While the term “spiritual director” or the name Jean Vanier may not mean much to you unless you are versed on contemplative mystical spirituality, this admission by Warren provides conclusive evidence of his endorsement of Roman Catholic monastic mysticism and all that goes along with it. The fact he mentions he has his “own” spiritual director located at Saddleback who was trained under the leadership of Jean Vanier is even more significant.
For those who have read Lighthouse Trails material for a while, you know that we have documented scores of information showing that Rick Warren is a strong proponent of contemplative spirituality. To know that his own “spiritual director” was trained under Jean Vanier should send shock waves through the evangelical church. But, of course, that has not happened.
Jean Vanier is gone now, but his influence over Rick Warren, Saddleback, and countless other people will only multiply as an apostate church races to the finish line with the world.
Today I personally believe that while Jesus came to open the door to God’s house, all human beings can walk through that door, whether they know about Jesus or not. Today I see it as my call to help every person claim his or her own way to God.—Henri Nouwen, Sabbatical Journey, p. 51
My wife, Kay, recommends this book [In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen]: “It’s a short book, but it hits at the heart of the minister. It mentions the struggles common to those of us in ministry: the temptation to be relevant, spectacular and powerful. I highlighted almost every word!”—Rick Warren quoting Kay Warren on the Ministry Toolbox (Issue #54, 6/5/2002
Through the discipline of contemplative prayer, Christian leaders have to learn to listen to the voice of love . . . For Christian leadership to be truly fruitful in the future, a movement from the moral to the mystical is required.—Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus, pp. pp. 6, 31-32
Related Information:
So You Want to Practice “Good” Contemplative Prayer . . . What’s Wrong With That?
hell awaited jean who had a different gospel
plain and simple another jesus