The following letter was sent to Lighthouse Trails this week from a Houghton College alumni couple. Because of our ongoing research on the slide by many Christian schools into the contemplative/emerging camp, we are posting this letter with the couple’s permission. We hope it will help those of you who are trying to warn loved ones on what is happening in the Christian schools today. Following the Putnam’s letter is their research notes on Houghton College. For a list of other Christian colleges, universities and seminaries going contemplative/emerging, click here.
For Lighthouse Trails Editors:
Houghton College, Houghton, NY Slips Into the Emergent Camp
My husband and I, graduates of Houghton College in 1967, began to become familiar with the Emergent/Contemplative Movement this past winter, immersing ourselves in your web site as well as books from authors like Yungen, Oakland, DeWaay, Warren, and others. We also listened to ministries as Crosstalk, Olive Tree Views, Fighting for the Faith, DVDs, and more.
The Lord directed us step by step unveiling just the right information to ready us for our next encounter. During this time we were feeling our alma mater was not affected. That is, until last month, when my husband read President Shirley Mullen’s April 2010 “President’s Page.” Immediately, he noted she was reading Thomas Merton and Eugene Peterson. Red flags flew! I typed in “Houghton College-Emergent Church” and right away up popped Houghton’s “Youth Pastor’s Conference with Mark Yaconelli”
(October 20, 2008) and “Houghton College Emerging Church Conference” with Tony Jones (March 28, 2009). A third document to surface was The Trinity Review with the article “The Emergent Church’s Retreat into Pre-Reformation Darkness” by Paul M. Elliot. This paper on page fourteen listed Houghton, along with other institutions, as having gone emergent.
Thus, began our research into Shirley Mullen, the Houghton Wesleyan Church, the Houghton Chapel speakers, and more Houghton conferences.
The result is the enclosed paper that I am sharing with alumni friends.
First we found “The Houghton Conference on Christian Worship” (Sept.25-27, 2008) with John Witvliet of the “Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.”
Witvliet then became tied into John Brittain, Dean of Houghton Chapel & Professor of Religion, Houghton. Brittain signed Robert Webber’s“A Call to Ancient Evangelical Future” of which Witvliet was a supporter.
Looking into Houghton’s Wesleyan Church site for this spring showed small groups using contemplative materials including Richard Foster and Emilie Griffin’s Spiritual Classics as well as Corrine Ware’s St. Benedict on the Freeway: Spirituality for 21st. Century Pilgrims. Not only was the church using these books, but the Western New York District of the Wesleyan Church was as well–notably emergent proponent Earl Creps’ book.
After finding out the above, researching the chapel speakers was the next step. While there wasn’t any way to begin to research all of them, or include all of the information found from the archives from 2006-2010 a number of prominent speakers were found.
Ben Patterson, of Westmont College, especially proved interesting namely because he’s now Chapel Pastor at Westmont where Mullen taught for a number of years; and he’s also associated with Westmont’s President Beebe who is with Renovare. The Westmont Chapel Archives, just from the spring of 2009, listed Shane Claiborne, Gayle Beebe, Richard Foster, Shirley Mullen, and John Ortberg as speakers.
We also found it very telling that JoAnne Lyon, General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church, a chapel speaker, authored a book quoting Henri Nouwen, Richard Foster, and Jurgen Moltmann (see Bob DeWaay’s work).
And this March, once again, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal spoke to the students in forums besides demonstrating an “instructional mass” causing a senior to state in the Houghton Star (March 24, 2010) that the mass was one of the most profound spiritual events in her four years at Houghton.
Lastly, on May 8, 2010, Eugene Peterson spoke to the graduating seniors.
Thus, from all we’ve read there seems to be little doubt that Houghton, as Paul Elliot said, has gone emergent. And so it is with sadness, we also feel Houghton should be added to your list of contemplative colleges.
In Christ, W. H. and L E. Putnam
The Putnam’s Research on Houghton College
Dr. Scott Cairns: Chapel Speaker 9-18-2009
Just as I was about to mail the paper I researched one more Houghton Chapel speaker–Dr. Scott Cairns, whose story says it all.
Listen! Dr. Cairns is a superbly talented poet, and a winner of a Guggenheim fellowship. Prior to this Cairns was a Baptist, and a Presbyterian who began digging into more ancient faiths in order, he said, to learn to pray.
What happened then? Cairn converted to orthodoxy. To experience more of this contemplative life style Cairns visited the Mt. Athos Orthodox Monastic Community in Greece.
After, he helped found St. Luke the Evangelist Orthodox Church of Columbia. With his award money he traveled back to Greece to visit more monasteries.
Cairns said: “…when God became flesh as Christ, flesh was infused with divine potential. Cairns also said “…as an orthodox, he has a sacramental view of the whole world as holy-and holy to him means the possibility to become absolutely connected to God and every other person. He believes every person has this potential.”
This is Cairn’s story. Will it be the same story for Houghton students being presented with this contemplative lifestyle? Is this what John Brittain, Dean of Houghton Chapel, wanted when he signed onto Robert Webber’s “Ancient-Future Faith?” Is this what John Witvliet was after as he infused Houghton with Calvin College’s contemplative worship techniques? Is this what the Houghton Wesleyan church is hoping will be the outcome of the study of their Benedictine book by Corrine Ware or the spiritual disciplines by Richard Foster and Emilie Griffin? Is this what the college had in mind when it heard Tony Jones, author of The Sacred Way(Sixteen Spiritual-Catholic-Practices for Everyday Life), during the Houghton College Emerging Church Conference? Is this what President Mullen wishes for her students when she reads the monk Thomas Merton and embraces the contemplative Eugene Peterson? Is this what Dr. Mike Lastoria had in mind when he again invited the Franciscan Friars to Houghton to share an “instuctional mass?”
I ask you, too, as a Houghton alumni, is this what you will allow to continue to happen at Houghton? Will the students, like Cairns, leave their evangelical churches and faith behind in search of a contemplative lifestyle through prayers, through rituals, through joining with nuns and monks, through spiritual formation disciplines being taught in classes, chapels, and the church?
If you care at all for the young people-Houghton students as well as your own children and grandchildren-if you care for their very souls you will take time to stand up and to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. I beg you, wake up, before its forever too late for many more Houghton young people!
“Poetic Devotion” Article about Scott Cairns: Find at: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2006/04/19/poetic-devotion/.
Houghton College Speaker– Sufi-‘Christian’ Music Writer
Speaker: Dr. Scott Robinson Date: Jan 29, 2007
Also: “Mandala” September 21, 2009
Robinson from Eastern University founded “Mandala” as a vehicle for his original Sufi-inspired Christian devotional music. He’s a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. He attends the “Church of St. Martin in the Fields” in Philadelphia. He’s with “The Center for Progressive Christianity.”
He was at “A Festival of New Music” presenting a “To Go Among the Sacracens: A Franciscan’s Journey into the House of Islam.”
There’s quite a bit of info on him from photos etc. See: http://www.tcpc.org/about/bio.cfm?person_id=309.
Not only did he speak the first time, but this past year he came back with the whole Mandala group 9-21-09 –you can hear it on the audio. He is introduced on the audio (group too) and they proudly announce that Robinson will be part of the faculty for their new “Interdisciplinary Master of Arts Degree” teaching “World Music and Intercultural Studies.” The group did numbers for the chapel and then that afternoon, the announcer said, there would be a “Q&A” with the group as well as participatory work involving some kind of chants; and that night there was to be a devotional world music concert as well as prayer. All I am thinking of is Thomas Merton–“impregnated with Sufism.” (A Time of Departing: p.59,60, 188)
Additional Notes about Houghton College Speaker:
Dr. Scott Robinson or N. Scott Robinson Chapel: January 29, 2007 Chapel: September 21, 2009 The Mandala Music Chapel
* Mandala definition: any of the various ritualistic geometric designs symbolic of the universe, used in Hinduism and Buddhism as an aid to meditation. Many other such definitions.
* Find “Mandala-Who Are These People?” (Robinson’s group.) at http://www.mandalaband.net/whois.html.
* Found on above site: Mandala was meeting with Yoga group to do “Kirtan” Called “Kirtan with Mandala”
* At http://www.hinduism.about.com/od/audiomusic/a/kirtan.htm?p=1 find “About.com “Hinduism” article
“Kirtan: How Chants Can Heal the Heart” says “one of the oldest sacred music traditions of the world, the kirtan call-and-response chanting genre comes to us from India. Using ancient Sanskrit mantras, the kirtan calls upon sacred energies which serve to quiet the mind, remove obstacles, and bring us back to the center of our being.”
* Dr. Scott Robinson is now on the faculty of Houghton to teach “World Music & Intercultural Studies.” These classes going on right this week; I have other web pages from the music department.
* The Mandala site shows the covers of the groups’ CDs offered to the chapel students last September.
* A quote from “Programs and Presentations” section says: “Dr. Robinson shows how all faiths and cultures can direct us toward the One God who made heaven and earth.”
The Emergent Church at Houghton
A Must Read Book: Roger Oakland: Faith Undone the emerging church…a new formation or an end-time deception. (Lighthouse Trails Publishing) Site Dedicated to Informing Christians of Leaders/Organizations/Books Involved in the Emergent/Contemplative Movement: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com.
“The Houghton Conference on Christian Worship” on September 25-27 at Houghton.
Keynote Speaker: John Witvliet *“What can the “emerging church” teach us about worship?” Find at: http://www.houghton.edu/evhttpents/worship-conference/.
John Witvliet- Director of “Calvin Institute of Christian Worship”:
“Transforming Culture Symposium” Speakers: Eugene Peterson, John Witvliet… Find at: http://www.emersionbooks.com/ Scroll down to second article.
“Feeling Renewed By Ancient Traditions” The Washington Post quotes Witvliet. Find at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030702925.html?sid=ST2008037031.
Robert Webber-late Wheaton Professor & Ancient-Future Faith: “Ancient-Future Faith Or Do All Roads Lead to Rome” by Gary Gilley Find at: http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/21-church-trends/21-ancient-future–or-do-all-roads-lead-to-rome.
Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (John Witvliet) “Robert E. Webber’s Legacy: Ancient Future Faith and Worship” (“The Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future”) Find at: http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/webber.php.
Robert Webber’s “A Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future” Call Participants-Signers include: John Brittain, Dean of Chapel & Professor of Religion, Houghton; Rev, Dr. Keith Griswold, Rochester, NY;
Dan Kimball & Tony Jones, Emergent Church; Dr. Kristina LaCelle-Peterson , Houghton…..
Note signers denominations and colleges! Find at: http://www.ancientfutureworship.com/afw_callsigners2.html.
“Second Coming of the ‘Eucharistic” Christ,” a chapter in Oakland’s book: Faith Undone connects Brian Mclaren, Robert Webber, A-F Faith, & Wesleyans and much more. See pp.135-139.
Houghton Wesleyan Church & Contemplative Spirituality:
Houghton Wesleyan Church Small Groups-Spring 2010 Find at: http://www/hwchurch.org/SmallGroups.htm.
Small Group:
“St. Benedict on the Freeway: Spirituality for 21stCentury Pilgrims” by Corrine Ware; taught by Michael Walters who spoke at “The Houghton Conference on Christian Worship.”
Corrine Ware:
“A Benedictine Bibliography” (Includes Ware book)
Find at: http://www.ben.edu/programs/centers_institutes/CMI/BenedictineBooks/index.asp.
Small Group: “Spiritual Classics” by Richard Foster and Emilie Griffin; taught by Mike Jordan.
Richard Foster: “Richard Foster’s Legacy Endures–Christian Leaders Help to Make It So” by Lighthouse Trails Editors
Also includes many more articles on Foster. Find at: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com. Type in “Richard Foster.”
“Richard Foster and the Be Still DVD” by Ray Yungen (Author of A Time of Departing) Find at: .
Emilie Griffin: “The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible with Richard Foster and Eugene Peterson” ( And Emilie Griffin Catholic, Contemplative, & Mystic, & Emergent Dallas Willard) Find at: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/renovarestudybible.htm.
“Conversion: A Journey of Mind, Heart, and Spirit” from Emilie Griffin’s book: Turning: Reflection
On the Experience of Conversion. Find at: http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/medicine/871/church.html.
Houghton Wesleyan Church Youth News: Find at: http://www.hwchurch.org/YouthNews.htm.
“Life Unplugged Retreat” from May-June Newsletter 2010 at Bliss Summit Bible Camp “Solitude and silence are words and situations that are foreign to our face-paced world. Come experience a retreat loaded with these types of situations!…”
Wesleyan New York District of the Wesleyan Church: “The Inner Circle” September, 2009 Volume 10, Issue 1 on page 2: “Leadership Development Journey” from October through April 15 at Wesleyan Church of Hamburg is focusing in on Earl Crep’s book Off-Road Disciplines. (Creps is an Assembly of God Emergent.) Find at: http://www.wnydistrict.com/Pastors_Newsletter.wss. Click on “September ‘09 Issue.”
Earl Creps: “AGTS Professor EARL CREPS Publishes New Book” Has forward by emergent Dan Kimball and endorsement by emergent Leonard Sweet as well as published by Jossey-Bass & Leadership Network. (Tied to Emergent Church: See pp.23-38 “The Birth of the Emerging Church” in Faith Undone by Roger Oakland.) Find book description at: http://www.agts.edu/news/news_archives/2006creps_earl.html.
“Another Seminary Stepping Toward Emerging and Contemplative Spirituality-Assemblies of God Theological Seminary” (Creps’ Syllabus includes Nouwen, McLaren, Dan Kimball, and others.) Find at: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/Maynewsletter.htm. Scroll down for article.
Houghton College: Spiritual Life-Worship and Growth Opportunities: Chapels:
Find Archives listing dates and chapel speakers from 2006-2010 at: http://www.houghton.edu/spiritual_life/chapel_recordings.htm.
Here are just some of the speakers involved with Emerging Church, Contemplative Spirituality, Postmodernism, & Spiritual Formation:
Richard Cizik(September 18, 2006) “Cizik, Clinton, & Christian Pluralism” Find at: http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/Church/global/cizik-clinton.htm.
“Remaking Evangelicals In Ted Turner’s Image?” by Mark Tooley Find at: http://www.crossroad.to/News/Church/post-modern.html. Scroll down to February 2008.
Dr. Richard Mouw (November 16, 2006) President of Fuller Theological Seminary “Dr. Richard Mouw: We at Fuller Theological Seminary Very Proud of Rob Bell” (Emergent)
Fuller Theological Seminary’s Emergent Agenda: “Letters to Brian McLaren from Emerging Church Students” Find at: http://www.lifeasmission.com/blog/2010/04/letters-to-brian-mclaren-from-emerging-church-students/.
“Church Then and Now-Conference in Boston-Part 1” (Fuller’s Emergent Stance)
Find at: http://www.blog.fuller.edu/churchthenandnow/2010/04/17/conference-in-boston-part-one/.
Lauren F. Winner (March 23, 2007) “Christianity21 and the Future of the Church” by Sharon Autenrieth- Winner’s 21 things that will be said of Christians by the end of the century. Find at: http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/civil-religion/tag/emergent-village/.
“Emergent & Intergenerational Faith” (PBS-Story of Emergent Church-Second half) with Brian McLaren. This includes extra footage of Phyllis Tickle, Lauren Winner, Tony Jones, and others. Find at: http://emergent-us.typepad.com/emergentus/2005/07/second_half_of_.html
Rev. Ben Patterson September3-5, 2007 Campus Pastor, Westmont College “Renovare Ministry Team” Includes: Gayle D. Beebe (President of Westmont), Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Emilie Griffin…Think “Beebe,” a Quaker, and his connection to Patterson! Find at: http://www.renovare.us/WHOWEARE/MinistryTeamandStaff/Renovar%C3%A9MinistryTeam/tabid/2367/Default.aspx.
Westmont College Chapel Archives: e.g. Spring 2009 speakers include:Emergent Shane Claiborne, Ben Patterson, Gayle Beebe, Emergent Richard Foster, Shirley Mullen, Emergent John Ortberg … Find at: http://www.westmont.edu/_offices/campus_pastor/chapel/archive/spring09.html.
“Imagine There’s No Hell Below Us” Find at: http://www.moriel.org/pfp/discernment/church_issues/pseudodidaskaloi.htm. Scroll down.
“Bart Campolo on the Limits of God’s Grace” Find at: http://www.mrhackman.blogspot.com/2009/05/bart-campolo-on-limits-of-gods-grace.html.
Duffy Robbins (January 25, 2008) “The Message: Who Endorses & Promotes Peterson’s Opinion of the Bible” (p.10-11)
Find at: http://www.SeekGod.ca/themsgendorsements.htm.
“2009 Youth Workers Conference Should Be Avoided” First Duffy and Maggie Robbins. In their book, Enjoy the Silence, the Robbins give detailed instructions. Find at: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=840.
Leith Anderson (March 12, 2008) (Linked to: Emergent Doug Pagitt) Former President of NAE: “Winds of Change in Evangelical Response to Global Warming” A list of the signers of the evangelical intitiative on global warming. The top name: Rev. Dr. Leith Anderson. Find at. http://www.stonescryout.org/archives/2006/02/evangelical_cli.html.
Leith Anderson quote from: Faith Undone by Roger Oakland, p.55,56. Find at: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/wooddale.htm.
Matthew Sleeth (October 13, 2008) “Southern Oregon Emergent News“ by David Rapp Locate J. Matthew Sleeth’s book listed at right as well as Doug Pagitt/Tony Jones and Shane Claiborne. Find at: http://www.davidrapp.org/New.html. Click on “Emergent News.”
Wilmore-Lexington Emergent Cohort Group; “Next Cohort Meeting: May 17, with Matthew Sleeth.” Find at: http://centralky-cohort.blogspot.com/.
Marva Dawn (January 20, 2009) “Renovare Resource Catalog: P.12 Dawn with Eugene Peterson. Note all names/works. Find at: http://www.renovare.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=4FY4JvSkS58%3D&tabid=2409
The Life with God Study Bible (Formerly: Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible) Editors and contributors include Marva Dawn, Richard Foster, Eugene Peterson, Dallas Willard and others. Find at “Renovare Resource Catalog.” (See above.)
Amy Oden (January 22, 2009) Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington,DC: “Emerging Ministry” -Cooperative Internship with Cedar Ridge Community Church founded by Emergent Leader Brian Mclaren. Dr. Amy Oden Teaches course “Practice in Ministry and Mission.” Find at: http://www.wesleyseminary.edu/academics/id.27/detail.asp.
JoAnne Lyon, General Supt. (April 24, 2009) Book: The Ultimate Blessing: Experiencing God to the Fullestquoting Henri Nouwen, Richard Foster, & Jurgen Moltmann (An Emergent Father). To see inside book and its citations go to Amazon.com Find at: http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Blessing-Experiencing-God-Fullest/dp/0898272696.
“The Road to Paradise Imagined” (p.15-30) in The Emergent Churchby Bob DeWaay cites clear evidence that Jurgen Moltmann is tied to the Emergent Church. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Ultimate+Blessing%3A+Experiencing&x=16&y=19
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (March 10,12, 2010) “Franciscan Friars Welcomed by Community” by Katherine Thompson in the Houghton Star-March 24,2010. Dr. Mike Lastoria invited them. Note students’ comments. Senior: “I…appreciated the way… Father Glen drew…attention to…great people of faith who have gone before…in doing God’s will.”
Another senior: “The instructional mass (held) was one of the most profound spiritual events…in my four years…amazing… to have Christians of varying beliefs to come together…” Find at http://www.houghtonstar.com/news/franciscan-friars-welcomed-by-community-1.1278954.
