Exposing the Dangers of Contemplative Spirituality
March 2005 Issue
Interspirituality
means a blending together of all religions.
The very term itself contradicts biblical
Christianity, for Jesus Christ said there
was only one path to God, only one door,
and He is that door. Once we start to understand
interspirituality, we will be able to see
how it is racing into the world at an alarming
speed.
In this issue, we are talking about interspirituality,
hoping to show the vehicle through which
it enters. That vehicle? Mysticism. Or in
other words contemplative spirituality.
Whether it is called TM, yoga, centering,
or contemplative prayer, the method is the
same and most definitely the results are
the same. The method? Mantra meditation.
The results? Great spiritual deception.
This past January, Robert Schuller held his 2005
Leadership Institute conference,
a four-day event. In light of recent
statements made by Saddleback representatives,
in which they told of Rick Warren's
distancing from Robert Schuller because
of his increasingly liberal and universalistic
beliefs, we find it intriguing to
see the line up of speakers at this
year's Schuller event. They include
Jack Hayford, leading pastor and speaker
for the Foursquare denomination, Bill
Hybels of Willow
Creek and Bruce
Wilkinson, author of Prayer of Jabez.
Does this mean these leading evangelicals
are of Schuller's persuasion? Surely
if Schuller were truly universalist
as Saddleback claims (and we happen
to believe) and Rick Warren is distancing
himself from Schuller because of it,
won't Rick Warren have to also now
distance himself from Bill Hybels,
Bruce Wilkinson, and many other mainstream
Christian leaders? But how can he
do that when they are all using his
Purpose-Driven curriculum?
One can say that just because Rick
Warren's buddies and colleagues are
universalist doesn't mean he is. But
in all fairness to the body of Christ,
shouldn't Rick Warren send out a warning,
knowing that universalism is a complete
contradiction to biblical Christianity?
Will he continue to support and stand
by Bill Hybels and Bruce Wilkinson?
Well maybe not. After all, he has
distanced himself (at least publicly)
from long time friend and mentor Robert
Schuller, from whom he received much
of his training and influence. So
maybe he will indeed be able to denounce
Hybels and Wilkinson. Hopefully there
wasn't any oath or pledge signed that
bound their friendship together. Incidentally,
we have received information that
some pastors who want to turn their
churches into official Purpose
Driven churches are heading to Robert
Schuller Institute for further training.
We're just wondering how Rick Warren
feels about that. Isn't that kind
of like cooking a McDonald's hamburger
on the Burger King grills?
Mysticism Molds the Mainstream - News Article
Kabbalah,
Rumi, labyrinths, centering prayer.
Thousands of Americans are exploring
the mystical aspects of their own
faith and others.' Although no studies
have been done, scholars and experts
cite anecdotal evidence that interest
in mysticism has been steadily increasing.
Judaism, Roman Catholicism and Islam
have long traditions in mysticism,
and it is officially accepted doctrine
in the Catholic Church. Mainline Protestantism
has comparatively [little] background
in mysticism, yet experts say that
is where mysticism is gaining the
most ground.
It is common knowledge now that most
people consider Brian
McLaren the main leader of the
emerging church movement. And Time
Magazine even named him one of 25
top evangelical leaders. But his name
is showing up on the back covers of
some very questionable books - books
that declare Christianity is "too
limiting," books that suggest interspirituality
is indeed possible and a soon-to-be
reality.
While we understand that Brian claims
to be a Christian, these ideas are
anything but biblical. We have only
one question for Brian McLaren: "Will
the real Brian McLaren please stand
up?"
Brian McLaren and His Connections
to Interspirituality:
His hearty
endorsement of Dave Fleming's
book, The Seeker's Way in
which Fleming says Christianity
is too limiting.
On the back
bookcover of Tony Campolo's
book, Speaking My Mind, in
which Campolo suggests a union between
Christianity and Islam.
From McLaren's website, he suggests
such authors as Ken
Wilber, who writes on centering
prayer and interspirituality.
"A 'highest common factor' links the world's religious
traditions [through] 'the metaphysic
that recognizes a divine reality
substantial to the world of things
and lives and minds.'"—Ronald
S. Miller and the Editors of the New
Age Journal, As Above, So Below
"I must add, though, that I don't believe making disciples
must equal making adherents to the
Christian religion. It may be advisable
in many (not all!) circumstances to
help people become followers of Jesus
and remain within their Buddhist,
Hindu, or Jewish contexts."—Brian
McLaren (leader of the Emerging
Church movement), A Generous Orthodoxy
"The rise of community among cultures and religious traditions
... makes possible what we can call
'interspirituality': the assimilation
of insights, values, and spiritual
practices from the various religions
and their application to one's own
inner life and development. —Monk Wayne Teasdale who coined
the term "interspirituality," The
Community of Religions
"I want to be the best Buddhist I
can be." -Thomas Merton
"As a movement, those who practice
contemplative prayer, on the whole,
tend to develop spiritual kinship
to other religions, especially Buddhism."
-Ray Yungen
Interspirituality - The Outcome of Contemplative
Prayer
While the
majority of Christendom has been seduced
and mesmerized by Purpose-Driven,
mysticism, the
emerging church and a watered-down
gospel, interspirituality is on the
move. Evangelical leaders as well
as New Age gurus and other religious
leaders across the world are joining
in this effort to find common ground,
thus they hope, peace and unity.
Wayne
Teasdale, a monk who coined
the term interspirituality, said,
"[I]nterspirituality: a crossing-over
boundaries that mysticism
makes possible and concrete.
The spiritual common ground which
exists among the world's religions
will be identified, and its theological
implications suggested."
In other words, mysticism (i.e.
contemplative prayer) is the common
element that unites all religions.
According to Teasdale, who believed
truth and God could be found outside
of the Christian faith, that it
is the bridge which unites all.
Tony Campolo,
a leading evangelical author and
speaker says in his book, Speaking
My Mind: "[M]ysticism [contemplative
prayer]provides some hope for common
ground between Christianity and
Islam."—
And we mustn't forget the words
of Tilden Edwards, founder of the
very contemplative Shalem
Institute for Spiritual Formation
who said contemplative prayer is
the bridge between Christianity
and Far Eastern religions.
Why do these men say this? Do they
know something that many others
don't? Yes, they do. They know that
going into the silence, into the
altered state of consciousness takes
the practitioner into a spiritual
realm. They believe this realm is
God, Divinity. And they believe
anyone can enter this realm.That
is why Campolo said mysticism is
the link between Christianity and
Islam. He believes the same God
is reached.
While the push for interspirituality
grows at alarming speeds throughout
the world, born-again believers
are going to be pushed outside of
the organized evangelical church
and considered to be the main obstacle
from bringing the world into unity
and peace. It's happened before
in history, and it appears to be
happening again.
This Month's Featured Books -
Two women saved out of the
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