Tradition and Wisdom This is from the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation website: “Shalem is grounded in Christian contemplative spirituality and, at the same time, draws on the wisdom […]
What can we say to the claims made by Contemplative proponents? Are their arguments sound and biblical?
Comer’s theme in this book is that Christians must pursue the “practices of Jesus,” or the “Way of Jesus,” which are the spiritual disciplines. However, there is no evidence that the spiritual disciplines as taught by Comer and others are taught in Scripture, nor are meditation and prayer modeled in Scripture anything like what is taught by Contemplatives.
So far, no biblical passage cited as support for these practices has held up under scrutiny. What God’s word does do is that it supremely sheds light on the misunderstanding or misuse of such passages.
The Immanuel Approach is only one of many versions of contemplative and Inner Healing practices promoted for “emotional healing” that uses contemplative methods. The page for the Immanuel Approach examined […]
Scazzero has a habit of imposing his own experiences and feelings on Scripture as well on all Christians. In this book, he makes broad generalizations, such as all Christians “wear masks,” Christians do not know how to deal with their emotions, and most Christians were not raised in healthy families. It was hard not to write, “speak for yourself!” in the margins of many pages in this book.
There are so many serious issues with this book, it is quite distressing that it is being recommended by many pastors and church leaders. I am not addressing all content of the book, only points related to my areas of my ministry or of obvious concern. Scazzero does offer some good insights in the book, but they are overshadowed by too many troubling statements.
More exposure is needed of the teachings behind the Contemplative practices surging through the church, an area I have researched and written on since the late 1990s. The first part […]
After someone sent me the Renovare Bible (now called the Life With God Bible) several years ago, I looked through it and made notes of troubling things I came across. […]
“A prayer ending in ‘If this be Thy will’ simply does not release the spiritual power of a prayer that ends ‘Let it be so.’” (Agnes Sanford, Behold Your God, […]
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His […]