For those who don't know what "Contemplative Prayer" is, it has been growing in popularity and pouring into Churches of all stripes and Theological persuasions. From non-Cal, to Cal, to Wesleyan Arminiaism, Catholics, etc...
Here is a little primer on "Contemplative Prayer" or the Prayer of the Quiet, Prayer of Silence, Lectio Divina, and many other names among Christian groups. This particular false teaching focuses on experiences and hearing from God either audibly, or via visions and dreams.
Here is a quick statement from good ol' Wiki, for a short version:
"Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Roman Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word. It does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the Living Word.
Traditionally Lectio Divina has 4 separate steps: read, meditate, pray and contemplate. First a passage of Scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God."
Note,not The Word of God (Bible) but the word you heard from God. To understand how it is practiced, you may go HERE. This gives you only 'initial' centering prayer that leads you into Contemplative Prayers, which is going deeper than the Centering Prayer takes you.
While there are some who say (and fairly accurately) this is Catholic Mysticism (and they are right since it is a Roman Catholic Spiritual Discipline and Thomas Keating, a Catholic Jesuit Priest, is most noted for his spiritual knowledge of it), it is actually more true to be a New Age teaching or even older - Shamanism.
What is most unique about this 'Spiritual Discipline', is that it is almost identical to Transcendental Meditation or TM, just with a different name to be more acceptable to Christian masses.
In short, both TM and Contemplative Prayer must be taught by a teacher of some type, to properly understand how to do it.
Both must be done twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes.
Both must have you clear your mind of all thoughts and be empty
Both state you must say a special word or phrase or sound (the sound of your breathing, etc.. ), softly and slowly over and over and over in your mind.
--- Note on the Special word aspect (from the link I provide above) particularly #4:
Both encourage you to do such praying both individually but also in groups and make it a part of your normal Christian gatherings.
Now here is some of the saddest news. This stuff isn't being accepted and endorsed by no name pastors and teachers, but is fully accepted and endorsed by people such as John Piper, Lou Giglio, Beth Moore, Max Lucado, Rick Warren (no real suprise there), Francis Chan, Christian Rap artist Lecrea, Dr. Henry Cloud, Dallas Willard, Mark Driscol, David Crowder, and many others.
In some of the links I place on the names above, it is interesting the key words you can hear used that most would consider normal (like "speak to us through your word", yet with Contemplative Prayer, this is not the Word of God but the word you use to hear Him)
Any thoughts?
Here is a little primer on "Contemplative Prayer" or the Prayer of the Quiet, Prayer of Silence, Lectio Divina, and many other names among Christian groups. This particular false teaching focuses on experiences and hearing from God either audibly, or via visions and dreams.
Here is a quick statement from good ol' Wiki, for a short version:
"Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Roman Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word. It does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the Living Word.
Traditionally Lectio Divina has 4 separate steps: read, meditate, pray and contemplate. First a passage of Scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God."
Note,not The Word of God (Bible) but the word you heard from God. To understand how it is practiced, you may go HERE. This gives you only 'initial' centering prayer that leads you into Contemplative Prayers, which is going deeper than the Centering Prayer takes you.
While there are some who say (and fairly accurately) this is Catholic Mysticism (and they are right since it is a Roman Catholic Spiritual Discipline and Thomas Keating, a Catholic Jesuit Priest, is most noted for his spiritual knowledge of it), it is actually more true to be a New Age teaching or even older - Shamanism.
What is most unique about this 'Spiritual Discipline', is that it is almost identical to Transcendental Meditation or TM, just with a different name to be more acceptable to Christian masses.
In short, both TM and Contemplative Prayer must be taught by a teacher of some type, to properly understand how to do it.
Both must be done twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes.
Both must have you clear your mind of all thoughts and be empty
Both state you must say a special word or phrase or sound (the sound of your breathing, etc.. ), softly and slowly over and over and over in your mind.
--- Note on the Special word aspect (from the link I provide above) particularly #4:
Both have you listening for divine voice to guide you and bring to you knowledge you did not have previously.
Both encourage you to do such praying both individually but also in groups and make it a part of your normal Christian gatherings.
Now here is some of the saddest news. This stuff isn't being accepted and endorsed by no name pastors and teachers, but is fully accepted and endorsed by people such as John Piper, Lou Giglio, Beth Moore, Max Lucado, Rick Warren (no real suprise there), Francis Chan, Christian Rap artist Lecrea, Dr. Henry Cloud, Dallas Willard, Mark Driscol, David Crowder, and many others.
In some of the links I place on the names above, it is interesting the key words you can hear used that most would consider normal (like "speak to us through your word", yet with Contemplative Prayer, this is not the Word of God but the word you use to hear Him)
Any thoughts?
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