Articles:
This page is a collection of articles written by myself and others addressing topics relating to or addressing Mysticism & Contemplative Spirituality.
Mystics Misuse of Scripture -
Why contemplative prayer has no biblical support
By Brian Flynn
One of the criticisms I often receive is that my opinion on contemplative spirituality is invalid because I am a former New Ager. The critique goes something like this: Flynn’s experience with New Age practices has so colored his view that he cannot objectively weigh Christian contemplative prayer. Because of his background, anything that looks similar to his former practices he assumes must originate with non-Christian sources (eg. Hinduism). Therefore, my perspective is suspect and unworthy of consideration. That would be a legitimate critique if my opinion was solely based on my past experience with eastern forms of meditation, but it is not.
Read more: Mystics Misuse of Scripture
Choosing Mystical Union Over the Cross
by Brian Flynn
The goal to unify man through a shared mystical religious experience is becoming more crystal clear with every passing day. The Sufis of Islam have "Fana," the Kabbalists (Jewish mystics) have "Amidah," and the Buddhists and Hindus have TM. And now last but not least, the Christians have contemplative prayer. Through contemplative prayer, many evangelicals and post-modernists say we can join the shared universal experience.
Read more: Choosing Mystical Union Over the Cross
Keating, Kundalini and Contemplative Prayer
By Brian Flynn
Recently it was brought to my attention that Father Thomas Keating, long supporter of contemplative spirituality acknowledges that kundalini meditation is the same as Christian contemplation. Finally he admits the truth.
Read more: Keating, Kundalini and Contemplative Prayer
Christians Should Dump Contemplative Prayer
By Brian Flynn
Three years ago, I read a book called "A Time of Departing," which claimed that many Christian leaders were teaching a mantra-meditation technique. You can imagine my shock when I discovered the New Age had infiltrated Christianity through such a technique, a practice called contemplative prayer.
Read more: Christians Should Dump Contemplative Prayer
Be Still and Know...that you are being deceived.
By Brian Flynn
There is nothing more devious than a lie told with subtlety. Last week, I purchased the Be Still and Know That I am God DVD produced by 20th Century Fox. The cover boasts of such contemplatives as Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Calvin Miller and Priscilla Shirer, along with some names that may surprise you—Max Lucado, Beth Moore. An acknowledgement list at the end includes Brennan Manning and Dr. Charles Stanley.
Read more: Be Still and Know...
Can one Christianize Eastern religious practices?
By Brian Flynn
Over the past few years, I have received hundreds of emails regarding my opposition to Yoga and other mystical practices being used within the body of Christ. The excuses for continuing the practices range from, it makes me feel closer to God, it is just a form of exercise, or my intention is to worship our Lord only. Unfortunately, none of those explanations holds much water when weighed against the Word of God.
Read more: Can one Christianize...
Christian Yoga - Oxymoron
By Brian Flynn
Why is there such a thing as Christian Yoga? It certainly has no scriptural or biblical basis in support of it. I have repeated many times in my book, my writings and in radio interviews that Yoga is an eastern spiritual practice and has no place in the church. Do you think that Hindus who practice yoga are doing it to attain rock hard abs? The answer is clearly no. The purpose is spiritual.
Read more: Christian Yoga-Oxymoron
The Kundalini Effect and Contemplative Prayer
By Brian Flynn
On a pro-contemplative spirituality web site, I came across the descriptions of those who had experienced the effect of contemplative prayer. Some of this is very disturbing and should be read with care:
Read more: The Kundalini Effect
Unwinding the Labyrinth. A Christian walk …away from God
By Brian Flynn
The labyrinth is an ancient practice that pre-dates Christianity. It is not a maze but a unicursal path that winds in towards the center of the circle and then winds its way out. The belief is that as you walk this path towards the center you will come closer to God. It is essentially contemplative prayer while walking. Another non-scriptural practice.
Read more: Unwinding the Labyrinth
Beth Moore's Illicit Tent of Meeting
by Bob DeWaay
Recently, on Ingrid Schlueter’s Web site Beth Moore denies that she promotes approaches to prayer that have Eastern overtones.* The issue arose from her participation on the Be Still DVD which has been critiqued on this site by Ingrid and then Brian Flynn. Brian and I viewed a segment of Beth Moore on that DVD. We found disconcerting her poor understanding of Exodus 33:7-11, the passage she uses as her proof text. In her discussion of Moses’ tent of meeting she proposes that each believer can have their own tent of meeting where they can go to have two way conversations with God.
Read more: Beth Moore's Illicit Tent of Meeting
Lectio Divina-Sacred Divination
By Brian Flynn
Modern day contemplative prayer movement stems from the monastic period of Christianity (early middle ages), which was a time of experimentation and mystical practices. One of the practices, lectio divina, meaning sacred reading, involved taking a page of Scripture and reading it over and over again.
Read more: Lectio Divina-Sacred Reading
God's Will and Christian Liberty
by Bob Dewaay
There are occasions when I receive email from Christians who wish to avoid contemplative prayer but still wish to divine their future on matters not revealed in Scripture, such as career decisions. This article should give guidance in these matters.
Read more: God's Will and Christian Liberty
Are Psychics Real?
By Brian Flynn
Though he was never one of Dionne Warwick's "psychic friends," Christian speaker Brian Flynn spent some time studying and doing "psychic readings" before giving his life to Jesus Christ. The most surprising thing about his experience? Finding out that it's not all fake.
Read more: Are Psychics Real?
Conversations with my Self
by Brian Flynn
In the last couple years there have been an unusually high number of movies that have an obvious and clear New Age message. Indigo Children and Bee Season are two of those along with more recent releases such as Peaceful Warrior.
Now, soon to be released (October), is Conversations With God, based on the very popular book series by New Age writer Neale Donald Walsch. Here is my critique of the book.
Read more: Conversations with my Self
Harry Potter vs. Lord Of The Rings
By Brian Flynn
I have had many questions regarding the Harry Potter books. Many of the critiques I have read are coming from Christian groups stating that is Satan’s book and it will destroy children’s minds. Although I agree with some of the criticisms that this is a book that introduces witchcraft to children like no other, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will become witches and disavow their Christian faith.
Read more: Harry Potter vs. Lord of the Rings
Spirit Guides or Demons?
By Brian Flynn
How I escaped the New Age to discover the truth.
I walked into the church classroom as a psychic, a medium, and a person who had trivialized religion and especially Christianity. I had explored any and all other spiritual options of modern culture. I listened as a skeptic to the historical evidence which proved the authenticity of the Bible, and the validation that all the things that Jesus had said and done were true. I leaned back in my chair and contemplated all that was shown to me. Did this mean I had been completely wrong about Christianity?
Read more: Spirit Guides or Demons?
Is the Bible the Inspired Word of God?
By Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson
Ron and Jason Carlson lay out a convincing case demonstrating the reliability of the gospel.
Read more: Is the Bible the Inspired Word of God?
Fifteen Evil Consequences of Plexiglas Preaching
By John MacArthur
John MacArthur describes the outcome when pastors abandon expository teaching of the gospel.
Read more: Fifteen Evil Consequences of Plexiglas Preaching
Thirteen Reasons Why Mysticism Is Not Compatible With True Evangelical Christianity
An excerpt from an article by Alan Morrison entitled The Evangelical Attraction To Mysticism that outlines the problems with contemplative spirituality.
Read more: Thirteen Reasons Why Mysticism Is Not Compatible With True Evangelical Christianity
The Message Bible-Poor Message, Miserable Bible.
What kind of message is The Message?
By Berit Kjos
Ms. Kjos compares Eugene Peterson’s The Message to the Bible and clearly demonstrates that Mr. Peterson didn’t write The Message to make the bible easier to understand he wrote a bible that makes it easier for the unregenerate to accept.
Read more: The Message
The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines
by Bob DeWaay
Pastor Bob Dewaay examines Dallas Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines and finds no scriptural basis that practicing these disciplines will bring anyone into a closer relationship with Christ.
Read more: Spiritual Formation
Emergent Delusion- A Critique of Brian McLaren,
A Generous Orthodoxy
By Bob Dewaay
Pastor Bob Dewaay examines Brian McLaren’s book A Generous Orthodoxy and discovers a man with confusing view of Christianity. Sadly, his emergent devotees follow his escape from reason.
Read more: Emergent Delusion
Theophostics: Unbiblical Teaching Wedded to Mystical Experience
by Bob DeWaay
Pastor Dewaay article refutes Ed Smith’s psychobabble of our need to undo “lie-based” thinking through Theophostic counseling.
Read more: Theophostics
Misusing Matthew 18:15-17
Heretics And Hypocrites
by Paul Proctor
I received an email from a pastor quoting Matthew 18 asking if I have confronted Richard Foster or other contemplatives personally prior to criticizing them publicly. My answer is no I haven’t. Why? Because Matthew 18 does not apply to exposing or confronting false teachers. Paul Proctor’s article explains this concept fully.
Read more: Misusing Matthew 18
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