Here is the take from the Lighthouse on Brian Mclaren’s newest book “Finding Our Way Again”. Brian Mclaren is obviously a blind soul who could not even find his way with his seeing eye dog. What Mclaren teaches is not Christianity and I wish that Bible colleges and book stores would quit peddling his pagan delusions as something the Church needs to learn about. We do not need to know these things any more then we need to know what was in the books that the early Church burned.
There is a common thread in all these emerging teachers. These are nothing but wolves dressed in old gnostic wolves sheep’s clothing. These religious perverts want us to believe that religion will unite on some higher plain where all paths lead to God through everyone looking inside themselves for some self deception. They think satanic illumination will bring peace and brotherhood to the planet. Oh brother! How demented can these people get and why is the church contemplating their teachings? Has the Christian church also gone nuts?
They believe the world is going to become united on mystical religion and they are right. Who do you think the Women that rides the Beast is? She is Mystery Babylon the harlot religion. So please understand that their purpose driven life is to merge Oprahitis with Mclarenstupiditis and come up with the Bell Tolled for all those that Foster this mother of all harlots.
Brian McLaren’s newest book, Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices, is the first in a series of eight books by Thomas Nelson publishers. The General Editor of the series, which is titled The Ancient Practices Series, is emerging church proponent Phyllis Tickle. Other authors in the series include Dan Allender, Scot McKnight, Diana Butler Bass and Joan Chittister.
In Finding Our Way Again, McLaren thanks several contemplatives like Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and Joan Chittister. He also says he is “indebted” to Tony Campolo and Jim Wallis and recognizes Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones for teaching him contemplative practices. It is not surprising that McLaren thanks these listed teachers – McLaren has been in the emergent camp from the beginning of its inception, and where there is emerging, there is contemplative.
The interfaith theme is threaded through Finding Our Way Again. In one section, McLaren says that even Christian communion is something to be shared with people of all faiths (in particularly with the Jewish faith and Islam); he states that this “sacred meal” is a celebration of “inclusion” and “reconciliation” (p. 26). This makes a mockery of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who told believers to do this in remembrance of Him, acknowledging His atonement for sin – a mockery because the beliefs of other religions reject Christ as being God and the slain Lamb who could take away sin.
As do other emerging/contemplative teachers, McLaren believes in a literal global kingdom of God on earth before Christ returns that will incorporate all the world’s religions and all creation, a “world yet to be born” that “desperately” needs “these spiritual practices.” He also relates: “[T]hese practices” have “enlivened the three Abrahamic faiths” (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) and should not be “allowed to go extinct” (p. 29).
Finding Our Way Again emulates McLaren’s previous writings on atonement, on Jesus being the only way to God and salvation, on the return of Christ and on the last days. The difference with this book is that the emphasis is on how we can attain to this awakened state – through mystical practices. One chapter is devoted primarily to these contemplative exercises, but the entire book is seeping with its core message – “reconciliation with God, one another, and all creation in a global community” (p. 42).
In the last chapter of McLaren’s book, “Theosis (via Unitiva),” he sums up his calling by stating that “The purpose of the via purgativa [the practices] is to prepare us for the via illuminativa [the awakening], and the purpose of the via illuminativa is to prepare us for the via unitiva [all is one], the union of our nature with the nature of God” (pp. 171-172). He calls God “fire” and says, “We join God in being fire … Before the beginning … God was All, and All was God” (p. 175). This is the exact same message that Eckhart Tolle and Oprah are propagating. But while many Christians are now condemning Tolle’s message, they don’t realize that the very same message is permeating their very own churches. For those readers who care about the spiritual future of their children and grandchildren, it is vital they understand the meaning of McLaren’s spirituality in particular and the emerging/contemplative movement in general. We believe this is an extremely compelling motivation and should prompt us as believers to defend the faith and the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Don,
Just a quick note to let you know I’m with you on the Emergent Church.
I have recently left myChurch of 37 years for a great Bible thumping one and though I do look back, (my parents still attend) they are with me on my decision.
I will be checking in more often now that I’ve found your blog.
God Bless You,
-Jim
California
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your support, I will be looking forward to your comments in the future.
Blessings in Christ,
Don
Dear Brother Don,
I am a “retired” MK trying to make it in these united States. While I don’t necessarily disagree with you about the over-arching threads in McLaren’s work (and most of the emergent church), I must state that for people like me who knew all along that Jesus was not JUST a glorified salvation light switch, these “ancient practices” have been the ONLY way to reconnect with God. I strongly believe in orthodox doctrine (having been an amateur theologian my whole life), and am still trying to wrap my head around McLaren’s use of the word “evolution”, but I am also refusing to throw the baby out with the bathwater. To forge ahead in what Christ taught, we cannot dismiss the fact that even Jesus said that he came to FULFILL the law, and that not one word would pass from it until the End. That seems to me as though Jesus lived BY the law, and the ancient practices…
The church IS suffering, whether or not the Mainstream cares to admit it.
“Brian Mclaren is obviously a blind soul who could not even find his way with his seeing eye dog” ( I hate to break the news, but that is a very harsh and judgmental phrase and we all know what Jesus said about those who live by the sword)
Does this mean that “YOU” have all the answers? Or do you mean that the fragmented, man created institution known as “Christianity” (with all its denominations and factions) IS the ANSWER?
Let me ask you something… Would Jesus seek to divide people? Or would he actively seek reconciliation?
Even the Bible is clear about One God, and not millions of versions of the same god (which has been the unfortunate side effect of “Christianity” and its respective fragmentations), so I’m still unclear why you would dismiss so much of what McLaren is trying to talk with us about.
So I offer this view, broken as it may be, since it comes from a broken human being and not a perfect God:
Reconnecting with God through “Ancient Practices” can be assumed to be a “satanic illumination”, but ultimately, we all know what happens when we assume.
Brother Don, thank you for taking the time to review McLaren’s work, and I hope you do not take my comments as aggressive or angry, I merely hope to keep the discussion about what Jesus said about how we need to behave here on Earth and why, alive.
I would recommend for anyone reading this, the book “In Constant Prayer” by robert benson. It helped me remember why prayer, and even routine prayer, can be so incredibly helpful and important!
God bless!
“Would Jesus seek to divide people? Or would he actively seek reconciliation?”
Jesus said
Mt 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
The Bible teaches that there are wheat and there are tares on earth. The tares were sown by the enemy. They are sons of the enemy and they cannot become wheat. Just as Jesus said the leaders of Israel in those days were sons of their Father the Devil.
Most of anything you need to know are answered in two article that I wrote
http://www.thepropheticyears.com/comments/theonlyway.HTM
http://www.thepropheticyears.com/comments/How%20one%20is%20saved.htm
The gospel of salvation is simple it does not take advanced degrees to know it. You don’t get to God through ancient practices that God condemn you come through Jesus alone, The Bible is quite clear on that.
Yes, Jesus kept the Law because He lived by the Spirit of God. He is the only one who ever kept the perfect law and that is why we all need the Savior so we will not become condemned by the law. For the wages of sin is death. Jesus kept the law for us and paid the sin price so we would be free from the condemnation that comes through the law. Now salvation comes by the law of faith in Jesus, who is God’s righteousness to save all those who trust in Him.
There are not millions of version of the same God in Christianity. You are blowing the differences in denominations totally out of proportion the only way to know God is through Jesus and most denominations believe in all the essentials about Jesus for salvation. They do not have millions of different versions of the same God. Also, don’t confuse institutional Christianity with true Christianity. Christianity comes only be believing and trusting in the Savior that God sent.
As for the beliefs of people trying to please Jehovah God, all we need is the Bible itself, and to study how the first century Church interpreted it is the only “ancient practice” we need. Except for a very few exceptions, the way that generation interpreted New Testament Scripture needs to be the way we interpret Scripture today. Get rid of the manmade denominational dogma, get right before God spiritually first, then fast and pray about the truth concerning every doctrine that divides the Church today ( Calvanism vs Arminiasm, etc) and trust God to reveal the answers faithfully. That is the way to both truth and harmony between the branches of God’s broken Bride. Let us return to the New Testament Church doctrines, for Christ said He is coming back for a spotless Bride.
Its not really that simple because even with the little we know about the first Century church we also find that heresy was already present in the Church. That is why there is so much correction to the Church by the New Testament writers. Remember, there was no NT in those days only certain writings were passed around and most people did not even have access to them. They had to rely on teachers. Today we have the Bible and we know more about scripture than the early church and we are more likely to get correct teachings on the scripture today then in the first century unless one was fortunate enough to sit under a gifted teacher that was directly taught by Paul or a few others. Today we have access to texts of the First century witnesses that God wants us to know, So that is all we really need to know for faith and practice. Still, sincere believers interpret the biblical texts differently creating denominations.
If people did what you suggested it would be built on false assumption and a false presumption. If you convinced enough people that fasting and praying was the way to biblical understanding you would be starting a new denomination of priest who fast and pray and claim infallible interpretations. That would only create another split because many in Christianity would not agree that biblical understanding comes mainly from fasting and prayer. It really comes by earnest study of the scriptures and learning from other teachers. We build correct doctrine precept upon precept line upon line by learning a little here a little more there. God gave the Church teachers as one of the five fold ministries for the equipping of the saints to bring the Church to maturity.
Also the Bride is spotless because we are members in the Body of Christ and our filthiness is covered by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus gives us spotless robes to wear because we reflect His righteousness when we are born from above, not because the Church is going to become sinless before our bodies are changed to become incorruptible. The spotless Bride is people that have Faith in Christ not those who have all theology correct.