Recently in Tony Campolo To Enlighten Southern Baptists In Virginia over at Apprising Ministries we brought to your attention that Tony Campolo will be featured speaker at the “185th Annual Meeting of the BGAV” for the Baptist General Association of Virginia coming up November 11-12.
That post also provided the links to a plethora of materials concerning Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism along with a Recommended Reading section from the Virginia Baptist Mission Board that features a number of highly questionable sources. Now in this post AM references one Campolo’s earlier Beliefnet articles, “Mystical Encounters for Christians,” as it concerns his own testimony about the CSM “discipline” of Contemplative/Centering Prayer (CCP).
See also Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism aka Christian Meditation as “Common Ground”. See more of Tony Campolo at Christian Research Network.
Editor's note:
Shame on the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and associated churches for hosting this event. Lottie Moon would never recognize what has become of the faith in Virginia.
Shame on the Virginia Baptist Mission Board for promoting the mystical and contemplative poison of Youth Specialties.
Just one example from the YS website: Contemplative Prayer Practices By Mike Perschon
Fitness buffs have an inside language. The really serious ones like to use proper anatomy terms, like gluteus maximus instead of bum. They still mean bum but, like most experts, enjoy having some special knowledge others don't have. People who practice contemplative prayer are often no different. Like any other practice, contemplative prayer has its own inside language, which is clear to the initiated but means little to outsiders.
Deep Breathing: Every book on CPP I've ever read talks about deep breathing...
Lectio Divina: This is a fancy Latin term for "sacred reading"and has also been called "meditation on the Word."Sacred reading is the practice of reading scripture slowly in a spirit of contemplation.
Ignatian Contemplation: A form of prayer used by Saint Ignatius of Loyola incorporating the imagination. There are a number of different exercises associated with Ignatian contemplation, but there are two I teach frequently.
Labyrinths: Not a maze, as many assume. The point of a maze is to confuse. The point of a labyrinth is to journey to the center of a spiral pattern traced on the ground and journey back out again.
Taiz: A contemplative worship service based on the tradition of the Taiz community in France.
Iona: Refers to an ecumenical community based on the island of Iona where Saint Columba founded a monastery.
Shame on the sleeping congregations who drop their kids off at the youth group and have no idea what the youth minister is teaching. They have no idea what the pastor is teaching or endorsing because the Bible has become a decoration, not a declaration.
Will the Virginia Baptist Mission Board RETHINK the Campolo invitation? Will the VBMB continue down the tracks of Biblical compromise for the sake of popular culture and political correctness?
Just remember where your final destination will be if you choose not to get off this train: Vatican: Lectio Divina is Privileged Ecumenical Method
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The word "shame" appears quite often in your materials directed at other people. I wonder if this should tell us something? You have absolutely zero scripture reference proving any of the practices you state wrong. Stop doing Satan's work. Stop accusing the brethren. Shaming is his work.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteNo scripture references? Good point. Because none exist to support mysticism or contemplative prayer.
My mother used to scold me and say "Shame on you, you should know better." And I deserved it.
VBMB should know better.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteAs I am not above making mistakes, I did check my work concerning your criticism that I use the word "shame" toward others "quite often".
You must be referring to this post, as there is no other post out of 1,264 on this blog where I used the word "shame" toward another.
Accusing the brethren may be Satan's work but contending for the one true faith is the work of the Christian.