More on Rick Warren and Contemplative Spirituality

More on Rick Warren and Contemplative Spirituality

Rick Warren and contemplative Gary Thomas

Purpose Driven Life: Worship that pleases God
by Rick Warren
(talks about Gary Thomas and Benedictine monks, also talks about Breath Prayers in this article, Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach)

Rick Warren and Youth Specialties

[For our research on Youth Specialties]

Rick Warren speaking at Youth Specialties events where yoga, labyrinths, emerging church and contemplative prayer are promoted. The connection is there.

AND

Bringing in Youth Specialties speakers to train at his Purpose-Driven Youth Ministries

This book (Purpose Driven) by Rick Warren is a picture of Contemplative Religion, not "Experimental Christianity." There is a world of difference ... more ... Book Review by Paw Creek Ministries

Rick Warren's Pastors at Saddleback - Whom Do They Endorse?

"Your life is full of pressures, distractions and fast-paced living. According to Thomas Merton, it is reflection and wonder (solitude) that scoops these invaders out of your life. Through solitude, there is finally room in your soul to meet God and for him to do the work in you that He longs to do."—Pastor Lance Witt, Saddleback on Pastors.com

Rick Warren, the Benedictine Order and universalism

The Benedictine Order is a Catholic order that includes contemplative prayer/meditation as part of their spirituality, and universalism is woven through their teachings. And yet Rick Warren has no problem using Benedictine monks as examples of
how we should live:

Rick Warren: p. 88 PDL "Benedictine monks use the hourly chimes of a clock to remind them to pause and pray 'the hour of prayer.:' If you have a watch or cell phone with an alarm,
you could do the same."

The Benedictine Order

"Benedict's utter faith in the divine Son of God casts into even sharper relief his insight that this divine Christ is to be found and even adored in other human beings (RB 53.7). His incarnate presence is not limited to Jesus of Nazareth, but remains among us in the monastic leaders, the sick, the guest, the poor, a list so inclusive as to signify Christ's presence in all whom one meets."

Some Benedictine monks:

John Main

Bede Griffiths

Featured Resources

Contemplative Spirituality: A belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is rooted in mysticism and the occult but often wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Common terms used for this movement are "spiritual formation," "the silence," "the stillness," "ancient-wisdom," "spiritual disciplines," and many others.

Spiritual Formation: A movement that has provided a platform and a channel through which contemplative prayer is entering the church. Find spiritual formation being used, and in nearly every case you will find contemplative spirituality. In fact, contemplative spirituality is the heartbeat of the spiritual formation movement.