Catholicism and Contempltative Spirituality

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"Pope John Paul has urged people to take to prayer, especially a contemplative type of prayer ..." [Catholic News Service 2002] "Pick out a word or two. Tell your children to sit quietly and repeat the word in their heads—not thinking about the word,just repeating it." From Everyday Catholic 2001

According to now deceased Benedictine monk, John Main we should: Find a quiet place ... Sit with the back in an upright position ... Breathe regularly and become aware of the movement of the breath in and out of the body. Gently repeat your mantra or prayer-word silently and within.Some Catholic priests have written books that mix Catholicism with ancient pagan religions or modern New Age paganism. —Mary Ann Collins, Mixing Paganism with Christianity

EUCHARIST IN THE EMERGING CHURCH by Roger Oakland

One of the common beliefs circulating amongst the supporters of the Emergent Church is a concept called "Vintage Christianity". According to this view, experiences effective in attracting Christians to come to church in the past should be reintroduced today in order to attract the postmodern generation who are hungry for experience. Dan Kimball, author of the book The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generation is one of the key proponents of this idea. He firmly believes that worship must play an important role to attract post-moderns into Christianity. In a section of his book subtitled "Truly worshipping in a worship gathering," he writes:

We should be returning to a no-holds-barred approach to worship and teaching so that when we gather, there is no doubt we are in the presence of God. I believe that both believers and unbelievers in our emerging culture are hungry for this. It isn't about clever apologetics or careful exegetical and expository preaching or great worship bands. ... Emerging generations are hungry to experience God in worship. Rob Redman, author of The Great Worship Awakening: Singing a New Song in the Postmodern Church agrees with Kimball. He has noted that churches that provide a liturgical vintage form of worship are attracting the postmodern generation. He writes: Liturgical churches, particularly Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, report increasing interest in traditional liturgical worship among young adults. Redman notes that as the result of this renewed interest in liturgical worship, a "worship awakening" is now underway and

Protestant worship services are beginning to incorporate liturgical worship practices. He states:

A common approach to the worship awakening among Protestant churches is to create a blended service combining older and newer liturgical elements and musical styles. Click here to read this entire article

ANOTHER JESUS?

By Roger Oakland
The Eucharist Christ and the New Evangeliization

Catholicism and the New Age

Evangelizing Roman Catholics
Audio with Cecil Andrews of Take Heed
Northern Ireland