The RENOVARE Bible (Richard Foster, Dallas Willard...)

[Rich Indeed]

A discussion of Richard Foster came up in another thread, and I stated that I believe he does promote mantra-style contemplative prayer, although he tries to make it sound like his version is different than the version of eastern religions.

I also believe his books "Spiritual Classics" and "Devotional Classics" strongly promote mystic/"contemplative" writers whom Foster encourages us to read and embrace, while intentionally downplaying the truth about the eastern style of mysticism they teach.

In my opinion, Richard Foster is leading people to embrace practices which frequently result in counter-Biblical belief systems.

I thought we could discuss these things in this thread.

[funmudder]

I know the s group as whole is gonna fall out of their chair when I say:

I know nothing about him :noidea

[Rich Indeed]

Here's one example:

On page 4 of Devotional Classics, Foster describes the editing process of his selected texts: "Always we have worked hard to stay faithful to the essential message of the author and to follow as much as possible the original style and actual words of the author."

It is surprising, then, that Foster and his editors removed the last part of Thomas Kelly's quote when they used it on page 207 of Devotional Classics.

Excerpted from his book, "A Testament of Devotion", Thomas Kelly writes: "Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continually return." ... "It is a Light Within that illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon the human face." ... "Here is the Slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all." ... ... "The Inner Light, the Inward Christ, is no mere doctrine, belonging peculiarly to a small religious fellowship, to be accepted or rejected as a mere belief. It is the living Center of Reference for all Christian groups - yes, and of non-Christian groups as well *who seriously mean to dwell in the secret place of the Most High."

Richard Foster left out the words "- yes, and of non-Christian groups as well - who seriously mean to dwell in the secret place of the Most High".

Thomas Kelly is suggesting that the Inward Christ is in everybody, and to be awakened in all people, regardless of their belief system. This is consistent with eastern mysticism, and consistent with the view that many of Foster's mystics embrace. Would you agree that Foster has stayed faithful to the essential message of the author he is promoting? Do you believe that followers of Islam, Buddhism Goddess Worship, etc. are awakening their "Slumbering Christ" when they look within to their version of "Inner Light" so that they can dwell with their "Most High"?

Does it matter that Foster encourages his readers to bathe in works such as this? Richard Foster encourages reading Kelly (page 210, Devotional Classics) and comments that Kelly's works "are far above the average in insight and scholarship". On page 181 of Foster's Spiritual Classics, he tells readers Kelly's works have "breathtaking radiance".

Here's another example:

Thomas Merton died an early, accidental death while attending a conference with the Dalai Lama. While at the conference, he expressed his hopes to unite East and West. Just before his death, he realized the richness Eastern spirituality had to offer, and began working on new ways to benefit Christians from the strongest aspects of its mysticism. He said that he found no contradiction between Buddhism and Christianity. In one of Merton's last essays, "The New Consciousness", he stated, "Christian renewal has meant that Christians are now wide open to Asian religions, ready in the words of Vatican II to 'acknowledge, preserve, and promote the spiritual and moral goods found among them." Merton further claimed that Zen (Buddhism) offered the 'pure act of seeing', 'pure consciousness'. He wrote that this "is the real meaning of knowledge in meditation and contemplation leading to salvation in Christ." In another publication, Merton wrote, "It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race, ... now I realize what we all are ... If only they (people) could all see themselves as they really are ... I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other... At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusions, a point of pure truth ... This little point ... is the pure glory of God in us. It is in everybody."
Richard Foster tells his readers that Thomas Merton wrote many books that significantly impacted Western spirituality and that his writings continue to influence our modern times. On page 61 of Devotional Classics, Foster writes "Some criticize his attempts to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western spirituality, but he never surrendered his belief in the importance of a relationship with God though Jesus Christ".

When you read the above excerpts of Merton's writings, does it appear to you that Foster is portraying Merton's beliefs in an honest way? Would you encourage Christians to seek out Merton's writings? Or would you at least feel compelled to warn Christians honestly of Merton's perverted views?


Here's another example:

Foster declares, "Few women of the twentieth century have done more to further our understanding of the devotional life than Evelyn Underhill. Her scholarly research and writing have helped saints and skeptics alike in the study of religion and spirituality. Her highly praised book "Mysticism: A Study in the Development of Spiritual Consciousness" has gone through many editions and continues to be a foundational text for all students of spirituality."

Here is an excerpt from Evelyn Underhill in her book "Mysticism: A Study in the Development of Spiritual Consciousness": "Mysticism, in its pure form, is the science of ultimates, the science of union with the Absolute, and nothing else, and that the mystic is the person who attains to this union, not the person who talks about it. Not to know about but to Be, is the mark of the real initiate. The difficulty lies in determining the point at which supersensual experience ceases to be merely a practical and interesting extension of sensual experience--an enlarging, so to speak, of the boundaries of existence--and passes over into that boundless life where Subject and Object, desirous and desired, are one. Now we have said that the end which the mystic sets before him is conscious union with a living Absolute. That Divine Dark, that Abyss of the Godhead, of which he sometimes speaks as the goal of his quest, is just this Absolute, the Uncreated Light in which the Universe is bathed, and which--transcending, as it does, all human powers of expression--he can only describe to us as dark. But there is--must be--contact "in an intelligible where" between every individual self and this Supreme Self, this Ultimate."

About Underhill's concept of "union, Foster says, "To be sure, Underhill is saying nothing new - many before her have used the same language. And, please understand, they do not mean union in the eastern Hindu sense of "merging with the Cosmic Consciousness", for Underhill and all the classic Christian writers had a clear understanding of God's transcendence."

The eastern religions and New Agers believe in merging with, as in becoming one with the Ultimate (which they define by a variety of names, all capitalized to indicate God). Has a distinction really been maintained between mystical union and eastern religious "merging"? What do you think about Underhill's (and other mystics') version of union?




I have several more examples, but that's enough to get the discussion started.

[Rich Indeed]

Hi Funmudder -

Richard Foster is quite popular in many Christian circles (sad to say), and especially in the emerging church. He is a very compelling writer and speaker. I belonged to a church that was very much influenced by him and his writings until I found them leading us in a very counter-Biblical prayer one day at a retreat. Once I realized that false teachings were creeping into my church, I began to look at the authors the leaders were promoting.

Interestingly, the more they embraced the teachings of Richard Foster, his organization ("Renovare"), and his mystics, the less they quoted from Scripture. (Not very surprising, though, in retrospect!)

[funmudder]

Not suprizing at all really :tsk

I will read up! Thank you for the great head start!

[corby]

While I think Foster's intentions are good, those being people and the Lord being drawn closer together, the methods he promotes are beyond the scope of sound Biblical practice, at the very least they can lead to them if one is undiscerning.

While he claims to be going back to old traditions, why not go further back to Bible times and the practices we see expressed there? When one see "contemplative spirituality" in a Christian context, all I can say is run.

A good website to investigate this (and the emergent church for that matter) is http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/

Here is a most interesting quote from Foster.

"[W]e must be willing to go down into the recreating silences, into the inner world of contemplation. In their writings, all of the masters of meditation strive to awaken us to the fact that the universe is much larger than we know, that there are vast unexplored inner regions that are just as real as the physical world we know so well. They tell us of exciting possibilities for new life and freedom. They call us to the adventure, to be pioneers in this frontier of the Spirit." (Celebration of Discipline, 1980, p. 13.)

Kinda speaks for itself.

[Buzzardhut]

Emergent Chart (pdf) (http://www.buzzardhut.net/Emergent.Chart.pdf)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/buzzardhut/e1.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/buzzardhut/e2.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/buzzardhut/e3.jpg

[Rich Indeed]

I like that chart, Buzz! I hadn't seen that before.

I tried to go to the link printed at the bottom, and eventually found my way to another great chart on that site, although it is copyrighted. It's called "Two Paths, Two Christs, Two Kingdoms, Two Eternities". It really struck a chord with me, as so many mystics speak of the so-called "Christ" revealed to them which I know from their descriptions cannot be Our Lord Jesus. http://www.crossroad.to/charts/two-paths.htm

Jesus warned us, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and shall lead many astray." Matthew 24:5

[Rich Indeed]

Hi Corby -

You're right about Contemplative practices ability to lead people astray.

About Richard Foster wanting to see people deepen their relationship with God, I agree... THAT, in itself, is a good thing to encourage Christians toward.

As for Richard Foster's ultimate intentions which point Christians to Contemplative spirituality being good, however... I'd like to state my opinion about that - although I imagine some may find it controversial.

I struggled with the question of his intentions for a while as I did the research into what Foster specifically does and specifically doesn't tell the church in his books. I used to believe that he was just deceived, and that he must not realize the dangers of what he is promoting... But the more I looked into what he calls good, and encourages Christians to pursue... and the more I noticed how he left out important factors to make things sound "Christian" and encourage others to embrace them, while he clearly knew and downplayed that many of the mystics he promoted were embracing things like Universalism, Pantheism/Panentheism, having demonic encounters, etc., I eventually came to believe that Foster is actually a Wolf in sheep's clothing, intentionally leading people to embrace another Christ.

I imagine I will be criticized for stating that opinion... but that's where the research I have done has led me. A person who is merely deceived wouldn't, in my opinion, go to such lengths to encourage others to embrace practices that they've gleaned from others where they've had to edit out and dance around key elements in order to make what they're serving up palatable to Christians.

Richard Foster is well-read in the texts of these mystics. He is enchanted by them, and that is why he encourages others to pursue them... to "soak" in them. Personally, I believe Richard Foster is a teacher that the church needs to be warned about!

(I would also say that mystic practices, such as mantra-style contemplative prayer, are dangerous for ALL Christians... even the 'discerning'. The never-mentioned goal of this type of so-called "prayer" is to lull the mind to sleep, especially the mind's capacity for discernment.)

- Rich Indeed (Tamra)

[Buzzardhut]

I like that chart, Buzz! I hadn't seen that before.

I tried to go to the link printed at the bottom, and eventually found my way to another great chart on that site, although it is copyrighted. It's called "Two Paths, Two Christs, Two Kingdoms, Two Eternities". It really struck a chord with me, as so many mystics speak of the so-called "Christ" revealed to them which I know from their descriptions cannot be Our Lord Jesus. http://www.crossroad.to/charts/two-paths.htm

Jesus warned us, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and shall lead many astray." Matthew 24:5



I am talking with the chart authors and hopefully we can get all the charts released to this board