The Dangers of Contemplative Prayer

by Howard Peth

What s all the buzz about Contemplative Prayer ? Sooner or later, almost everyone wants to get closer to God. This impulse seems to be part of our instinctive human makeup. We find it in the mystics among the Hindus and Buddhists, and in the Sufis among the Muslims. This natural desire exists among Catholic monks and nuns and Jewish rabbis. Even hardcore atheists and everyday doubters underneath it all and in their quiet times of reflection feel an indescribable longing to draw close to the Supreme Being. So what could possibly be wrong with spending quiet time, emptying your mind, and listening for the voice of God? So many parts of Spiritual Formation and contemplative Prayer sound good maybe even familiar. Satan is delighted that his age-old seductive weapon of spiritualism is now seeping into our churches. In these pages, you will learn to see more clearly the treads of satanic charm that have fascinated men and women for centuries and, by God s grace you ll be warned against them.

110 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Dan Appel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have spent considerable time thinking about my review of this book and have decided to revise it.

How does one express sincere and serious concerns about the scholarship and the wholesale inaccuracy of a book without coming across as mean spirited? And, how does one express grave concerns that sincere, well meaning readers will accept as gospel something which is inflammatory and which so innaccurately portrays so much without coming across as unkind?

I obviously have not figured that out yet.

I just pray that anyone who chooses to read this book will be willing to actually read the primary sources, not what someone says about them and will consider what they are saying in the context in which it is written!

[Jay Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Howard Peth traces the roots of contemplative prayer, spiritual formation, and the emergent or emerging church to Eastern mysticism and related traditions. Their influence within Christianity began with the Desert Fathers, Catholic monks from the 3rd to the 5th centuries A.D. but was popularized more recently by Richard Foster and other authors supposedly touting fresh approaches to prayer and meditation. What Peth and other critiques of New Age Christianity apparently do not admit is that the Bible does teach Christian mysticism; what else would these statements mean? "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" and "Christ in you, the hope of glory?" Certainly we are not divine and will never become divine, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, the life of Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, can be lived in us and through us by

the power of the Holy Spirit--and that reality is indeed a divine (and human) mystery, from which come the words mystical and mysticism. So, I would argue such a thing as Christian mysticism exists that is authentically rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition and genuinely Biblical.

[Eric Anderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

As much I hate to even give this book a terrible rating (any publicity is good publicity), I did read it and, fortunately, forgot about it- until now.
In the bygone years I wrote- Terrible writing style, so annoying when writers underline and italicize everything for you! Great points, a little dogmatic in approach.

A little dogmatic- pot meet kettle! Meditation is the Devil obviously, so well Hail Satan!