The "Emerging Church" -- Last Days Apostasy and a Return to Darkness

(also, see below for another article that touches on the "emerging church" apostasy)

Commentary by Roger Oakland
www.understandthetimes.org

History reveals that Christian fads and trends come and go. It seems that it is common for many pastors and church leaders to constantly look for some new methodology, “new wave” or “new thing” God is doing, “right now.”

We live at a period in church history that is characterized by enthusiasm for methods and means that facilitate church growth. Large churches are commonly equated with successful pastors and successful church growth methods. Whatever it takes to reach that objective, is acceptable, we are told. Church growth has become the measuring stick for successful Christianity.

Purpose-Driven Christianity

It is also true some of the largest and fastest growing churches and church movements in the world today promote a concept called “purpose-driven.” No matter where you go these days anywhere around the world, purpose-driven is being proclaimed as the latest church growth method.

But stop for a moment and think. What is it that defines success from a biblical perspective? While we are accustomed to accepting numbers or quantity as the yardstick for measuring success, when it comes to Christianity, quantity without quality can be misleading.

According to the Bible, Christian faith must be directly related to God’s Word. Faith comes by hearing what God has said and then acting accordingly. With regard to church growth, if the growth is the product of some technique authored by some man, and this technique is not based on God’s Word, the results may actually be deceptive.

With this in mind, we will consider this current common trend known as the “purpose-driven” church growth movement. Before we do, let’s review the biblical premise that we are to test the teachings of men as the Bereans did (Acts chapter 17) and search the Scriptures diligently.

The Purpose of Purpose-Driven

One of the major goals of the purpose-driven church growth movement is church growth. This growth is dependent on adding numbers based on human methods and techniques. While promoters say these human methods are found in the Bible, there are reasons to question this claim.

It seems to me that many of the purpose-driven techniques are oriented towards what’s in it for me, rather than what I can do for you. Successful purpose-driven church leaders find out what appeals to seekers who might come to their church and then provide the service or the environment that meets their approval. Thus purpose-driven churches can become market-oriented for the “seeker-friendly” without being so biblical that “seekers” would be offended.

Most Christians would agree that to be faithful to Jesus and His Word, healthy church growth should be based on the teaching of God’s Word. However, a market-driven church based on man-made methods designed to increase numbers may produce converts who are biblically illiterate.

Man’s word or God’s Word

The Scriptures have been carefully translated from Hebrew and Greek so the Word of God can be understood in the languages of our day. Some say we need to make the Bible more understandable by taking the Word of God and changing it to the words of men. But is this idea biblical?

Remember that the Bible has been given to us by God. As Paul stated in his letter to Timothy:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. [1]

While the Bible has been written by human hands, the words were inspired by God. Not only are the words inspired, but the Bible states humans are prohibited from altering the Scriptures by adding to or taking away from what God has said. Notice what we read in the Book of Revelation:

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. [2]

Therefore according to Scripture, humans tread on dangerous ground when we take the liberty of adding to or deleting from what God has said. However, it is a fact that many seeker-friendly churches try to make the Scriptures more “seeker-friendly” by altering the actual inspired Word of God and reinterpreting it into the ideas or views of man.

Whose Message?

For example, consider a new version of the Bible authored by Eugene Peterson known as The Message. Described as a “contemporary rendering of the Bible from the original languages, crafted to present its tone, rhythm, events, and ideas in everyday language,” this “paraphrased” version of the Bible, in reality, is nothing more than Eugene Peterson’s thoughts and views. Peterson has taken the carefully translated words of the Bible and put them into his own words and chosen idioms.

Rick Warren, the author of The Purpose Driven Church, is a strong supporter of Eugene Peterson’s message. While Warren claims he quotes the Bible when he quotes The Message he is not quoting the Bible. He is quoting the thoughts of some man who thinks he is stating what the Bible states.

You may ask, so what is wrong with this? Isn’t it better for a seeker to be reading some version of the Bible, rather than not reading the Bible at all? Many Christians, although they have been believers for years, claim they still have difficulty in understanding the Bible that has been translated word by word from the original text. If someone can come up with a way to make the Bible more understandable, wouldn’t this be a great tool for planting seeds for the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Such a line of reasoning may sound acceptable. However we also know that what seems right to man, may be wrong from God’s perspective. Further when we rely upon man’s thoughts rather than God’s thoughts it’s almost certain that we will be deceived. With regard to Eugene Peterson’s The Message, there is one message that should be clear. If you want the truth and all the truth, read the Bible - not some man’s conjecture about what he thinks God has said. Otherwise you have the potential of committing spiritual suicide.

Relevancy without Compromise

While it is true, Christianity must be relevant in order to be effective, how far can we stray from biblical standards and still be sound Christian witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Perhaps you have not heard about another new trend sweeping the Christian church. Many are saying a great change lies ahead. The seeker-friendly era is over. Now we are headed into another new period of church history. It’s called “the emerging church.”

Rick Warren is also very supportive of “the emerging church.” This is what he wrote in a foreword for Dan Kimball’s book, The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations --

As a pastor, I’ve watched churches adopt many contemporary styles in worship, programming, architecture, music, and other elements. That’s okay, as long as the biblical message is unchanged. But whatever is in style now will inevitably be out of style soon, and the cycles of change are getting shorter and shorter, aided by technology and the media. New styles and preferences, like fashions, are always changing.[3]

It is true over the past decades many trends have come and gone. Not all these trends have been based on sound biblical doctrine. In fact the reason many of these trends occurred was because Christians were vulnerable to “winds of doctrine” that had no biblical basis.

According to the Bible, in last days these winds of doctrine will be “doctrines of demons” that will influence Christians to fall away from the truth and accept ideas that “tickle their ears.” [4]

Rick Warren is enthusiastic about the “emerging church” because he believes it is the church of the future. In fact he believes this is what “the purpose-driven” church that he founded is about to become. He notes:

In the past twenty years, spiritual seekers have changed a lot. In the first place, there are a whole lot more of them. There are seekers everywhere. I’ve never seen more people so hungry to discover and develop the spiritual dimension of their lives. That is why there is such a big interest in Eastern thought, New Age practices, mysticism and the transcendent. [5]

Further, he explains what the “emerging church” must do in order to emerge:

Today seekers are hungry for symbols and metaphors and experiences and stories that reveal the greatness of God. Because seekers are constantly changing, we must be sensitive to them like Jesus was; we must be willing to meet them on their own turf and speak to them in ways they understand. [6]

Now, let’s follow Rick Warren’s line of reasoning through to its logical conclusion based on the idea the world is hungry for an Eastern worldview, the New Age, mysticism and spiritual enlightenment. If it is necessary to meet these “spiritual seekers” on their turf, wouldn’t that require Christianity to become more New Age and mystical?

If you are a Bible believer, keep a close eye on the emerging church. The Bible warns about joining hands with pagans. It’s a recipe for disaster – even God’s wrath.

Emerging into What?

Rick Warren and others say we need to pay attention to the emerging church. Things are changing, they say and the “emerging church” has the answers for our generation. But what will the emerging church emerge into? Could it be a form of Christianity that embraces experience rather than God’s Word?

Dan Kimball is the author of The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations. He is also launching a church called Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California. Kimball makes the following statement in the introduction of his book:

I believe with all my heart that this discussion about the fast-changing culture and the emerging church must take place. While many of us have been preparing sermons and keeping busy with the internal affairs of our churches, something alarming has been happening on the outside. What once was a Christian nation with a Judeo-Christian worldview is quickly becoming a post Christian, unchurched, unreached nation. New generations are arising all around us without any Christian influence. So we must rethink virtually everything we are doing in our ministries. [7]

Certainly the spiritual climate in North America has changed radically over the past number of years just as Dan Kimball has stated. Many, including Rick Warren and Dan Kimball use the term “post-Christian era” to describe the days in which we are living. They say, while the seeker-friendly era was successful in bringing a generation of “baby-boomers” to Jesus, that time is past. Now we need to find new innovative methods that will reach this new generation for Jesus.

Kimball’s book, The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations, is written for this purpose. He not only identifies the problems he believes the church is now facing, he provides the answers and the solutions. The church for the future, he believes, must be more sensual and experienced-based. He calls this church “Vintage Christianity”.

Perhaps the term “Vintage Christianity” is new to you. While it is not my intention to describe all that it means in this commentary, a few chapter titles from Kimball’s book under a heading called “Reconstructing Vintage Christianity in the Emerging Church” will be helpful for us to understand where the emerging church is headed. These are: “Overcoming the Fear of Mulitsensory Worship and Teaching”, [8] “Creating a Sacred Space for Vintage Worship”, [9] “Expecting the Spiritual”, [10] “Creating Experiential Multisensory Worship Gatherings”, [11] “Becoming Story Tellers Again” [12] and “Preaching Without Words”. [13]

Now, I ask you, this question. What does the Bible say about Vintage Christianity and the so-called emerging church? Is the goal of Christianity experience-based or Bible-based? Jesus said: “If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” [14] Further He stated: “Why do ye not understand My speech? because ye cannot hear My word.” [15]

Less Word, More Worship

It should be apparent by now that the emerging church is more experience-based than Bible-based. Further, in the emerging church the Word of God takes a secondary position to the worship of God. While worshipping God is a very important part of the Christian faith, are there any problems that might occur if worship supersedes the Word?

Dan Kimball doesn’t think so. He sees a new worship generation in the making that is essential to the emerging church. 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. [16]

Obviously, in order for this to happen, changes would have to be incorporated. Kimball has thought this through and offers a number of suggestions which he lists in a chart [17] that shows how the “modern church” must adjust and move towards a “no-holds-barred approach” to worship. Some of these are:

Services designed to be user-friendly and contemporary must change to services that are designed to be experiential and spiritual-mystical.

Stained-glass that was taken out of churches and replaced with video screens should now be brought back into the church on video screens.

Lit up and cheery sanctuaries need to be darkened because darkness is valued and displays a sense of spirituality.

The focal point of the service that was the sermon must be changed so that the focal point of the service is a holistic experience. Use of modern technology that was used to communicate with a contemporary flare must change so that church attendees can experience the ancient and mystical (and use technology to do so).

Ancient-Future Faith

Dr. Robert “Bob” Webber is recognized by pastors, denominational leaders, scholars and lay people as one of the foremost authorities on worship renewal. He regularly conducts workshops for almost every major denomination in North America through the Institute of Worship Studies which he founded in 1995.

Prior to his appointment to his present position at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Webber taught at Wheaton College for 32 years as Professor of Theology. He has authored over 40 books and is also a regular contributor to numerous magazines and newspapers. [18] He is on the editorial board of Chuck Fromm’s Worship Leader magazine.

I was first introduced to Dr. Webber and his views when I read an article that he had written in the May/June issue of Worship Leader titled “Wanted: Ancient Future Talent.” Under a subheading labeled “The Call for Ancient-Future Worship Talent” Webber wrote:

I am personally most gratified to see the shift toward a recovery of the ancient. While many good choruses have been produced over the past forty years, the rejection of the sources of hymnody and worship by the contemporary church has resulted in a faith that is an inch deep. [19]

In this article, Dr. Webber stated that “the Spirit is working a new thing in the church” and an “ancient-future worship is being born.” He listed a number of things that he believes are necessary for “talented workers” to discover if they are going to be a successful part of this new movement. Some of these are:

Rediscover the Trinitarian nature of worship (We worship the Father in the language of mystery; the Son in the language of story; the Spirit in the language of symbol).

Rediscover how God acts through the sacred signs of water, bread and wine, oil and laying on of hands.

Rediscover the central nature of the table of the Lord in the Lord’s supper, breaking of bread, communion and Eucharist.

Rediscover how congregational spirituality is formed through the Christian celebration of time in Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost.

While I agree with Dr. Webber it would be beneficial to reintroduce the great hymns written in the past by anointed men and women of God that expound sound biblical doctrine, it appears that is not what he means by returning to “the ancient.” In fact his list of things to do in his call for “ancient-future worship talent” mentions a number of terms and ideas that cannot be found in the Bible.

In order to clarify Dr. Webber’s views, I did some further research. I found an interview Dr. Webber had done that was posted on the Internet for a website called TheOoze.com. Responding to the question: “What do you think the North American evangelical church is going to look like 25 years from now?” Dr. Webber responded:

Christianity will be less national, less culturally formed. It will be smaller pockets of communities in neighborhoods. The church will focus on people, not buildings, on community, not programs, on scripture study, not showy worship. [20]

Certainly this view of the future sounds reasonable and acceptable from a biblical perspective. In fact, I could say a hearty “Amen” to what Dr. Webber said. But the next statement adds a whole different dimension to the direction he believes Christianity is emerging towards. He stated:

Biblical symbols such as baptismal identity and Eucharistic thanksgiving will take on new meaning. The church will be less concerned about having an eschatology and more committed to being an eschatological community. [21]

Over the past several years, I have observed that Dr. Webber’s prediction regarding the future of the church seems to be accurate. Many who were once anticipating the soon and imminent return of Jesus are now asleep. Some are saying it appears “the Lord has delayed His coming.” Others are saying “we have been misled by pastors and teachers who have taught us that the Second Coming is a literal return of Jesus to set up His Kingdom.” These same people are claiming the “ Kingdom of God” will be established here on earth through Christians during the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus.

This is a Roman Catholic teaching and not found in the Scriptures.

The Ancient and the Mystical

Over the past number of years I have had the opportunity to travel the world speaking in various countries. While in these countries I have visited many old churches that are dark and mystical. These churches were founded by the Roman Catholic or the Orthodox Church many centuries ago.

In these churches I have observed, icons, statues of Mary holding baby Jesus, Jesus hanging on the cross, candles, incense, relics, and statues of the “saints.” While there is a lot of emphasis in the visual, sensual, and mystical, there is very little evidence that the Bible was ever taught to the people. If it had, there would not be an emphasis on extrabiblical paraphernalia, extra-sensory images, sounds and smells.

This brings up an interesting question. Is there some connection between the emerging church of the present era and the church that emerged following the period of time after the New Testament was written? Remember the words of Paul as recorded in the Book of Acts:

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. [22]

While Rick Warren, Dan Kimball and Dr. Robert Webber and others may be excited about the “emerging church” and the direction it is presently headed, I am concerned the emerging church may actually be a re-emergence of what has already occurred in church history. If the pattern continues expect to see evangelical Protestants become more and more Roman Catholic.

It is important to keep Scripture in mind when we are looking for a method or a means to promote church growth. A Christianity that is not based on the Scriptures is a false Christianity. It may be ecumenical and it may be successful in attracting numbers, but it is not biblical. It could even lead people to believe they believe, but instead they are following false teachers and false doctrine and are deceived.

You know where they could spend eternity? Separated from God! Pray for them!

Notes

[1] 2 Timothy 3: 16

[2] Revelation 22: 18-19

[3] Dan Kimball, The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for the New Generation, Zondervan, 2003, page 7.

[4] 1 Timothy 4: 1 and 2 Timothy 4:3

[5] Dan Kimball, page 6.

[6] Ibid., pages 8-9.

[7] Ibid., pages 13-14.

[8] Ibid., page 127.

[9] Ibid., page 133.

[10] Ibid., page 143.

[11] Ibid., page 155.

[12] Ibid., page 171.

[13] Ibid., page 185.

[14] John 8: 31-32

[15] John 8: 43

[16] Dan Kimball, p. 185

[17] Ibid. p. 185

[18] www.seminary.edu/aboutnorthern/index.html

[19] Robert Webber, “Wanted Ancient-Future Talent,” Worship Leader, May/June 2005, p. 10

[20] Jordon Cooper interview with Dr. Webber, http://wwwtheooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=385, posted December 11, 2003

[21] Ibid.

[22]

Contemplative Prayer: Adding More to Church Apostasy

Sad but true: among the many errant and ecumenical teachings creeping into the modern evangelical protestant Church and becoming more popular are the mystical Catholic teachings of such men as Brennan Manning, Thomas Merton, Eugene Peterson, and Henri Nouwen, among many others. At a later time I will post a clear definition of what "mystical" and "mystic" means and why it cannot be reconciled with the true doctrines of the Holy Bible. For now Christians need to be aware that such "mystic" teachings as contemplative (centering) prayer/spirituality are dangerous and contrary to the Bible, have direct pagan origins, which means they cannot be Christianized nor accepted by Christ who is God and Who never contradicts Himself nor His teachings (doctrine), and although they are being popularized by such mainstream people as Rick Warren and Bill Hybels we must keep our eyes on the inerrant word of God so that we do not open ourselves up to the ever-clever seducing spirits which God's Book warns us about. There is, indeed, a reason the Bible tells Christians to "be sober-minded..."

Jesus most clearly has said to beware of false teachers, to turn away from them, for many have come into the world, deceiving and being deceived. False teachers and their teachings are an abomination to God, in all biblical truth, and at best we must pray that they will come under the conviction of the error of their ways, repent, and be reconciled to the true and risen Lord Jesus Christ before it is too late for them. Amen!

Here is a good article that touches on, with the help of the unchanging scripture, some of the dangers of contemplative spirituality.

Please Contemplate This

by T.A. McMahon, The Berean Call Newsletter, 03/00
From: www.deceptioninthechurch.com/newpage3111.htm

Suppose you were introduced to a promotion promising a direct line of communication with the Creator of the universe.

Let's say you're initially skeptical, but you also find the idea appealing. After all, who wouldn't want to be able to hear from and speak with God as though He were on one's cell phone? As you listen to the deal being pitched and peruse some of the literature, you realize that the key to this is the use of a ouija board. You push the literature aside and head for the exit.

Virtually every evangelical Christian would quickly reject the proposal, especially if he were aware that a ouija board is an instrument of divination, a device for contacting spirit entities, which the Bible explicitly condemns (Dt 18:10). The basic problem with divination is that, even though the diviner is sincerely attempting to contact God, the entities with which one ends up communicating are demons (posing as Jesus, God, angels, departed loved ones, aliens, gods, etc.).

Discernment regarding the above example is for the most part, as my kids would say, "a no brainer!" However, that's rarely the case in today's spiritual marketplace. In particular, the "new and improved" or "revived" ways of communicating with God promoted among evangelicals are highly deceptive and very seductive. God has given His Word and His Holy Spirit to help us discern what is of Him and what is not. It's particularly disturbing that a lethal portion of the "what is not" has entered the arena of our evangelical youth. Under the guise of "spiritual exercises that invite direct experiences with God," and with the assurance that they are "classical forms of biblical meditation," growing numbers of our "church" kids are being led unwittingly into the occult.

As I researched what I consider to be an extremely dangerous "spiritual" trend in the body of Christ, my empathy and concern deepened for the young people and youth pastors involved. I have little doubt that the motivation common to most of them arises from a desire to know God more intimately. That is not only what every biblical believer wants but, more importantly, that's what the Lord wants for us. Furthermore, no truly born-again Christian can deny the experiential aspect of his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. So what exactly is the problem? God's way is being forsaken for man's way—and worse.

Programs and practices rife with occult methodologies and techniques have been in the works at churches and youth ministries around the country: Taizé, Lectio Divina, The Labyrinth (prayer walk), Renovaré, guided imagery, Walk to Emmaus, Cursillo, Centering Prayer, Ignatian Awareness Examen, The Jesus Prayer, and The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, to name but a handful. Two significant reasons for the appalling growth of these and other similar activities are that 1) they have an inside track with established parachurch organizations, and 2) increasing numbers of evangelicals are acquiring a taste for things Catholic.

Mark Yaconelli is co-director of the Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project (YMSP), an Eli Lilly (makers of Prozac) endowed program which is introducing contemplative spirituality to young people throughout the country. He is also an adjunct professor of youth ministries at San Francisco Theological Seminary. His father is Mike Yaconelli, head of Youth Specialities, a major evangelical organization serving "more than 80,000 youth workers worldwide through training seminars, conventions, videos, magazines, and resource products."

One Youth Specialities seminar is "Sabbath: A [Contemplative] Spiritual Retreat for Youth Workers," which Mark Yaconelli leads. In an article for the popular, youth-oriented Group magazine, Mark states, "The YMSP approach to youth ministry pushes for a return to God-awareness...[noting] that middle school and senior high kids are hungry to encounter God directly and eager to learn contemplative spiritual practices."1

In another article subtitled "How Spiritual Exercises Can Change Your Kids," he tells of implementing contemplative methods he first learned at "a weeklong retreat at a nearby [Roman Catholic] convent":

Our [YMSP] project churches were introduced to a number of classical exercises from the Christian tradition: Biblical meditation forms like Lectio Divina and Ignatian contemplation; icon prayers and other visualization prayers; chanting; guided imagery; biblical imagination...centering prayer; and prayers of discernment.2

While I'm not questioning Yaconelli's sincerity or integrity, nevertheless his statement needs both clarification and correction for accuracy's sake. By "Christian tradition" he cannot mean biblical Christianity; these are exercises from "ancient" Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. And, as will become clear, the "biblical meditation forms" he refers to are the antithesis of the meditation presented in God's Word.

Let's begin with the term "contemplative," which is the prevalent name for the movement. Whereas contemplation normally means to think about something intently or to study it carefully, practitioners of the various contemplative methods do the opposite. The movement's goal is to get people beyond thinking and understanding and into the realm of experiencing. Adherents are taught that while reason has some value, truly knowing God can only come through experiencing Him. This approach is, at best, a corruption of what the Bible says both about reason and how a believer's personal relationship with Jesus Christ is developed. At worst, the contemplative exercises lead to the false Eastern mystical belief that man can achieve literal union with God, i.e., be absorbed into Him or It.

Lectio Divina (or "holy reading") is one of the basic exercises of these disciplines. A phrase or single word is chosen from the Bible. However, rather than aiding understanding through one's dwelling on its plain meaning, the word or words become mediumistic devices for hearing directly from God. The word or phrase is then "meditated upon" (meditatio) by being slowly repeated again and again in the fashion of a mantra (Jesus condemns as heathen "vain repetitions" in prayer [Mt 6:7]). It is then prayed (oratio) as an incantation, thereby allegedly healing painful thoughts or emotions. Finally, the repeated word is used to help clear one's thoughts (contemplatio), supposedly making one an open receptacle for personally hearing God's voice.

These biblical words are selected not for the purpose of attaining objective understanding—the "contemplator" has almost no interest in the meaning, grammatical use or context of the verses, which simply become a mechanism to aid in listening for subjective communication from God. It should be obvious (especially for evangelicals!) that this is not how the Bible instructs us to learn or teach the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Furthermore, classic contemplative concepts reject doctrine as a basis for knowing God and for receiving His salvation. Many of the movement's "spiritual masters" blame western rationalism (with its penchant for reason and emphasis upon words) for nearly destroying "our ability to intuitively experience our Creator."

While the contemplative movement is troubling in its antibiblical philosophies, it is downright alarming in its potential for demon involvement. Its methodologies have been the very stuff of occultism throughout the ages. A tutorial of this movement is The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a primer for learning occult visualization (hailed by shamans as the most potent method for contacting spirit entities). In one of dozens of such exercises Ignatius instructs the reader "to picture...Christ our Lord....standing in a lowly place in a great plain about the region of Jerusalem, His appearance beautiful and attractive."3 Though this may seem innocent, even spiritually gratifying, in reality it's impossible. No one knows what Jesus looks like. Morever, this is visual idolatry (Ex 20:4-5), and a divination technique that opens the door to demonic spirits. We personally know former Jesuit priests (Ignatius founded the Jesuits) who report that they had been demonized by this method. The real Jesus will not respond, no matter how sincere the practitioner. Through the imagination the visualized Jesus (or any other personage) often takes on a life of its own and brings the practitioner into occult bondage. (See The Seduction of Christianity or Occult Invasion for more information on shamanic visualization.)

Centering prayer, a foundational contemplative technique, is a "Christianized" version of Eastern mystical meditation. Stripped of its deceptively biblical sounding terminology, it's no different from that which yogis have practiced for millennia; neither are its occult effects. For example, an instructor in the movement (who mentors two Catholic priests) tells of his recurring problem with his meditation breathing exercise:

The Spirit would flow into my heart and start burning and I couldn't get it to stop. The burning would proceed into my lungs and I could not take a deep breath for days, let alone do the breathing exercises....Do not get the idea that I was doing the exercises too forcefully. I wasn't. It was just that the Spirit had become unleashed and I was encouraging it to flow more forcefully than my nervous system could handle. I sought medical help but the doctor couldn't find any reason for the problem. How do you tell a doctor that the Spirit has really been rough on you lately and you want to learn how to cope with it?

Rough "Spirit"? Not the Holy Spirit! Still needing help, he wrote to a renowned Catholic monk, author of many books on contemplative exercises. The reply was revealing though not surprising. "He graciously wrote back explaining that although the end in God is the same....he had not felt the heat or the flowing of the Spirit exactly as I did but that he had read about these experiences when reading of the kundalini (what [Western] yogis call the fire of the Holy Spirit [Hindus actually call it the "Serpent force!"]) experiences...."5 Similar "rough" manifestationswhich wouldn't go away have been reported at the alleged revivals of Pensacola and Toronto, causing young people and their parents to seek medical counsel.

If our small, central-Oregon town of Bend is any indication, the pied pipers of this movement are everywhere. Some of our local churches recently had Taizé meetings (repetitive chanting, meditative silences, candlelit rooms, etc.) for their youth. Walk to Emmaus has its local adherents. Richard Foster, who introduced shamanic visualization to evangelicals in his bestselling Celebration of Discipline, came to town with his contemplative spirituality-promoting organization, Renovaré. Its board of reference and speakers have included Jack Hayford, Lloyd John Ogilvie, Don Moomaw, Robert Seiple, David and Karen Mains, Martin Marty, C. Peter Wagner, Ron Sider, J.I. Packer, Calvin Miller, Fr. Henri Nouwen, Ted Engstrom, Fr. Michael Scanlon, Eugene Peterson, John Wimber, and Tony Campolo.

Not far from here, Eastern mystical guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh had his massive ashram/ranch, which the Lord graciously turned over to Young Life, the evangelical parachurch ministry. So it's grievously ironic that the speaker for their pre-opening leadership conference at the 60,000-plus-acres Wild Horse Canyon complex was former Catholic priest/present Catholic mystic Brennan Manning. His book The Signature of Jesus advances the philosophies and methodologies of the contemplative mystical/New Age pundits. It is Jesus to whom he attributes the occult technique of centering prayer: "The hunger I encounter across the land for silence, solitude, and centering prayer is the Spirit of Christ calling us from the shadows to the deep."6 His most influential admirers (and promoters among our youth) are some of the biggest names in Christian music, among them the late Rich Mullins, Michael Card, D.C. Talk, and A Ragamuffin Band—named after Manning's Ragamuffin Gospel (endorsed by Eugene Peterson [who wrote The Message non-Bible] and Max Lucado). His contemplative and "unconditional love" gospel, however, is not the biblical gospel of salvation; therefore, neither can the Jesus who he claims appears to him be the biblical Jesus. (Jesus has said in the Bible that if anyone tells you that Jesus has appeared anywhere that you are not to believe it! Either Manning is lying or he is greatly deceived by the deceiver himself, Satan.)

The problems with this bogus spiritual approach to God are too many to fit into this brief article. Nevertheless, my prayer is that those youth leaders and pastors involved, or thinking about getting involved, would contemplate (in the biblical sense!) the following:

Where do you find any of these methods or techniques in the Bible? Did any prophet or apostle, New Testament or Old, practice any of these "spiritual" exercises? No. Then how can these exercises be considered God's way of knowing Him?

How much of this movement with its mystical saints and classic works is Catholic, advancing the Catholic way of salvation? Are you interested in having your youth group follow the "check your mind at the door" teachings of St. Ignatius found in his spiritual exercises—such as, "If we wish to proceed securely in all things, we must hold fast to the following principle: What seems to me white, I will believe black if the hierarchical [Roman Catholic] Church so defines"?7

Have you ever found the biblical gospel in any of the classic or modern contemplative materials? Could there be any significance in the fact that this movement practically died out after the Reformation, only to be revived today! How does one discern whether or not the God being "heard" through the subjective, experiential mode of communication is truly our Lord speaking—especially if the authority and sufficiency of His Word is downplayed, even rejected?

Finally, if you truly love those young souls whom Christ also loved and for whom He died, will you be a Berean, carefully checking these things in the light of Scripture—for their sake (Acts 20:28)? TBC

The Mariolatry of Gibson's Movie

From: http://hissheep.org/news/p/mariolatry_of_the_passion.html

Mel Gibson believes that Mary is “a tremendous co-redemptrix and mediatrix” (David Neff, “Mel, Mary, and Mothers,” Christianity Today online, Feb. 20, 2004). This means that Mary suffered with Christ and became the Mother of all believers, the Queen of Heaven, an intercessor for the saints.

Gibson has testified that this movie The Passion of the Christ represents his faith, and there can be no doubt of that for those who view the film without prejudice.

Consider the following examples of how The Passion of the Christ exalts Mary in an unscriptural fashion:

* Peter and John call Mary “Mother” and the word “Mother” is capitalized in the subtitles.

* As Jesus is tormented by the devil in the Garden of Gethsemane, Mary wakes up and senses Jesus' agony. (Gibson got this from the visions of Catholic mystic Anne-Catherine Emmerich. “During this agony of Jesus, I saw the Blessed Virgin also overwhelmed with sorrow and anguish of soul, in the house of Mary, the mother of Mark. She was with Magdalen and Mary in the garden belonging to the house, and almost prostrate from grief, with her whole body bowed down as she knelt. She fainted several times, for she beheld in spirit different portions of the agony of Jesus.”)

* Jesus prays to God, “I am your servant and the son of your handmaid.” The Bible never tells us that Jesus prayed in this manner. It is another unscriptural Catholic exaltation of Mary.

* After Peter denies Jesus, he is leaving the courtyard and sees Mary, Mary Magdalene, and John. He gets on his knees before Mary, calls her “Mother,” and confesses his denial to her. She holds out her hand to him (as if she is going to forgive him), and he runs away saying that he isn't worthy. Peter twice tells Mary not to touch him after he denied Jesus. (Gibson got this from the visions of Catholic mystic Anne-Catherine Emmerich.) This is rank heresy. It was Jesus against whom Peter sinned that night, not Mary!

* Mary is near Jesus all during His suffering, co-mingling her sorrow with his pain.

* Mary is the only person other than Jesus who can see Satan. This gives her supernatural abilities akin to those of Christ.

* As the soldiers bring Jesus before Caiaphas, Jesus looks at Mary, who is across the courtyard, and Mary says, “It has begun, Lord ... so be it.” Thus, in this Catholic version of the Gospel Mary adds her “so be it” to Christ's sufferings just as she did to the angel's announcement of the virgin birth.

* Mary goes to a specific place in the temple and lays down on the floor with her head on the stones because she sensed the presence of Jesus chained underneath the floor. She knew where he was. The camera pans through the floor and shows Jesus hanging from shackles and looking up into the stone ceiling toward Mary. (This is from the visions of Anne-Catherine Emmerich. “Mary was with Jesus in spirit, and Jesus was with her; but this loving Mother wished to hear with her own ears the voice of her Divine Son.”)

* Mary interacts with Pilate's wife and appeals to her to protect Jesus from the angry crowd. There is not a hint of this in Scripture. (Gibson got this from the visions of Catholic mystic Anne-Catherine Emmerich.)

* Pontius Pilate's wife gives some cloths to Mary. (Gibson got this from the visions of Catholic mystic Anne-Catherine Emmerich. “ “I saw Claudia Procles, the wife of Pilate, send some large pieces of linen to the Mother of God.”)

* Mary and Mary Magdalene wipe up Jesus' blood after He is whipped. (This is from Anne-Catherine Emmerich's visions. “Then it was that the Mother of Jesus, accompanied by the holy women, approached the pillar and wiped up the blood with which it and the ground around were saturated.”)

* Once when Jesus falls down, he is depicted as not having the strength to rise until he looks at Mary and gains strength from her. He is depicted as receiving strength from her at other times as well.

* Once Mary runs up to Jesus when he falls and there is a flashback showing the child Jesus falling and hurting himself and being comforted by Mary, thus directly associating Mary's aid with Jesus' sufferings.

* While Jesus is on the cross, Mary comes up and kisses his foot. The blood runs down into her mouth, and she backs away “almost licking her lips with blood all over her face.”

* As she is looking up at the cross, Mary asks Jesus if she can die with him. She says, “Flesh of my flesh and heart of my heart, let me die with you.” (This is from the visions of Catholic mystic Anne-Catherine Emmerich. “The Blessed Virgin, filled with intense feelings of motherly love, entreated her Son to permit her to die with him.” ) One reviewer admits, “There is that identity of Mary with the death of Christ as well; not just in mourning His death but in wanting to participate in it.” The Bible says that Jesus Christ BY HIMSELF bore our sins (Heb. 1:3), and the reason why the Bible has none of these depictions is because Mary had nothing to do with Christ's suffering for our sins. The way that Mary is placed everywhere with Jesus in His suffering is blasphemous.

* Mary is depicted as holding the dead Jesus at the foot of the Cross, which is a reenactment of the unscriptural Roman Catholic Pieta . This depicts Mary as the suffering Mother who assisted her son in our redemption. Roman Catholic priest Thomas Rosica, who oversaw World Youth Day 2002 in Canada, observed: “The interplay of Mary and Jesus in this film is moving, and reaches its apex in the scene of the Pietà. The Mother of the Lord is inviting each of us to share her grief and behold her Son.”

Two Excellent, Helpful Books

Two excellent books that will help you more fully understand the true false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church in light of the Holy Bible are:

The Gospel According to Rome, by James McCarthy, a former Roman Catholic

and

Unmasking Catholicism, by Mary Ann Collins, a former nun

Highly recommended books written lovingly and in the truth of God's word.

The Adulation of Man in The Purpose Driven Life

By Richard Bennett

To read this article in its entirety please click on: http://hissheep.org/catholic/the_adulation_of_man_in_the_purpose_driven_life.html

Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Life “is more than a bestseller, it’s become a movement.”[1] In the words of the author himself his megachurch program is “Revival awakening or miracle…Over 12,000 churches from all 50 states and 19 countries have now participated in 40 Days of Purpose. Many of these churches have reported that it was the most transforming event in their congregation’s history.”[2] “Rick is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community that serves and mentors those in ministry worldwide. Over 60,000 pastors subscribe to Rick Warren’s Ministry Toolbox.”[3] On this Webpage he states, “Our Purpose is to encourage pastors, ministers, and church leaders with tools and resources for growing healthy churches…Every resource you purchase helps provide free resources to the over 1.5 million pastors and lay pastors in third world countries. God has allowed us through your support to reach over 117 different countries on all 7 continents.”[4] The movement is becoming a global empire. Warren asserts, “God is a global God…Much of world already thinks globally. The largest media and business conglomerates are all multi-national…Get a globe or map and pray for nations by name. The Bible says, ‘If you ask me, I will give you the nations; all the people on earth will be yours.’”[5] (Warren, however, has overlooked the fact that this promise was made uniquely to Christ Jesus, and not to megachurches seeking expansion). Even the business world is looking on with awe. Forbes.com in an article called “Christian Capitalism Megachurches, Megabusinesses” acknowledged that,

“Maybe churches aren’t so different from corporations…Pastor Rick Warren, who founded Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., in 1980, has deftly used technology as well as marketing to spread his message… No doubt, churches have learned some valuable lessons from corporations. Now maybe they can teach businesses a thing or two. Companies would certainly appreciate having the armies of nonpaid, loyal volunteers.”[6]

The empire of influence of which Warren boasts is echoed by thousands of pastors and Christian leaders around the world. At least eighteen million copies of his book have been sold since its release in September 2002. It is now selling in many translations. Literally thousands of churches have used the book and the materials that accompany it during special campaigns called 40 Days of Purpose. The book is divided into forty chapters purporting to explain in 40 days the five purposes of one’s life. Indeed, the thesis of the book is found on p. 136,

“He [God] created the church to meet your five deepest needs: a purpose to live for, people to live with, principles to live by, a profession to live out, and power to live on. There is no other place on earth where you can find all five of these benefits in one place.” [7]

Warren is dead wrong in his list of “deepest needs”. On the authority of the Bible, the first and foremost need of any man is perfect righteousness before the All Holy God. It is Christ Jesus’ righteousness alone that God will accept as a propitiation for any man’s sin and sin nature. This primary need of man is constantly shown in the Bible but Warren does not even mention this foundational truth in his list of “deepest needs”. Warren’s quick switch from God’s purpose to man’s methods falls under the first temptation ever recorded in the Bible. Satan offered to Eve the fruit as the way of achieving a spiritual purpose, “in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”[8] Warren teaches that God “created the church to meet your five deepest needs” just as the Roman Catholic Church says, “The Church is the mother of all believers.”[9] Warren, like Rome, has switched from obedience to the Word and Person of the Living God to submission to a church to achieve one’s needs. It is the oldest and cleverest temptation known to man.

Warren’s gospel, the root flaw
The Apostle Paul showed the need for the Gospel by the fact that whole the world is guilty before God. He declared, “now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”[10] All are “by nature children of wrath”[11], guilty before the all Holy God. To appear before Him, therefore, each needs a perfect righteousness. James summarizes the whole condition of man when he says, “for whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”[12] Guilt before God shows the need for the Gospel and as such is the basis for the Gospel. Conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit drives the sinner to trust truly on Christ Jesus alone, as the publican in the parable of the Lord cried out, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”[13] With Warren, this conviction of guilt is reduced by psychological terminology to the condition of “unconsciously punishing of oneself”. He states,

RICK WARREN ASKS, "WHY BE DIVISIVE?"

From: http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/rickwarren-whybe-divisive.html

July 29, 2003 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org

Rick Warren, church growth guru and pastor of the Southern Baptist-affiliated Saddleback Valley Community Church near Los Angeles, California, teaches pastors to use worldly music to draw a crowd and to focus their message on the positive and to avoid controversial and divisive doctrinal issues.

Called by Christianity Today "America's most influential pastor," Warren's influence is vast. He has taught 300,000 pastors through his church growth seminars and far more through his books and videos. His influence reaches into every sphere of Christianity today, from Catholicism, to liberal Protestantism, to evangelicalism, to fundamentalist Bible and Baptist churches. His latest book, The Purpose-Driven Life, has sold 4.5 million copies.

In an interview with USA Today earlier this year, Warren said, "I'm not going to get into a debate over the non-essentials. I won't try to change other denominations. Why be divisive?"

He cites Billy Graham, the king of ecumenical "positive onlyism," as his model.

Since Mr. Warren has asked his question, I have decided to answer it.

The reason we need to be divisive is because God has commanded us to preach all of His Word and to "reprove, rebuke, exhort" (2 Tim. 4:2). The emphasis in 2 Timothy 4 is as much "negative" as "positive." That is the preacher's divine standard.

God has commanded us not only to believe sound doctrine but also to earnestly contend for it (Jude 3). That means we are to fight aggressively against that which is false. This is exactly what we see in the uncompromising ministry of the Lord's apostles. Their epistles contain strong and clear warnings about false teaching. Paul often named the names of the false teachers. Such a ministry naturally causes divisions between those who are committed to the truth and those who are following error.

The apostasy of our time is much advanced in comparison with that of the days of the apostles (2 Tim. 3:1-13; 4:3-4). The Holy Spirit warned that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3:13). That is the story of church history. The apostasy that was just beginning in the days of the first churches grew quickly as the centuries passed, eventually producing the Roman Catholic Church, and it has continued to grow and spread throughout the age. The Bible warns that just prior to the return of Christ, the apostasy will be almost complete.

Thus preachers today are obligated to be even more aggressive and more divisive, if you will, than the apostles were!

That, Rick Warren, is why we should be divisive, and you will give an account at the judgment seat of Christ for promoting your unscriptural "positive-only, avoid divisiveness" emphasis. And in that day the Word of God will wash away the strong wall of church growth philosophy that you have built up to defend your methodology and by which you have duped so many. I believe this with all of my heart. And I weep over the damage that is being caused to the churches of Jesus Christ by a methodology that is breaking down the wall of separation between God's people and the world but that is doing it under the guise of holiness and love for the truth. This philosophy of rejecting strict scriptural separation destroyed Israel of old and it will destroy every church that goes down the same road.

WARREN AND FALWELL

Rick Warren and Jerry Falwell are partnering for a Purpose-Driven "SuperConference" in October. It will be held on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Simultaneously, a Rick Warren 40 Days of Purpose campaign will be shown by telecast in more than 3,000 churches, including Falwell's church. Falwell is a member both of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International and the Southern Baptist Convention.

CONCLUSION

Our day is described plainly in Bible prophecy:

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

This generation has itching ears, and it will not hear the preaching of God's Word that plainly rebukes its sin and forthrightly condemns its heresies; but it eagerly hears -- yea, flocks in droves to hear -- those soft-speaking teachers that are willing to be non-divisive and tickle ears with a positive-only, non-offensive message. The same generation that hates the old uncompromising, plain-spoken, "old time" fundamentalist-style preaching, dearly loves the preaching of the Billy Grahams and the Rick Warrens and the Robert Schullers.

Rick Warren claims that he has not compromised the Word of God with his principles and methods, that he has only modernized them; but when I look into the book of Acts and the Epistles I see a different kind of Christianity, a different kind of church there, than the one that Rick Warren has devised. Thus I must reject Warren's Purpose Driven methods and I must warn those who have an ear to hear, regardless of how small that crowd may be, that they not heed the siren call of the contemporary church growth gurus.

Rick Warren Teams Up With New-Age Guru Ken Blanchard!

This is a Special Report.

From: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/PressReleasekenblanchard.htm

Apr 19, 2005 While Rick Warren is gearing up to train a billion people, unbeknownst to many he has also been teamed up with New Age and contemplative promoter, Ken Blanchard, for some time now. According to a new biography on Rick Warren, A Life With Purpose written by George Mair, Rick Warren has solicited the services of Ken Blanchard to aid him in training leaders: "Rick taps the best and most famous to help train church leaders to be like Jesus. He has hired Ken Blanchard .... to come to Saddleback to help train people how to be effective leaders." p. 193

In light of knowing who Ken Blanchard is, this is shocking and devastating news for the church!

There is countless evidence to show that Blanchard sits on the New Age/mystical/contemplative bandwagon. Blanchard believes in the benefits and use of mantra meditation, yoga and has no trouble borrowing from Buddhism.

Here are just a few examples:

Wrote the foreword to Jim Ballard's Mind Like Water

Wrote the foreword to Franz Metcalf's What Would Buddha Do At Work?

Is on the Front Cover of Corporate Mystic-(Listen)

Is on the Back Cover of Deepak Chopra's 7 Spiritual Laws of Success

Jim Ballard, a staunch New Ager, and a colleague of The Ken Blanchard Companies

Wrote the Foreword to Ellen Ladd's (clairvoyant) book, Death and Letting Go.

Blanchard makes no apology when he says much can be gained from Buddhism. He and his wife both encourage the practice of yoga (p.11) and mantra meditation.

For those who do not find the words of an unofficial biographer (Mair) linking Rick Warren with Blanchard convincing enough, Ken Blanchard, Rick Warren and Bill Hybels (Willow Creek) have become team players at the Lead Like Jesus conferences, which take place across North America. The three also have an audio set they co-authored together.

Did Rick Warren know of Blanchard's sympathies when he brought him in to help at Saddleback? Of course he did. And do you think that Rick Warren and Ken Blanchard are going to train their "billion" soldiers for Christ how to practice New Age mysticism and learn how to go into altered states of consciousness? You bet. And that is definitely something to be concerned about.

"...they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them strong delusion so that they might believe a lie..." II Thessalonians 2: 10-11

Lighthouse Trails Research Project
Deborah Dombrowski
editor@lighthousetrails.com

New Pope draws inspiration from New Age mystic writer

Does a penchant for the hippie favourite Hesse reveal Ratzinger's secret side?

By Boyd Tonkin, Literary Editor
21 April 2005

If Pope Benedict XVI really does draw inspiration from Hermann Hesse's Der Steppenwolf, then the famously rigid arch-conservative must have a hitherto unknown secret side. That, as it happens, would be highly appropriate. In his eerie, dream-like fictions, the Swiss novelist (1877-1962) returned again and again to divided characters and warring doubles in the throes of a surreal, traumatic journey towards wholeness and unity.

Hesse's psychoanalysis with a disciple of Jung underlies the mystic quest in his 1927 novel. Its artistic outsider of a hero, Harry Haller the "Steppenwolf", moves through the alien night-time city in search of the "Magic Theatre". There, ritual and fellowship will break down his conflicts and miseries.

Yes, you might read it as a Christian allegory, but equally as a psychedelic trip or a plunge into the underworld of Jungian archetypes.

Ratzinger's reported admiration for Hesse has more obvious oddities. We know that the Pontiff withdrew in disgust from the "relativistic" chaos of German student radicalism in the late Sixties. Yet Hesse's works famously wowed the hippies of the time. His books laid one of the cultural foundations of the New Age thinking that the Pope seems to abhor.

Ratzinger has also taken a high-profile stance against compromise and conciliation between faiths, reasserting the unique wisdom of the Roman church. But Hesse was a pioneering champion of mix-and-match spirituality. The child of missionaries in India, he always respected Christian piety but broadened the boundaries of faith and hoped for the advent of a sort of "world-belief", or Weltglaube. Scarred by the terrors of the First World War, he also became a firm pacifist.

Who knows? A Hesse-influenced pope might still shock the militaristic US President who rushed to welcome his election.

Ecumenism, In a Picture...

The ecumenism of former Pope John Paul II can be summed up in a picture, for those loveable skeptics (like some of my family) who say, "It can't be so!"

Here ya go!

Pope John Paul II kissing the Koran, as a sign of respect:

For those who do not know, the Koran contains teachings that are totally against the Jesus Christ whom the Roman Catholic Church and all Popes have claimed to follow...

The definition of ecumenism:

Ecumenism: A movement seeking to achieve worldwide unity among religions through greater cooperation and improved understanding. (The American Heritage Dictionary)

The definition of Christianity:

Christianity: The Christian religion, FOUNDED ON THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS (which are clearly stated in God's Word, the Bible).(The American Heritage Dictionary)

Did not Jesus Christ say in His Bible that His believers have no business having spiritual fellowship with those who are unbelievers (aka who believe in other religions when He alone is the One True Way)??

For the Bible-believing Christian with his or her feet planted firmly on the "straight and narrow" path, this religious unity is impossible because Christ has told us that His gospel will bring division and conflict and even persecution unto death, because so many will reject it. He "came not to bring peace on the earth but a sword," which is the word of God, His doctrine, and His truth. We hold true to the one true way to the One True God and this naturally brings conflict from those who do not believe as we do, and it always will. Religions will never achieve complete and genuine unity (it is impossible due to human nature), but under the coming millennial reign of Jesus Christ He will bodily reign supreme and those who belong to Him, who have been cleansed of their sin by His shed blood on Calvary, will be with Him forever..."so shall we ever be with the Lord." Amen and hallelujah!

In the meantime it is every Christian's prayer that others will see, before it is too late, that Jesus Christ is the "only way, truth and life," just as He promised some 2000 years ago. With so many different "ways" offered out there they cannot all possibly be correct. But an eternal Savior who was/is God in the flesh, who came to earth willingly so that He could die and raise to life again to make His believers pure and acceptible to a holy God, and Who is coming back again soon just as He has promised, makes more sense to me than anything else this world has to offer.

Germany's Ratzinger Elected New Pope (Just as so many predicted)

Updated: 4/19/2005 1:51 PM
By: William Kole, Associated Press



VATICAN CITY -- Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, the Roman Catholic Church's leading hard-liner, was elected the new pope Tuesday in the first conclave of the new millennium. He chose the name Benedict XVI and called himself "a simple, humble worker."

The crowd responded to the 265th pope by chanting "Benedict! Benedict!"

Ratzinger, the first German pope in centuries, emerged onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, where he waved to a wildly cheering crowd of tens of thousands and gave his first blessing. Other cardinals clad in their crimson robes came out on other balconies to watch him after one of the fastest papal conclaves of the past century.

"Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me -- a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord," he said after being introduced by Chilean Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estivez.

"The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers," the new pope said. "I entrust myself to your prayers."

If the new pope was paying tribute to the last pontiff of that name, it could be interpreted as a bid to soften his image as the Vatican's doctrinal hard-liner.
Benedict XV, who reigned from 1914 to 1922, was a moderate following Pius X, who had implemented a sharp crackdown against doctrinal "modernism." He reigned during World War I and was credited with settling animosity between traditionalists and modernists, and dreamed of reunion with Orthodox Christians.

Benedict, which comes from the Latin for "blessing," is one of a number of papal names of holy origin such as Clement ("mercy"), Innocent ("hopeful" as well as "innocent") and Pius ("pious").

Ratzinger turned 78 on Saturday. His age clearly was a factor among cardinals who favored a "transitional" pope who could skillfully lead the church as it absorbs John Paul II's legacy, rather than a younger cardinal who could wind up with another long pontificate.

The last pope from a German-speaking land was Victor II, bishop of Eichstatt, who reigned from 1055-57.

On Monday, Ratzinger, who was the powerful dean of the College of Cardinals, used his homily at the Mass dedicated to electing the next pope to warn the faithful about tendencies that he considered dangers to the faith: sects, ideologies like Marxism, liberalism, atheism, agnosticism and relativism -- the ideology that there are no absolute truths.

"Having a clear faith, based on the creed of the church, is often labeled today as a fundamentalism," he said, speaking in Italian. "Whereas relativism, which is letting oneself be tossed and 'swept along by every wind of teaching,' looks like the only attitude acceptable to today's standards.

Ratzinger served John Paul II since 1981 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In that position, he has disciplined church dissidents and upheld church policy against attempts by liberals for reforms.

He had gone into the conclave with the most buzz among two dozen leading candidates. He had impressed many faithful with his stirring homily at the funeral of John Paul II, who died April 2 at age 84.

The bells rang after a confusing smoke signal that Vatican Radio initially suggested was black but then declared was too difficult to call. White smoke is used to announce a pope's election to the world.

It was one of the fastest elections in the past century: Pope Pius XII was elected in 1939 in three ballots on one day, while Pope John Paul I was elected in 1978 in four ballots in one day. The new pope was elected after either four or five ballots over two days.

"It's only been 24 hours, surprising how fast he was elected," Vatican Radio said, commenting on how the new pope was elected after just four or five ballots.

After the smoke appeared, pilgrims poured into the square, their eyes fixed on the burgundy-draped balcony. Pilgrims said the rosary as they awaited the name of the new pope and prelates stood on the roof of the Apostolic Palace, watching as the crowd nearly doubled in size.

Niels Hendrich, a 40-year-old salesman from Hamburg, Germany, jumped up and down with joy and called his father on a cell phone. "Habemus papam!" he shouted into the phone, using the Latin for: "We have a pope."

In the pope's hometown of Traunstein, Germany, a room full of 13-year-old boys at St. Michael's Seminary that Ratzinger attended jumped up and down, cheered and clapped as the news was announced.

"It's fantastic that it's Cardinal Ratzinger. I met him when he was here before and I found him really nice," said Lorenz Gradl, 16, who was confirmed by Ratzinger in 2003.

Antoinette Hastings, from Kent Island, Md., rose from her wheelchair, grasping her hands together and crying. She has artificial knees, making it tough to stand.

"I feel blessed, absolutely blessed," she said. "I just wish the rest of my family were here to experience this with me."

After the bells started to ring, people on the streets of Rome immediately headed from all directions toward Vatican City. Some priests and seminarians in clerical garb were running. Nuns pulled up their long skirts and jogged toward the Vatican. Drivers were honking horns and some people were closing stores early and joining the crowds.

Police immediately tried to direct traffic but to little effect.

Ratzinger succeeds a pope who gained extraordinary popularity over a 26-year pontificate, history's third-longest papacy. Millions mourned him around the world in a tribute to his charisma.

Cardinals had faced a choice over whether to seek an older, skilled administrator who could serve as a "transitional" pope while the church absorbs John Paul's legacy, or a younger dynamic pastor and communicator -- perhaps from Latin America or elsewhere in the developing world where the church is growing.

While John Paul, a Pole, was elected to challenge the communist system in place in eastern Europe in 1978, Benedict faces new issues: the need for dialogue with Islam, the divisions between the wealthy north and the poor south as well as problems within his own church.

These include the priest sex-abuse scandals that have cost the church millions in settlements in the United States and elsewhere; coping with a chronic shortage of priests and nuns in the West; and halting the stream of people leaving a church indifferent to teachings they no longer find relevant.

Under John Paul, the church's central authority grew, often to dismay of bishops and rank-and-file Catholics around the world.

Pope John XXIII was 77 when he was elected pope in 1958 and viewed as a transitional figure, but he called the Second Vatican Council that revolutionized the church from within and opened up its dialogue with non-Catholics.

Benedict will have to decide whether to keep up the kind of foreign travel that was a hallmark of John Paul's papacy, with his 104 pilgrimages abroad.