“But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.” (Ezekiel 11:21)

Living Spiritual Teachers And Spiritual Masters

What you are about to see is the definition of Contemplative/Centering Prayer, or what is actually transcendental meditation lightly sprayed with Christian terminology from a man universally known as an authority of this practice. In his own book on so-called spiritual “practices and disciplines” called The Sacred Way Emergent theologian Tony Jones recommends a book called Open Mind, Open Heart (OMOH) by Thomas Keating. Jones informs us that Keating “writes a nice history of contemplative prayer in the first chapter and then goes on to teach the principles of Centering Prayer” (215). By the way for all intents and purposes these terms, contemplative and centering, are interchangeable for the actual practice of meditation.

On the back cover of OMOH itself we are told that Living Spiritual Teacher Thomas Keating is “a Cistercian priest, (Trappist) monk and abbot.” Then we are further informed that this particular book has indeed been written “by an acknowledged modern spiritual master.” Men and women, here is another reason why I will often be a bit sarcastic in referring to these apostate practitioners of contemplative spirituality such as Thomas Keating. You need to realize that terms like “spiritual master” actually come straight out of the very Eastern religions that these men insist they are not influenced by. And further we should understand that all of this has zero place in the priesthood of all believers of the true Christian faith.

So since we now have access, not only to a Living Spiritual Teacher, but also a “modern Spiritual Master,” then let’s just see what Contemplative/Centering Prayer is according Thomas Keating. Why after all St. Benedict's Monastery, where Keating resides, tells us that he is quite adept at teaching this form of meditation because he “has presented the Centering Prayer method and its related mystical theology to gatherings of non-Christians, Protestants, and Roman Catholics worldwide.” Keating tells us that Contemplative/Centering Prayer:

is a process of inner transformation, a conversation initiated by God and leading, if we consent, to divine union. One’s way of seeing reality changes in the process. A restructuring of consciousness takes place which empowers one to perceive, relate and respond with increasing sensitivity to the divine presence in, through, and beyond everything that exists (4).

A Process Of Inner Transformation

We may praise the Lord here for what is perhaps the most succinct and clear statement of nearly everything that I personally have been trying to help you see here at Apprising Ministries about the Gnostic mysticism that these fools who are claiming to be wise Spiritual Masters and Spiritual Directors call contemplative spirituality. All along I have been saying that this so-called “Christian” mysticism is really just transcendental meditation for the Christian, and this is what Thomas Keating himself has just told you. And now you also know why Emergent Gurus like Living Spiritual Teacher Richard Foster and his friend Spiritual Director Brian McLaren are forced to equivocate with words in order to cloud the real issues behind their theological agendas.

First you’ll notice above that Keating says Contemplative/Centering Prayer itself “is a process.” This tells us that we are going to have to “practice” it over some period of time before we will realize its deeper effects. Hence the reference by Foster, Tony Jones and others in the Emergent Church to these spiritual “disciplines” that must be practiced, and/or be mastered, as it were. And thus begins our decent into first century Gnosticism where only the truly initiated can possess the alleged “secret” knowledge (Greek: gnosis) concerning things spiritual. Among other places the Lord refutes this idea in 1 John 2:20 – But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. This forever does away with the patently false idea there is a special class of “super” Christians who are the only ones privy to some secret spiritual knowledge.

Next Keating speaks of “a process of inner transformation.” From the “Glossary of Terms” in the back of his book here is his own definition of:

Transformation (transforming union)–the stable conviction of the abiding presence of God rather than a particular experience or set of experiences; a restructuring of consciousness in which the divine reality is perceived to be present in oneself and all that is (147, emphasis his).

Now if you’re not careful you are going to end up wrestling with the serpent here so let me help you focus on the real issue. By definition transcendental meditation involves some kind of a “transcending,” or a going beyond perceived reality, which itself is in line with Gnosticism–in that the material world is thought to be illusionary. No matter how hard Keating, or any other Emergent Church leader, tries to verbally “tap-dance” this away, what he has just described is transcendental meditation. But what these so-called “Christian” mystics will then try and do is to convince us the “inner transformation,” which is quite real, is somehow Christian because it supposedly has a different focus (or intent) than that of Zen or Hinduism.

However, the very clear and present spiritual danger for those who practice this type of mind altering mediation is that they simply have no way to actually verify that they are indeed experiencing God; or rather as I contend, encountering demonic deception impersonating God. Regardless however, the point is that Keating himself, who is a recognized authority on Contemplative/Centering Prayer is clearly telling us that a person’s “way of seeing reality changes in the process.” And if there are “changes” in someone’s acuity, then this type of meditation has indeed caused them to “transcend” their prior perception of reality because our Guru has already explained to us that in contemplative spirituality there is a “restructuring of consciousness [which] takes place.”

Meditation For Global Family

In any event Spiritual Master Keating himself is admitting here to an “inner transformation,” which by his own words is a “transcending” of reality, or what he further refers to as “changes in the process,” of perceiving our world within those who practice contemplative spirituality. And this is precisely the same thing that will also eventually happen to all those who practice classic TM as well. Study this out for yourself and you will quickly see the Yogis will also talk about a “restructuring of consciousness [which] takes place,” and one which they personally believe would lead to world peace if more people practiced transcendental meditation. In fact, Keating’s late friend Spiritual Master M. Basil Pennington himself has written:

In the course of the years, sitting in silent prayer, beyond where words can interfere, men and women of many diverse traditions have come together. In that deeper place a oneness is experienced that gives assurance and heart to our feeble ecumenical efforts and interreligious dialogues. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has said that if one percent of the people would meditate we will have peace. Jesus spoke of the leaven that will leaven the whole (Finding Grace at the Center: The Beginning of Centering Prayer, p.10,11).

But now you may be able to see why these Emergent deceivers of Gnostic contemplative spirituality so want to do away with “modernism” (specifically rational thought) and instead to foist upon the unsuspecting a “postmodern” philosophy of questioning ala Zen Buddhist koans. Let us not forget that God also warns us in Colossians, which itself deals with the Gnostic infestation of the ancient Church – See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ (2:8, ESV). And for those who don’t know a “koan” is a question that doesn’t necessarily have a logical answer, e.g. “What is the sound of one hand?”

And again from months of study into the Emergent Church, and mystic spirituality is the crucial element at its corrupted core, this is why I will sometimes refer to Brian McLaren as a “Roshi wannabe.” A “roshi” is the term for a Zen “Master.” It is my conviction that many of these Living Spiritual Teachers and Spiritual Directors (try finding those terms in Scripture) in the Emergent Church would really rather be Roshis themselves. Unhappy it seems with the historic orthodox Christian faith, and with being pastor-teachers, which both Foster and McLaren have been, instead to suit their own desires, they [have] gather[ed] around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They [have] turn[ed] their ears away from the truth and [now] turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

The Divine Spark Of Gnosticism Returns

Next we look at another example of the Gnosticism inherent in this so-called “Christian” mysticism of The Ecumenical Church Of Deceit (ECoD) of the new evangelicalism. In OMOH Keating has told us that through Contemplative/Centering Prayer the “inner transformation” will lead us “to divine union,” which itself is classic mystic spirituality. Then he explains this “restructuring of consciousness” enables a person to “respond with with increasing sensitivity to the divine presence in, through, and beyond everything that exists.” And now we find ourselves in line with the first century Gnosticism that taught about “a divine spark” within every human being. For more on that doctrine of demons I refer the interested reader to my article The Emergent “ONE”.

What I want to highlight here is Keating’s statement “the divine presence”; this is thought to be God himself, “in, though, and beyond everything that exists.” This is pure panentheism, pan–all, en–in, theos–God, and itself is a particularly heinous teaching. As I have stated elsewhere, if God is “in, through, and beyond everything that exists,” then God already indwells mankind, which now eradicates the need for the new birth. And as if this isn’t horrible enough; again, if God’s “divine presence” is truly “in everything that exists,” then because Satan himself “exists,” now even the Devil himself would also share in the divine nature. Which would then end up fulfilling his brazen boast in Isaiah 14:14 – “I will make myself like the Most High.”

…more will be forthcoming…