This article gives an overview of the background and teachings of the Contemplative movement, also known as Contemplative Spirituality, the Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, and mysticism.
Noted writer Richard Foster recommends a prayer from a book by his mentor, Agnes Sanford, on his Renovare site. This prayer displays in part the very disturbing views of Sanford and demonstrates the deception Foster is in for recommeding the prayer and the book, and for admiring Sanford. See why this prayer technique is not a Christian prayer.
If anything, the Christian faith is one that deals with reality. It does not deny reality or try to conjure up a false one to get a result. Those concepts belong to the New Age and the occult. Methods such as Visualization, Guided Prayer, Guided Imagery, and Affirmations are done as part of relaxation exercises, contemplative practices, and are found on many Bible and Christian apps.
The Immanuel Approach is only one of many versions of contemplative and Inner Healing practices promoted for “emotional healing” that uses contemplative methods. The page for the Immanuel Approach examined […]
Richard Foster’s book, “Celebration of Discipline,” has been influencing the church for decades. Why is it that pastors have promoted this book or taught it instead of calling out the blatant unbiblical teachings found in it? This book is full of New Thought concepts and techniques that Foster learned from his mentor, the infamous Agnes Sanford. Sanford was a former New Thought follower and never left those beliefs behind — they are in all her books. Sanford was also the “mother of inner healing,” a New Thought practice. Visualization and using the imagination to heal are not biblical, but Foster teaches them in this book. This is in addition to his unbiblical promotion of contemplative practices.
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His […]