Today I was introduced to the practice of Lectio Divina in a Christian church. When I asked our group leader what Lectio Divina meant, and its origins, she couldn’t say with any certainty, suggesting I research it later. She then led the group in a modified ancient spiritual discipline. I read the Bible instead, since I practice nothing without knowledge of what I’m practicing before God. Having spent 30 years seeking God through disciplines, I’m of a discerning mind.
Paul addresses worshiping without knowledge of Christ in Acts 17:22-25. He understood that God works in all peoples, and it’s important to build off their existing beliefs and longings rather than assuming they know nothing of value [1] but that doesn’t mean we practice their beliefs.
Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” (John 14:6) Not one of the ways, but the only way. This is the idea that marks the Christian faith. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10,12). [2]
I’m sure I’m the only person today who went home and researched Lectio Divina, and that kind of acceptance—the willingness to try something else without stopping to ask for the reference to it in our Bible, is a short coming of current modern Christians.
There’s nothing wrong with reading philosophical or inspirational books, but Christians need some discretion when practices are transposed into their churches by lay people, and in some instances, by ministers. If we don’t believe the Bible is the final word, then we’re sure to seek answers from other sources. There’s nothing Satan loves more than Christians looking for Truth elsewhere. “Is there an underlying message being delivered that the average Christian can’t interpret the Bible and we must go outside the source and seek interpretation?" [3]
But I bring to the table 30 years of experience in spiritual disciplines, and know the dangers and damage inflected when told we should incorporate a discipline into our prayer life. Having found glorious freedom in Christ, I now stand firm in Biblical Truths and must point out possible deviations that can lead to problematic dogmas, even though it won’t leave me very popular in today’s emergence culture. “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16)
Lecto Divina was presented to us as a way to deepen our study of the Word. If we repeated phrases in the Bible, and meditated on those phrases, we would get greater insight into the meaning of God’s word by allowing God into our beings. What I later learned is Lectio Divina is rooted in early Catholicism, practiced by monks, and considered a Stairway to Heaven -- a 4-runged ladder to Heaven, each rung being one of the four steps in a method of Bible reading. [4]
Most people aren’t familiar with meditation, beyond knowing it lowers blood pressure. Years ago, Christians were highly suspect of meditation, linking it to eastern religion, and rightly so. Our current media has defused the practice by promising better health by way of yoga and meditation. Physical changes do occur during meditation by affecting the brain, which in turns controls the body. Deep and continued meditation releases dolophine endorphins (natural body pain killers) giving us a “feel good” emotion that, when incorporated into a prayer life, can be misunderstood as connecting with God. Because these endorphins relax us and are a pleasing sensation (blissful), we’re apt to seek that experience rather than our study of God’s Word. Like mood-altering drugs, meditation is addictive and why monks have been known to do it for 10,000 to 50,000 hours, over time periods of 15 to 40 years. [6] But there’s more, and that reality is the danger we must question.
Its hypothesized that the mental states commonly referred to as altered states of consciousness seen during certain spiritual/ religious practices are principally due to transient prefrontal cortex deregulation. [7]
A Washington Post article reported on a study by the
Most of us want to change something about ourselves, and the “idea” sounds great. But if meditation through repetitive prayer is introduced as a means to become closer to God, then we’re essentially saying that it is through this discipline we know God, not through Grace. Even more damaging, and an often over looked aspect of meditation, is the door being opened to hypnotic suggestion, or brainwashing. Participants while under group meditation can be influenced by their moderator’s ideas, or in a church setting, their theologies.
Practicing techniques of prayer from other religions in a Christian church is in essence, saying that there’s a kernel of truth in all religions and we can take some of other teachings and integrate it—or blend it into our Christian religious life to give us something fuller than what’s promised in the Bible. All the while congregants aren’t told where these methods are originating.
The concept of “blending” religions is not new, only given a different title within the Christian “emergence” community. Churches of “all religions,” have existed in
Is it okay to practice Catholicism in an evangelical Christian church? No. Should we go on to practice Kriya Yoga, an eastern discipline, too, just because it was practiced by Mahatma Gandhi? No. Why shouldn’t it be okay to take a little of this, and a little of that, and make it our own walk? Because Jesus said, “I am the way,” and for a Christian that should be enough.
Nor should we limit God’s power to change us in his way, or seek other sources for revelations. That’s not to mean we’re to be closed minded, it means we’re discretionary. There’s a difference. Christ is superior to anyone or anything we might come across in our studies. Faith pleases God, and seeking other sources questions our faith. If “doing something” is going to make us holy and closer to God, then we’ve just set a limit on God’s glorious power. Had God waited for Rahab (Joshua 2:1) to become holy, he would not have used her to welcome the Israelite spies, nor spared her life when
There’s one final aspect to this discussion. If Christians are told to do “something like Lectio Divina” by someone perceived with authority, then without discretion, without praying to God about the matter at hand, one might believe they’re failing God if they question the practice, or aren’t comfortable doing it. I heard one woman say about Lectio Divina, “but I don’t feel comfortable or understand this,” and she was told, “don’t worry, you’ll get it,” in other words, she hadn’t gotten it yet even though she was saved by Jesus Christ, by the blood he shed. Sadly, not everyone questions what they're told to do (especially by someone they hold in authority), nor seek the Bible’s wisdom or even God’s. Without proper understanding and discretion Christians can be led to shame for not practicing something their church is pushing, and shame puts distance between us and God. Maybe that’s the most important message I can share.
God wants us to question everything. God wants to talk directly to you. You don’t have to do anything but talk to him. God made us in his image. If my daughter sat before me repeating phrases I’d be bored to tears! That isn’t communicating with God and it’s putting a limit on his glorious power.
For further reading, you might check out Please Contemplate This, an extensive article about programs and practices rife with occult methodologies and techniques at work in 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. [10]
[1] Faith in Action Study Bible
[3] Debra Twardowski – Jesus Psychology
[9] Gurus In America - Wikipedia
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