Richard Foster

The following is from Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries. He hits it on the head with the current "Evangelical Christianity" mindset. He shows more on why Richard Foster is not biblical.

Quote:

AM has also previously pointed out that by now it ought to be quite obvious evangelicalism is deep into her sick lust affair with the repackaged so-called “Christian” mysticism of Foster who is hands down the leading proponent of spiritually corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM). And this neo-Gnosticism with its Contemplative/Centering Prayer (CCP) actually flowered in the antibiblical monastic traditions of apostate Roman Catholicism but has now slithered its way deep into evangelicalism from its den in the Emergent Church.

Now some ask: Why must you use those kinds of descriptors? Can’t you just leave out terms e.g. like “Living Spiritual Teacher” and/or “Quaker mystic”? Of course I could; and the few writing on the subject of contemplative spirituality, contemplative prayer, and the like do leave them out. Unfortunately people aren’t listening to them either. This even though they essentially use the typical, safe and accepted, apologetic I’ve referred to before as a “plus/minus” approach.

You’ve seen it many times, one begins pointing a few positive things on a given subject, followed by many negative things, and then the foregone conclusion said subject cannot be “recommended.” Let me say, there is most definitely a place for this kind of non-polemic research, absolutely. However, due to the lateness of the hour I simply skip the often patronizing step one. At the outset here I’ll simply say, if you really do want to know the truth concerning these issues related to Richard Foster then make the time to actually check out the sources and links within.

If not, then you just rest assured that the rains of apostasy have softened up the sand of what’s passing for Christianity today; and no doubt your head will slide right in with no effort. However, in the case of Richard Foster, the absolute facts are: 1) Foster actually is a Quaker; 2) Quakerism is itself rooted in mysticism, and 3) Foster’s “Christian” message is so convoluted that it is considered compatible with, and he is himself listed in, what is known as the Living Spiritual Teachers Project along side such spiritual fools as “Progressive Christian” Marcus Borg, CSM Guru Thomas Keating, Deepak Chopra, The Dalai Lama, Ram Dass, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Marianne Williamson.

Unquote.

We cannot afford to sugar coat the evil that is inside "Christianity". Playing footsies with the enemy is not an option. In fact, to do so is to trivialize the matter on which God has already said is wickedness and shipwrecks the faith of some.

Regarding the descriptions used for such false movements and teachers, listen to what Thomas Brooks said:

Always look upon wicked men, under those names and notions which the Scripture describes them, such as: lions for their fierceness, bears for their cruelty, dragons for their hideousness, dogs for their filthiness, wolves for their subtleness, scorpions, vipers, thorns, briars, thistles, brambles, stubble, dirt, chaff, dust, dross, smoke, scum.

You may know well enough what is within them, by the apt names which the Holy Spirit has given them. By looking upon them under those names and notions that the Scripture sets them out by, may preserve the soul from frequenting their company and delighting in their society. Such monsters are wicked men—which should render their company to all who have tasted of the sweetness of divine love, a burden and not a delight."Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers." Psalm 1:1

Go here for the problems with Foster's "Celebration of Discipline" (which was written decades before Renovare and should've been a problem for Don Whitney and Tim Challies).