Comments on: Christian Meditation http://reflections.cyberpastor.net/general/christian-meditation/ Thoughts on God, life, and truth Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:15:41 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: PK http://reflections.cyberpastor.net/general/christian-meditation/comment-page-1/#comment-51 PK Tue, 20 Dec 2005 18:56:28 +0000 http://kencarlson.org/index.php/?p=19#comment-51 Matt, thanks for your helpful suggestions. In this brief post I was trying to introduce the concept of Christian meditation to many who have never thought of meditation in a Christian context. Obviously contrasting Christian and Eastern meditation is a gross simplification of a complex topic. To adequately compare Christian meditation with all forms of non-Christian meditation would require an entire book. One point that I wanted to emphasize is that Christian meditation is focused on truth external to ourselves revealed in God's Word. Many other forms of meditation focus mainly or exclusively on an inner experience. Even some "Christian" mysticism loses the focus on Scriptural truth, and in doing so ceases to be genuinely "Christian." I think that this is a fundamental distinction. Matt, thanks for your helpful suggestions. In this brief post I was trying to introduce the concept of Christian meditation to many who have never thought of meditation in a Christian context. Obviously contrasting Christian and Eastern meditation is a gross simplification of a complex topic. To adequately compare Christian meditation with all forms of non-Christian meditation would require an entire book.

One point that I wanted to emphasize is that Christian meditation is focused on truth external to ourselves revealed in God’s Word. Many other forms of meditation focus mainly or exclusively on an inner experience. Even some “Christian” mysticism loses the focus on Scriptural truth, and in doing so ceases to be genuinely “Christian.” I think that this is a fundamental distinction.

]]> By: Matt Stone http://reflections.cyberpastor.net/general/christian-meditation/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Matt Stone Mon, 19 Dec 2005 14:07:06 +0000 http://kencarlson.org/index.php/?p=19#comment-50 A few points for you to ponder on: 1/ Not all forms of Eastern forms of meditation have as their goal "the emptying of the mind and becoming passive". Kundalini yoga and tantra come immediately to mind. Not to mention the creative visualization of Shakti Gwain 2/ You have completely neglected to mention forms of meditation that are neither eastern nor Christian. For example Kaballah in Judaism, Qabalah in western esotericism, Sufi meditation in Islam, nature mysticism in NeoPaganism and various other forms. To clearly articulate what distinguishes Christian meditation from non-Christian forms you need to go deeper. I recommend considering a critically contextual approach. A few points for you to ponder on:

1/ Not all forms of Eastern forms of meditation have as their goal “the emptying of the mind and becoming passive”. Kundalini yoga and tantra come immediately to mind. Not to mention the creative visualization of Shakti Gwain

2/ You have completely neglected to mention forms of meditation that are neither eastern nor Christian. For example Kaballah in Judaism, Qabalah in western esotericism, Sufi meditation in Islam, nature mysticism in NeoPaganism and various other forms.

To clearly articulate what distinguishes Christian meditation from non-Christian forms you need to go deeper. I recommend considering a critically contextual approach.

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