Centering Down, Is This Biblical? Dear Dr. Stoll, I trust that you have had a chance to review my last commentary. This is more or a less an epilogue to the discussion of “Centering.” I have since learned the “centering” is a key term invoked and promoted by Thomas Keating and Basil Pennington, as part of “centering prayer” which is at the heart of contemplative prayer. Sound good? Just a better version of Biblical prayer and meditation? Not when you discover that this centering is a blended Christianity with Eastern mysticism. Your own mentor, Morton Kelsey, himself mentored by Carl Jung, stated: “You can find most of the New Age practices in the depth of Christianity...”I believe that the Holy One lives in every soul.” (Source “A Time of Departing”, Ray Yungen, page 67, Lighthouse Trails Publishing Company, 2002.) So it is not entirely out of order that I would challenge you regarding the use of this term, as it is now been integrated into Christian. Centering Prayer was further endorsed by Brennan Manning. Here is another one of your quotes: "The study of psychology as a scientific field poses problems for the Christian, yet when integrated with the psychological principles as demonstrated in God's Word, it offers the opportunity of opining new insights regarding Christian experiences and understanding of the Biblical truths. An illustration may serve to help underscore this principle. The sulfa drug does not kill the germ. It dissolves the hard protective coating around the germ so that the white corpuscles are able to kill the germ. In a similar fashion, psychology can provide the tools used by God to penetrate more efficiently, and dissolve the defensive shell that people use to insulate themselves from Biblical truths, and from their fellowmen. When this shell is broken, the Spirit of God is able to perform His work in their lives. Each problem raised by life and psychology has its answer in the Word of God. These answers should be sought and found, and when they are, along with personal application, the normal spiritual life that God has for each of us will become evident." So, psychology can break the shell, so that the world, as with CGM can break down the defenses so that people will seek after God? What an anemic view of the power of God's word. The Bible is not able to pierce or dissolve these defenses, but Psychology is? Psychology is sharper than a two-edged sword separating even soul from spirit? I thought only the Scriptures could do that via the Holy Spirit. The word of God itself does the penetration and is certainly sharper than psychology. In fact, psychology has no blade at all and penetrates nothing to produce righteousness. Psychology and Carl Jung is what dissolves the protective coating of the armor of God so that the Christian can no longer ward off the fiery darts of the enemy. In response to Dr. Stoll's proposition that Psychology can dissolve the shell that insulates people from Biblical truths, here is what the Scriptures say: "Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:37-38 If Dr. Stoll is right, When 3,000 who were saved asked "What shall we do?" Shouldn't Peter have said. "Take a Personality Profile Test?” Or, “many of you standing here did not get saved by hearing the Scriptures, so I would now like to educate you to some of the hundreds of theories of psychology in order to break down those barriers that the Scriptures themselves were unable to do, so that the Gospel can penetrate more of you than the Scriptures by themselves were able to do. And for those of you who did get saved. Now is the time to get sanctified. But once again, Scripture is good as far as it goes, but we really need an additional tool, we need a Personality Profile. In many circles this will become known as MBTI.” Then in Acts 2:42 "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine " Would then read: "and they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and Carl Jung occultic teachings and Gnosticism." Also, Act 4:4 "Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand." I would ask Dr. Stoll "Howbeit that if hearing the word (Scripture) caused five thousand to believe, why does he state that Psychology can break them down to receive Scripture and be saved?" Does the Bible say Psychology can prick the heart, or does it say hearing the Word pricked their hearts? Rom 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." KJV Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." NIV ********** This is an amazing statement! You can't even test what is God's will until you renounce the patterns and principles of this world (Jung, Kelsey, Psychology). HOW ABOUT THAT!!! Again I say "then"!!!!!!