On New Years Eve, Jonathan Parnell recommended on the Desiring God web site the practice of Lectio Divina, a contemplative, Roman Catholic, mystic practice, in an article called A System of Prayer in 2012.

Recently, Jonathan Parnell updated the DG site to issue this statement:

Update: Formerly I listed Lectio Divina as a third system for prayer. I’ve since removed it for the confusion it has caused. We do not endorse contemplative spirituality. The main point I’d like to recommend is using the text of Scripture as an organizer for our prayers — prayers that are exegetically faithful and gospel rich. I’m sorry for introducing the category.

Hmm. Confusion? Perhaps to some, but there is a more important concern regarding DG than the possible ‘confusion’  or misunderstanding as to what DG endorses.

Like what is being practiced, publicly. Contemplative spirituality, specifically, the approval and practice of mysticism, Lectio Divina, at Passion 2012 by Dr. John Piper. It speaks volumes.

“But wait, they pulled that endorsement, DG doesn’t endorse Lectio Devina anymore, it was a mistake.”

Well, yes, they did, yes they do, no it wasn’t.

Dr. Piper has, in fact, spoken against contemplative spirituality and this type of mysticism:

I’m very ticked at seminary classes that think you have to mainly go to the mystical Catholic tradition in order to find this kind of depth and this kind of personal connection with the living God that is both rational and supra-rational and very mystical in its communion. (online source)

Here’s the thing.

You can update a post and say “We do not endorse contemplative spirituality.”

You can update a post, remove stuff and try and make it go away. However, if you practice it publicly, the update is worthless, and the whole Church with ears to hear and eyes to see knows it.

When you knowingly, intentionally, go on stage with thousands of onlookers, and take part in an obvious exercise of a dangerous mystical practice, not only participating in it, but – knowing that it is being recorded, video taped for all the world to see at later times and at their pleasure – and doing nothing to stop such an occurrence from happening…..you endorse it big time.

It is not helpful for us to speculate on the one hand why Dr. Piper would speak against mystical contemplative prayer, and on the other hand, actually take part in the practice of it at a later date. He knows his motives.

What we can conclude on all of this is that the public practice of lectio divina by Dr. Piper speaks a whole lot louder than a soft update which, in my opinion, is a mere washing the hands of any responsibility or concern. An update, by the way, that was only issued after the objections of concerned Christians all over the web.

No.

Desiring God Ministries, and Dr. Piper, clearly have given – and continue -their endorsement of the practice and encouraged it to the Church before God and man by the very practice of it in a much advertised, public forum.

That’s not something you can just delete. One could, however, theoretically, come out publicly and apologize for such an egregious error.

I’m just sayin’.

What happened during the silence?