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Copyright 1993 by the Christian Research Institute.
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"Research Notes" and "Letters" (columns from the Christian
Research Newsletter, Volume 2: Number 2, 1989)
   The Editor of the Christian Research Newsletter is Ron Rhodes.

From the RESEARCH NOTES column:

    Matthew Fox, Catholic theologian popular among New Agers, has
written a new book entitled _The Coming of the Cosmic Christ._
Fox, who was recently disciplined by the Roman Catholic Church for
his unorthodox views, is bound to keep the Vatican boat rocking
with this new book. In it he argues that we should throw out any
idea of a "historical Jesus" (p. 7). Our attention should instead
be focused on the "Cosmic Christ" who is defined as "the pattern
that connects" (p. 133). The Cosmic Christ connects every part of
creation with every other part: heaven with earth, divinity with
humanity (p. 134). Fox classifies his view as panentheism, which
he defines as "all things in God and God in all things" (p. 57).
This, he suggests, is the way all genuine mystics interpret the
universe.

    A central concept in the book is "deep ecumenism." He
explains: "Deep ecumenism is the movement that will unleash the
wisdom of all world religions -- Hinduism and Buddhism, Islam and
Judaism, Taoism and Shintoism, Christianity in all its forms, and
native religions and goddess religions throughout the world. This
unleashing of wisdom holds the last hope for the survival of the
planet we call home" (p. 228). The Cosmic Christ -- as "the
pattern that connects" -- supposedly makes deep ecumenism
possible.

    This book is a radical reinterpretation of Christianity
through the eyes of mysticism, panentheism, feminism, and
ecumenism. Mystical New Age meanings are superimposed on many
biblical passages in an effort to make Fox's ideas appear
compatible with the Bible. In the process, Fox has completely
robbed Jesus Christ of His uniqueness, exalted Mother Earth to
godhood, redefined the human dilemma (the killing of Mother Earth)
as well as its solution (a revival of mysticism), and reduce
Christianity to being one of many viable options in the
smorgasbord of religions.

    A review of _The Coming of the Cosmic Christ_ will appear in
the Winter/Spring CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL.

    Incidentally, the book is endorsed on its back cover by M.
Scott Peck, author of _The People of the Lie._

                                                -- Ron Rhodes
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Seventh Day Adventism Update

    Ken Samples recently wrote an article for the CHRISTIAN
RESEARCH JOURNAL entitled "From Controversy To Crisis -- An
Updated Assessment of Seventh-day Adventism." Because the article
was well received by prominent Adventists, Samples and Dr. Walter
Martin were invited to speak to the Southeastern California
Conference of SDA Pastors on January 26. They also had the
opportunity of speaking the same day to the School of Religion
faculty at Loma Linda University.

    Samples reports that two of the major issues of controversy
within Adventism continue to be (1) the authority of Ellen G.
White, and (2) righteousness by faith. Regarding the first issue,
traditional Adventists believe that Ellen White's writings are
inspired counsel from the Lord and are authoritative in doctrinal
matters. Based on a survey that Samples conducted, however, the
majority of the Adventists he and Martin addressed are more
evangelical and do not believe that White's writings are
infallible. They believe her writings are more pastoral than
canonical and should not be used as a doctrinal authority.

    On the second issue, traditional Adventists believe that
righteousness by faith includes both justification and
sanctification. They believe that one's standing before God rests
on both the _imputed_ and _imparted_ righteousness of Christ.
Again, Samples's survey revealed that most of the Adventists he
and Martin addressed depart from traditional Adventism by
accepting the Reformation understanding of righteousness by faith.
This view sees righteousness by faith as including justification
only. It is a judicial act of God whereby He declares sinners to
be just on the basis of Christ's own righteousness. It is received
by faith alone. Accordingly, sanctification is understood as an
accompanying fruit and not the root of salvation.

    Although many evangelicals abandoned Adventism over the past
decade, Samples's survey suggests that a strong evangelical
contingent remains within the sect.

                                                -- Ron Rhodes
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From the LETTERS column:

    I am writing to thank you for your ministry. After listening
to your program, I decided to research for myself why Mormonism is
considered a cult. My primary resource was your book _The Maze of
Mormonism._ As much as I wanted to defend the Mormon church, I
soon found it impossible to do so.

    I shared what I discovered with my wife, my brother, my father
(a former LDS bishop), and my mother. Praise the Lord! All of us
have denounced Mormonism and have accepted Jesus Christ as our
personal savior. We now attend a good Christian church here in
Sacramento.

    By the way, it might interest you to know that I am a direct
descendent of Brigham Young. He is my great, great, great, great
grandfather.

                                                              R.Y.
                                                    Sacramento, CA


    I am a graduate of _est_. I have been involved for some time
with the network of people here in Canada who have participated in
Werner Erhard's various trainings (est, _the Forum, Transformation
Technologies_). Recently I accepted Christ. I am now wondering
what to do about this affiliation. People I know in the network
are not opposed to Christian beliefs; they just do not accept them
as the truth. It seems to me that it is possible to interpret the
work through whatever filter you want, be it Christian or the New
Age movement. Please correct me if I am heading off into a
dangerous direction.

                                                 (Name withheld)
                                                British Columbia

    My research of est/the Forum and similar human potential
trainings (like _Lifespring_ and _Summit Workshops_) leads me to
conclude that it is not possible to adapt them to a Christian
world view. They are based in humanistic psychology and Eastern
mysticism. Erhard himself acknowledges that he drew on these
sources.

    It has always been the case both with humanistic psychology
and Eastern mysticism that one can _begin_ participating in them
without making a faith commitment. This is because they are not
based on objective, propositional revelation, like the Bible. They
_are_ based, however, on particular assumptions about human nature
and the universe, and a subjective rather than objective approach
to truth. These assumptions determine the objectives of the
trainings that these various schools develop.  They are calculated
to create dynamic experiences which profoundly affect one's view
of life. The end result is a religious conversion, just as surely
as if one had prayed the "Sinner's Prayer."

    Although these human potential programs may not _require_
acceptance of any particular beliefs, their entire approach is
nevertheless based on the unchristian _beliefs_ that truth is
relative, that _we_ entirely create our own reality, that we are
essentially good and acceptable just the way we are -- no one is
a sinner. These assumptions undergird all that goes on in their
programs. If you follow them to their logical conclusions (what
Erhard calls "getting it") you will come to the basic New Age
belief that "You are God."

    There is no neutral ground. Your friends say they are not
opposed to Christian beliefs -- they just don't accept them as
truth. This is exactly my point. Everything is relative for them.
However, the nature of life is such that you cannot escape from
absolutes. If you hold that everything is relative, that becomes
your absolute, and that "truth" is in direct conflict with the
truth of Christianity. Christianity by its very nature claims to
have _the_ truth. (John 14:6). If you take that away from it, you
do not have Christianity at all by any historic definition of the
term. Therefore, it is only so much lip service for them to say
they are not opposed to Christianity, because they _are_ opposed
to it for what it really is.

    The position that I am stating is not my own creation. It is
Jesus who established the terms of His own faith when He made
statements like: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will
hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt. 6:24).

    The Forum teaches ultimate views of reality and human nature,
and an entire approach to life. Yet Jesus Christ occupies no real
place in these teachings. For a Christian, anything other than a
_Christ-centered_ approach to life is in conflict with his faith,
for how can he serve two masters? There is therefore no "Christian
filter" through which this work can be interpreted.

                                                   --Elliot Miller
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End of document, CRN0007A.TXT (original CRI file name),
"Research Notes" and "Letters" columns
release A, June 25, 1993
R. Poll, CRI

(A special note of thanks to Bob and Pat Hunter for their help in
the preparation of this ASCII file for BBS circulation.)
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