Earl Creps Reading Plan

October 14, 2009

I found the following from Earl Creps on “how to read for personal growth” interesting because of the reference to Henri Nouwen.

From an email to a friend, Earl writes (only point 1 discussed here):

1. Read the classics: dial up amazon.com and search for the works of James McGregor Burns, Henri Nouwen, Warren Bennis, etc. While we can debate “what’s a classic?,” books of this sort will get you into the game in a hurry.

I just don’t get the attraction to Henri Nouwen.

Why would any true Christian want to point others to the writings of a heritic? I know that is a strong claim but it’s the truth.

Henri Nouwen, the now deceased Catholic theologian, hardly seems an appropriate spiritual mentor for bible believing Christians.

Consider the following quote from Nouwen:

Today I personally believe that while Jesus came to open the door to God’s house, all human beings can walk through that door, whether they know about Jesus or not. Today I see it as my call to help every person claim his or her own way to God. — From Sabbatical Journey, Henri Nouwen’s last book page 51, 1998 Hardcover Edition

The above quote from Nouwen is in direct contradiction to the biblical record as to how one must be saved (justified). Ephesians 2:4-9 makes it abundantly clear that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. There is only one path to Christ and any message to the contrary is a false gospel.

Galatians 1:6-9 says that the preacher preaching a false gospel is accursed.

(HT: Developing a Reading Plan)

Posted in Assemblies of God, Assembly of God, Catholicism, Contemplative Prayer, Contextualization, Emergent, Emergent Church, False Doctrine, False Teaching, Henri Nouwen