Spiritual Arrogance

A friend of mine just emailed me this quote from the website http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/

"The Holy Scriptures require a humble reader who shows reverence and fear toward the Word of God and constantly says, 'Teach me, teach me, teach me!' The Spirit resists the proud. Though they study diligently and some preach Christ purely for a time, nevertheless God excludes them from the church if they're proud. Wherefore every proud person is a heretic, if not actually, then potentially. However, it's difficult for a man who has excellent gifts not to be arrogant. Those whom God adorns with great gifts he plunges into the most severe trials in order that they may learn that they're nothing. ... Pride drove the angel out of heaven and spoils many preachers. Accordingly it's humility that's needed in the study of sacred literature."--Martin Luther, year 1540, Luther's Table Talk

Now, the thing that struck me about this blog is that it seems to me (man, could I hedge any MORE?) as being, well, kind of arrogant. I'm not sure why whoever posted this quote posted it. I mean, I read all kinds of attacks on other peoples' theology on that site: the implication being, "We've got it all figured out and these other people are just outright heretics..." I mean, they throw the "h" word around a good bit there...

So I don't know much about Contemplative Prayer. So, Richard Foster is a proponent of the practice. So what? I found Richard Foster to be an extrememly boring person as a retreat leader. The blessing that comes from Foster (as far as I'm concerned) is that Christians became interested in the spiritual disciplines again partly because of his writing, not that his theology is 100% on the money (like anybody's is...but I digress).

So, it's a blog. They can have their opinions. No problem. I'll still read it - it's got some good stuff there (of course, they're not 100% on the money in their theology - but I won't hold that against them...heh).

"Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; the others prolcaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance..." (Philippians 1:15-19 NRSV)

Heh - to some, I'm a heretic for not using the King James Version of the Bible. So be it. Those who want to burn the heretics are not acting in imitation of Christ - who, it seems to me, did what He could to correct the teachings of the heretics around Him by proclaiming the TRUTH. Hmmm, that sounds difficult. Easier, to quote a favorite scene from Monty Python, to "BURN THE WITCH" "How do you know she's a witch?" "She looks like one..."

Um..........