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Introduction
Schuller's Popularity
Robert Schuller's Version of Key Biblical Doctrines
Robert Schuller and The New Age
Robert Schuller and Channelled Books
Robert Schuller and Gerald Jampolsky
Robert Schuller and Norman Vincent Peale
Robert Schuller and Sir John Marks Templeton
Robert Schuller and Paul Yonggi Cho
Robert Schuller and Catholicism
Robert Schuller and Muslims
Other Blind Evangelicals
And an Equally Blind Christianity Today
One of Robert Schuller's Radio Interviews
Introduction
Robert Schuller, well known in the Christian world, was once pastor of the famed Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. According to the now defunct Crystal Cathedral's Official Web Site, he was
... watched by over 20 million people on hundreds of stations on both cable and satellite channels around the world including the Discovery Channel, the Sky Channel, the Trinity Broadcast Network, in more than 180 countries. His Hour of Power weekly televised church service reached nearly 20 million people all over the world and was selected by the U.S. Armed Forces Radio & Television Network to be broadcast to cities and bases in over 165 countries worldwide and to all ships at sea".
Wikipedia also said the Hour Of Power in Europe was
"... broadcast on CNBC Europe, VOX in Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Sky One in the UK and Republic of Ireland; in the Middle East, it is carried on METV in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria; and in Australia on EXPO,Australian Christian Channel and the free to air commercial television channel, network 10. In Australia the program is also broadcast weekly on radio.
It also probably didn't hurt that he paraded an impressive line up of celebrity speakers at the Crystal Cathedral ...
"Notable guests have included musician John Tesh, former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Christian singer Jaci Velasquez, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, pianist Roger Williams, Christian singer Joy Williams, Backstreet Boys member and Christian singer Brian Littrell, Christian singer Natalie Grant, actor Noah Gray-Cabey, former tennis star Michael Chang, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, American tenor Daniel Rodriguez, musical group The Oak Ridge Boys, Christian singer Sara Groves, radio talk-show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger, MLB baseball player Kirk Gibson and actor Denzel Washington".
Schuller helped train ministers from around the world, was the "author of over 30 books (six of which found a place on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-seller lists) and was also said to have made more than $50 million a year.
Schuller's Popularity
In 1987 a survey was conducted by the National Association of Christian Psychotherapists and Counselors as to which television ministry is "the most effective in applying biblical principles to people's problems." Robert Schuller's Hour of Power came out on top. In fact, he was so popular that John M. Soderberg, a sculptor in bronze, currently offers an 8 ft statue of him. In the write up on John M. Soderberg's web site, Schuller is called "an inspiration to millions" [01]
In today's Biblically illiterate church the fact that Robert Schuller had a grandfatherly smile that stretched from ear to ear and a demeanor that invited trust - was apparently more than enough to convince many thousands of Christians that his teachings were Biblically based.
Apparently no one cared that Schuller's 2008 "Rethink" conference that was telecast by satellite around the world by Church Communication Network (CCN) and co-hosted by Erwin McManus, included George Barna, Chuck Colson, George Foreman, George H. Bush, Dan Kimball, John and Nancy Ortberg, Rupert Murdoch, Kathy Ireland, Lee Strobel, Ben Stein, Ben Vereen, and Kay Warren on the speaker list.
John Ortberg: is a proponent of Christian mysticism. For example, his 2002 book The Life You've Always Wanted, references Dallas Willard and Richard Foster numerous times.
Rupert Murdoch: The media conglomerate News Corp owns Fox TV, The Wall Street Journal, 20th Century Fox etc. They acquired Zondervan, the world's leading Bible and 'Christian book' publisher in 1988. Zondervan subsequently published Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. (Details) News Corp also acquired Thomas Nelson Publishers in 2012. But here is the kicker. News Corp is owned by Robert Murdoch - generally known as a purveyor of newspaper sex, scandal and nudity. At the time, he owned The Sun, a UK based tabloid which has has been banned in public libraries because of its "excessive sexual content".
And this spiritual blindness wasn't restricted to the man in the pew. James Dobson, founder and president of Focus on the Family who even used Schuller's endorsements in his ads (Calvary Contender, August 15, 1987), commented:
"He's not dogmatic. His message is clear and deals mainly with cognitive reconditioning. Yet he uses the Bible as his source. He comes across more as a therapist then a minister, yet his message is still very Christian in nature."
Let's see how "Christian in nature", Schuller's beliefs were.. In fact, the question is not whether Robert Schuller was a heretic, but whether he was a Christian at all. Here is what he thought about the most fundamental of Biblical doctrines Sin, Repentance and Salvation.
Robert Schuller's Version of Key Biblical Doctrines
Schuller believed that virtually every problem a person has, every ill that plagues society, all sin and evil in the world, is a result of people having low self-esteem. Therefore, our greatest need is to have our self-esteem increased. Schuller's Self-Esteem: The New Reformation was published in 1982 (See some gems from the book among the quotes below). Yet, even AFTER this book was published, Schuller continued to be accepted as a genuine Christian leader by many evangelical leaders...
Sin: To Schuller, sin is merely the lack of self esteem.
"What do I mean by sin? Answer: Any human condition or act that robs God of glory by stripping one of his children of their right to divine dignity. I could offer another complementing answer: Sin is that deep lack of trust that separates me from God and leaves me with a sense of shame and unworthiness. I can offer still another answer: Sin is any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or her self-esteem" (Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, p. 14).
"Classical theology defines sin as 'rebellion against god.' The answer is not incorrect as much as it is shallow and insulting to the human being. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity even if he or she is a 'rebellious sinner" (Schuller's Self-Esteem: The New Reformation p. 65).
"The most serious sin is the one that causes me to say, 'I am unworthy. I may have no claim to divine sonship if you examine me at my worst.'" "For once a person believes he is an 'unworthy sinner,' it is doubtful if he can really honestly accept the saving grace God offers in Jesus Christ." (Self-Esteem, the New Reformation Word Books, 1982 Pg. 98)
In a 10/5/84 letter to Christianity Today, Schuller wrote,
"I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and hence counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition"
Repentance" In response to a question from Paul Crouch on Crouch's TBN 12/8/87 television show, concerning critic's claims that Schuller doesn't preach repentance, Schuller responded, "I preach repentance so positively, most people don't recognize it" (cf. Ezekiel 18:30-32).
Salvation:
"Is there any possibility of a person being, quote--saved --unquote, without accepting Jesus Christ in a way evangelicals preach it today? My answer is, I don't know. That's the honest to God truth. But I believe in the sovereignty of God and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. I hope so. Is it possible to be saved without making public repentance? I think so. On the cross, Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.' He didn't say, 'Father, forgive them because they repented.' Jesus has a different theology of salvation than most preachers."
"I may not deserve it [salvation] but I am worth it so don't say that I am unworthy" (Self-Esteem, the New Reformation Word Books, 1982 p. 74).
"If the gospel of Jesus Christ can be proclaimed as a theology of self-esteem, imagine the health this could generate in society!" (Self-Esteem, the New Reformation Word Books, 1982 p. 47)
 See Sin, Repentance and Salvation on THIS Page
Born Again: "Any analysis of 'sin' or 'evil' or 'demonic influence' or 'negative thinking' or 'systemic evil' or 'antisocial behavior' that fails to see the lack of self-dignity as the core of the problem will prove to be too shallow. ... to be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image - from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear to love, from doubt to trust" (Schuller's Self-Esteem: The New Reformation p. 68).
Self Esteem: Schuller said, "Jesus had an ego. He said, 'I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.' Wow, what an ego trip He was on!" (8/12/80 Phil Donahue Show)
"Jesus knew his worth, his success fed his self-esteem. He wanted to draw all men ti himself. Why? Because he knew the joy of success. He suffered the cross to sanctify his self-esteem. And he bore the cross to sanctify your self-esteem. And the cross will sanctify the ego trip!" (Schuller. Living Positively One Day at a Time, Pg. 201)
Schuller once wrote: "I believe in positive thinking. It is almost as important as the resurrection of Jesus Christ" [02]
"And I can feel the self-esteem rising all around me and within me, 'Rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me' (John 7:38, TLB). I'll really feel good about myself" (Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, p. 80).
"Self-esteem then, or 'pride in being a human being,' is the single greatest need facing the human race today. ... I strongly suggest that self-love is the ultimate will of man -- that what you really want more than anything else in the world is the awareness that you are a worthy person. ... Do not fear pride: the easiest job God has is to humble us. God's almost impossible task is to keep us believing every hour of every day how great we are as his sons and daughters on planet earth." Schuller, Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, p. 19.
Ecumenism: Robert Schuller has proudly said: "...what sets me apart from fundamentalists is that they are trying to convert everybody to believe how they believe. ... We know the things the major faiths can agree on. We try to focus on those without offending those with different view-points. ..." (3/23/89, USA Today).
Schuller said: "It's time for Protestants to go to the shepherd [Pope] and say 'what do we have to do to come home?'" [03].
Schuller told Imam Alfred Mohammed of the Muslim American Society that "if he [Schuller] came back in 100 years and found his descendants Muslims, it wouldn't bother him. ..." [04]
Robert Schuller and The New Age
(For those of you who are not familiar with the New Age Agenda, I suggest reading New Age - An Overview)
Robert Schuller and Channelled Books
William Gaultiere, Ph.D, was Executive Director of the New Hope Crisis Counseling Center at the Crystal Cathedral and a Clinical Psychologist and Spiritual Director with ChristianSoulCare.com.) In an article entitled Living the Lord's Prayer, he not only said he loved "the way Richard Foster describes the heart of prayer in his book, Prayer. He gives us a beautiful picture", but then proceeded to quote Foster several times and Dallas Willard once. He also said that one of his "favorite books is a little book called Practicing the Presence of God, which was written by Brother Lawrence four centuries ago".
Incidentally, Dallas Willard - theologian and professor of philosophy at UCLA is one of today's modern mystics Considering their emphasis on spiritual disciplines Brian McLaren calls Dallas Willard and Richard Foster "key mentors for the emerging church."
However, it may be possible that Schuller didn't share Gaultiere's sentiments if it weren't for the fact that he had no trouble consorting with and promoting other New Agers and their teachings. Schuller endorsed two books, both of which are channeled works.. that is they came directly from spirit guides. See Channelling
Also of concern was Schuller's relationship with John Marks Templeton and his promotion of Templeton's book, Discovering The Laws of Life, his relationship with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and his promotion of psychiatrist Gerald Jampolsky.
A Course In Miracles by atheistic psychologist Helen Schucman claims to be a revelation from Jesus Christ Himself.
Due to job-related stress and a crisis at work, Schucman began to write down and explore her highly symbolic dreams. This exploration went on for several months. Unexpectedly, one day she heard an inner voice say, This is a course in miracles. Please take notes. From this experience ensued a form of inner dictation. The method of transmission was a clear, distinct inner voice that promised to direct [her] very specifically. Schucman described the process as the kind of inner dictation common to many other channeled works. She wrote, It cant be an hallucination, really, because the Voice does not come from outside. Its all internal. There's no actual sound, and the words come mentally but very clearly. Its a kind of inner dictation you might say. Schucman took shorthand dictation from the voice almost daily: It always resumed dictation precisely where it had left off, no matter how much time had elapsed between sessions
In the late 1980s Schuller's Crystal Cathedral church hosted workshops for A Course In Miracles. Only after much outcry from knowledgeable Christians did the Crystal Cathedral stop hosting the workshops.
Note: At least five million people have been exposed to the teachings if the Course and the same spiritistic direction is promised to students of the Course. See A Course In Miracles
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and Clement Stone - about which Schuller said it was one of the ten books that most impacted his faith and philosophy. Here is what Napoleon Hill said about Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
Hill claimed that "an emissary came across the astral plane. In a voice that "sounded like chimes of great music," this visitor from another dimension declared: "I come from the Great School of Masters. I am one of the Council of Thirty-Three who serve the Great School and its initiates on the physical plane." Hill was informed that he had been "under the guidance of the Great School" for years and had been chosen by them to give the formula of success, the "Supreme Secret," to the world: that "anything the human mind can believe, the human mind can achieve."
Yet, according to Robert Schuller himself, Clement Stone was a key element behind the Crystal Cathedral, giving one million dollars to begin construction.
When the church was completed, Rev. Schuller invited Stone to be first to speak as a lay person to those attending. Stone told the congregation: "You need to read Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude. I will get each of you a copy.” Later a truck delivered over 7,000 copies of this book co-written by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone.
Robert Schuller and Gerald Jampolsky
On a 2004 [10/17/04] Hour of Power program, Schuller featured guest was New Age leader and A Course in Miracles advocate Gerald Jampolsky He endorsed all of Jampolsky's "fabulous" books, adding that Jampolsky's latest book, Forgiveness, was available in the Crystal Cathedral bookstore.
In introducing Jampolsky to his congregation, Schuller claimed that Jampolsky had "found God." What he neglected to tell the people is that Jampolsky found "God" through A Course In Miracles, and that Jampolsky's book, Love is Letting Go of Fear, was completely based on the teachings of the same. It's not that Jampolsky's connection to A Course In Miracles was hidden. On the dedication page of his book he thanked the authors of A Course In Miracles and openly stated that his book was based on their work.
I believe the following quote sums up Gerald Jampolsky' beliefs and practices
"Jampolskys bestselling books, There Is a Rainbow Behind Every Cloud, Goodbye to Guilt, Out of Darkness into the Light, Love Is Letting Go of Fear, Teach Only Love, and Children as Teachers of Peace condense basic themes of the Course.
His Center for Attitudinal Healing was founded in 1975 under the direction of an inner voice, which instructed him to establish a center where the principles of the Course could be taught and demonstrated... The Course content also promotes occultism and spiritistic guidance, which is another characteristic goal of demonic revelations. As an example of the psychic guidance people have been led to accept through the Course, many people have received the author of the Course (Jesus) as their personal spirit guide in other words, a demon cleverly impersonating Jesus. In his Good-Bye to Guilt Releasing Fear through Forgiveness (New York: Bantam, 1985, Pgs. 62-64) Gerald Jampolsky confesses that ‘Jesus' became his spirit guide and even possessed him in order to act and speak through him. [05]
Is it any wonder that in his book, on page 282 of his book The New Revelations: A Conversation with God, New Age leader Neale Donald Walsch referred to Robert Schuller as an extraordinary minister.
Robert Schuller and Norman Vincent Peale
On 2/7/94, Christian News reported that during one of Robert Schuller's broadcasts in January of ‘94, he teared up while talking about the death of Norman Vincent Peale, who had died on Christmas eve the month before. During this broadcast Schuller talked about how Peale had been his inspiration and mentor and how he had started the positive thinking movement. Schuller then said he had swallowed it: "Hook, line, and sinker."
Norman Vincent Peale is well known to much of the world thanks to his best selling book The Power of Positive Thinking and the ever popular Guideposts magazine. The Power of Positive Thinking is Peale's most widely read work. First published in 1952, it stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 186 consecutive weeks, and according to the publisher, Simon and Schuster, the book has sold around 5 million copies. It is still easily available in bookstores and on Amazon.
The quotes below probably sum up Peale's thinking and teaching. He wrote (All Emphasis Added)
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” [06]
When you expect the best, you release a magnetic force in your mind which by a law of attraction tends to bring the best to you. But if you expect the worst, you release from your mind the power of repulsion which tends to force the best from you. [07]
In a later book Positive Imaging, Peale said:
"Imaging consists of vividly picturing in your conscious mind, a desired goal or objective, and holding that image until it sinks into your unconscious mind, where IT releases great, untapped energies" [08].
Thank Him for the power that He put into your unconscious mind through imaging, the power that turns wishes into realities when the wishes are strong enough. [09]
Note this is exactly the same concept behind another best selling book that came along much later - The Secret. And it is indistinguishable from the modern church's 'word of faith' doctrine). See The Prosperity and Word of Faith Doctrines
Peale credited his theology of positive thinking to Ernest Holmes, who established Science of Mind in 1927 by Ernest Holmes. Science of Mind is a spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical religious movement within the New Thought movement. The back cover of Ernest Holmes: His Life and Times: bears Peale's tribute
"Only those who knew me as a boy can fully appreciate what Ernest Holmes did for me. Why, he made me a positive thinker."
On the back cover of Science of Mind, sometimes known as one of the greatest New Thought books ever written, Peale wrote
"I believe God was in this man, Ernest Holmes. He was in tune with the Infinite."
And if the thought "So what? who cares about what some dead guy thought and said" happens to have crossed your mind - you can dismiss it.. Ernest Holmes is alive and well today in the form of Science of Mind magazines, retreats, cruises, daily guides etc. To say nothing of the archives that
contain many wonderful artifacts from the history of United Centers for Spiritual Living and International Centers for Spiritual Living. Priceless treasures include copies of all of the Science of Mind magazines since October 1927 and a complete collection of Creative Thought magazines. Science of Mind books in Russian, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Afrikaans, Japanese, Braille, as well as numerous reel-to-reel tapes and transcripts of Ernest Holmes' radio talks and classes can all be found in the Archives. [10]
See The Roots of Evil which charts the roots of many of the beliefs prevalent today
Robert Schuller and Sir John Marks Templeton
John Marks Templeton was founder of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. Templeton's beliefs are clearly expressed in his writings. He is an evolutionist, pantheist, universalist, and occultist and in no unequivocal terms rejects the God of the Bible, Christ as the only Savior and only way to God.
He claims that heaven and hell are states of mind we create here on earth, that truth is relative, and that Christianity is no longer relevant. He states "behind this book is my belief that the basic principles for leading a "sublime life"... may be derived from any religious tradition Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others as well as Christian...."
In 1986 John Marks Templeton and his New Age views were first introduced to the church by Robert Schuller. In that year Schuller's Possibilities Magazine prominently featured him on the front cover. In it he wrote, "The Christ spirit dwells in every human being whether the person knows it or not..."
Christianity Today's April 24, 1994 issue introduced Templeton's book Discovering The Laws of Life to a Christian audience. The advertisement was headlined "Will inspire Millions of Readers" and was assigned the entire back cover. It was endorsed by Norman Vincent Peale (who also wrote the foreword), Robert Schuller, Billyl Graham, and two prominent Catholic New Age leaders, Theodore M. Hesburgh (former president of Notre Dame University) arid J. Peter Grace (head of the Knights of Malta). More about Templeton
Robert Schuller and Paul Yonggi Cho
Cho has long been a promoter of visualization along with prayer so it is not surprising to see Schuller write the foreword to Yonggi Cho's book, The Fourth Dimension. He wrote
I count it a great honor to write these words as a foreword to this exciting book by my brother in Christ, David Yonggi Cho. I am personally indebted to him for spiritual strength, and for insights I have received from God through this great Christian pastor....
"I discovered the reality of that dynamic dimension in prayer that comes through visualizing..... Don't try to understand it. Just start to enjoy it! It's true. It works. I tried it". See Visualization
So who is Paul Yonggi Cho?
Paul Yonggi Cho is the "pastor" of the world's largest Protestant church (Assemblies of God), the 850,000-member Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea. (The 11/92 Charisma reports that, after a family spat, Paul Yonggi Cho changed his name to "David.") Cho's teachings are an idolatrous mix of a little Biblical teaching with a lot of occult healing, prophesying, visualization, sorcery, and pagan mind techniques. Cho teaches that Christians can get anything they want by calling upon the spirit world in the "fourth dimension" and envisioning (visualizing) their felt needs, no matter how crass and gross. Cho teaches that positive thinking, positive speaking, and positive visualization are the keys to success, and that anyone can literally "incubate" and give birth to physical reality by creating a vivid image in his or her mind and focusing upon it. ...
According to Cho, God told him that Buddhist and yoga adherents worked "miracle" cures because they explored and developed their human fourth-dimensional power, imagining mental pictures of health and willing them into their bodies. God told him that all human beings had the power to exercise legitimate dominion over the material world through this fourth-dimensional activity.
Cho's teaching is a system of mind over matter (or rather, imagination over matter). He frankly admits that it is a Christianized version of precisely the same methods practiced by Buddhists, exponents of yoga, and the followers of other pagan, mystical, and occult systems. The only difference is that their fourth-dimensional power receives co-operation from the devil, while that of Christians supposedly receives help from the Holy Spirit. He says that so long as we keep our minds from foolish and wrong ideas, we shall keep the canvas of our imagination clean for the Holy Spirit to paint on it the things we are to have. (Cho says that his massive church grew to its present size, and continues to grow, because he follows this principle of visualization. He first imagines his church growing to a certain figure, and he then visualizes all the faces and incubates the vision into reality.) Cho teaches that all Christians should aim to prosper in body, soul, and spirit, and their success and failure in this is due entirely to their success or failure in visualizing. [11].
And then you have this
Yoido Full Gospel church leaders found guilty of tax evasion
On Feb. 20, Hon. Cho Yong-hyun with the 23rd criminal division of the Seoul District Court sentenced David Yonggi Cho, 78, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, to three years in prison, suspended for five years, and ordered him to pay 5 billion won (US$4.67 million) in fines. Cho was charged with causing around 13.1 billion won in damages to his church and evading approximately 3.5 billion won in taxes in the process (embezzlement as defined in the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes). In addition, Pastor Cho’s oldest son Cho Hee-jun, 49, former chairman of the Yeongsan Christian Culture Center, was given a three-year prison sentence and taken into custody.
The criminal activity would have been impossible without the approval of Pastor Cho, who had ultimate decision-making authority,” the court ruled. “By condoning the documents that were being written while he was the head of the church, he was largely responsible for these crimes.” [12]
Robert Schuller and Catholicism
In 1972, Schuller "invited Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen to his pulpit and joined with Catholic bishops at their Mass at the Annual Mary's Hour at the Los Angeles Sports Arena" (David Beale, S.B.C. House on the Sand, p. 144). During the Pope's visit to Los Angeles in 1987, Schuller "played the papal hoopla on [his church's] giant-sized screen for people to come watch." Schuller said: "It's time for Protestants to go to the shepherd [Pope] and say 'what do we have to do to come home?'" (11/15/87, Calvary Contender). When Schuller was planning for the building of his Crystal Cathedral, he made a special trip to Rome to ask the Pope's blessing on the building plans (Foundation, March-April 1990).
In 1985, the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association and Tyndale House Publishers jointly published What Christians Can Learn from One Another about Evangelizing Adults, which contained a chapter by Billy Graham. The book called for greater cooperation between Protestants and Catholics in so-called evangelism, and also included articles by Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Robert Schuller, Bill Bright, Jack Wyrtzen, and others (Flirting With Rome, p. 31).
Additionally, the Roman Catholic Cardinal for Los Angeles, Roger Mahony, was Schuller's honored guest at his church and on his television program on 3/22/92.
Schuller joined David Yonggi Cho in Sicily for the country's first Church Growth Conference in March 1998, visiting Pope John Paul II en route to the conference. The May 1998 issue of Powerlines, Schuller's monthly newsletter, highlighted his church growth conference with Cho and his meeting with Pope John Paul II in Rome. According to the newsletter, "it was the fourth time Dr. Schuller and the Pope had met, hand-to-hand, heart-to-heart at the Vatican." The article also added a brief note concerning the discussion between the Pope and Schuller:
"When the Schullers met Pope John Paul II in March, the Pope expressed interest in how our churches could work together to take part in the Vatican's preparations for the Jubilee celebrations of Christianity's third millennium in the year 2000."
Pope John Paul II also blessed Mrs. Schuller, an act which Robert Schuller said may have caused his wife to be healed five days later when Mrs. Schuller suffered a mild heart attack. "How could Arvella help but be healed when the Crystal Cathedral Congregation is praying for her, and after she had received private blessings from the Pope and a special visit from the pastor of the largest Protestant church in the world, David Yonggi Cho," Schuller said.
Robert Schuller and Muslims
William W. Baker is a well-traveled Christian theologian and Biblical archeologist.
From his first encounter in 1986 with Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro, the grand mufti of Syria, William Baker has been obsessed with the idea of teaching the West that Islam shares most of its precepts with Christianity. In fact, that's the title of his latest book, More in Common Than You Think: The Bridge Between Islam and Christianity.
Baker's dream of uniting leaders of the two faiths was realized Sept. 10 at the famous Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA, as more than 3,000 Muslims and Christians viewed 9:30 and 11 a.m. services in which Dr. Robert Schuller and Sheikh Salah Kuftaro, son of the Syrian grand mufti, discussed their shared belief in Jesus Christ.
Hundreds of thousands more viewed the services when they were aired over Dr. Schuller's worldwide "Hour of Power" TV program. Commenting that he has met many of the world's religious leaders, including the pope, Dr. Schuller told the sheikh: "I have never met a man of such spirituality and wisdom as that of your father. He is a spiritual giant." [13]
Note: Crystal Cathedral once housed offices for Christians and Muslims for Peace.
Other Blind Evangelicals.
"And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matthew 15:14).
The fact that so many evangelical leaders would treat Schuller as a brother in Christ is clear evidence of their spiritual blindness.
National Association of Evangelicals: Given a standing ovation, Dr. Robert Schuller brought his message of self-esteem Christianity to the platform of the 61st Annual Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). He declared, "There are some things in the Bible I cannot swallow but you get saved not by the Book but the blood. Keep your message positive. Understand God is a God of grace and glory so forget the matter of justice."
Schuller continued, "Repentance is not a healthy response. Repentance is really defined when someone says, 'I want to live the dream you have, Lord.' Intelligent people do not understand the fear of God. Grace has been missed in Fundamentalism. Remember Jesus invested His stock in the Roman Catholic Church for at least 1,000 years prior to the Reformation. Now we need a new reformation with this message that God loves you and so do I...
It was interesting to observe that not everyone in attendance accepted Schuller's message of self-esteem. The CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), who was a guest of NAE, told this reporter, "The NAE in having Schuller in to speak was a serious mistake. We do away with sin, according to Schuller, and embrace self-esteem."
Southern Baptist leader W.A. Criswell endorsed Schuller's ministry in 1981 in an ad in Christianity Today's Leadership magazine. He said, "I know Dr. Schuller personally. He's my good friend. I've spoken on his platform. I'm well acquainted with his ministry. If you want to develop fruitful evangelism in your church; if you want your laity to experience positive motivation and ministry fulfilling training, then I know, without a doubt, that you will greatly benefit from the Robert Schuller Film Workshop." A year prior to that, Criswell also endorsed a book by Schuller's mentor, self-esteem theologian Norman Vincent Peale.
Assorted Leaders" On April 29, 1980, Robert Schuller appeared with popular evangelical and charismatic leaders Bill Bright, D. James Kennedy, James Robison, Jim Bakker, Rex Humbard, Pat Robertson, Pat Boone, Nicky Cruz, David du Plessis, Demos Shakarian, and Thomas Zimmerman (Assemblies of God) at the Washington for Jesus Rally. Joining them was independent Baptist pastor Jerry Falwell.
Billy Graham has frequently appeared with and praised Schuller. In 1983, Schuller sat in the front row of distinguished guests invited to honor Graham's 65th birthday. In 1986 Schuller was invited by Graham to speak at the International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists in Amsterdam.
R.C. Sproul, president of Ligonier Ministries and popular author and teacher has spoken at Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral on numerous occasions. He spoke at Schuller's church in September 21, 1984, then at John MacArthur's church three days later. Again Sproul spoke at Schuller's church in October 26, 1986, and then at MacArthur's church on October 29. This reveals the importance of practicing biblical separation. To our knowledge, John MacArthur has not personally promoted Schuller, but he has men in to speak at his church who are so spiritually blind that they work hand-in-hand with a heretic like Robert Schuller. This is a great confusion. Some would label this "second degree separation," but that is nonsense. To separate from a man such as Sproul who is disobeying the clear commands of the Word of God to mark and avoid false teaching is not some kind of secondary separation. It is wisdom and it is obedience.
Bill Hybels of the Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago credits Schuller as an inspiration for his work, has promoted Schuller in various ads in Christianity Today, and is a frequent speaker at meetings organized by Schuller.
Campus Crusade Fast for Revival conference" In December 1994, Schuller joined hands with a wide range of popular evangelical leaders at Campus Crusade for Christ head Bill Bright's Fast for Revival conference. Among those attending were Charles Colson, E.V. Hill, Jack Hayford, James Dobson, W.A. Criswell, Charles Stanley, Paul Crouch, Luis Palau, Bill Gothard, Pat Robertson, Jay Arthur, and Larry Burkett. Additionally, Schuller's 1996 autobiography, My Soul's Adventure with God, was endorsed by Paul Crouch, Jack Hayford, John Wimber, and popular Southern Baptist leader W.A. Criswell.
Promise Keepers: Many of the Promise Keepers speakers and leaders are connected with Schuller. For example, John Maxwell, Jack Hayford, and Randy Phillips were among the keynote speakers at the Men's Conference '95 (March 2-4, 1995) held at Schuller's Crystal Cathedral.
C. Peter Wagner and Jack Hayford: In February 1996, Robert Schuller was featured at Jerusalem Celebration 2000. Joining him for this meeting was Paul Yonggi Cho, Jack Hayford, C. Peter Wagner, among others.
Ravi Zacharias appeared on Robert Schuller's Hour of Power program on April 18, 2004. He did not give his listeners one word of warning about his heresies.
Rick Warren of Purpose Driven fame has been deeply influenced by Schuller. In his last year at seminary, Warren attended Schuller's Institute for Church Growth, and was "won over." His wife, Kay, said, "He had a profound influence on Rick. We were captivated by his positive appeal to nonbelievers. I never looked back".
Warren has also spoken at Schuller's conferences. He spoke at the Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership in 1997. And Schuller endorsed Warren's Purpose Drive Church, saying, "I'm praying that every pastor will read this book, believe it, be prepared to stand corrected by it, and change to match its sound, scriptural wisdom. Rick Warren is the one all of us should listen to and learn from." See The Purpose Driven Life
In September 1996, Beverly LaHaye and Ralph Reed joined Robert Schuller for a Christian Coalition conference in Washington D.C., sponsored by cult-leader "Rev." Sun Myung Moon.
And an Equally Blind Christianity Today
Not only did Christianity Today frequently carry advertisements that promoted Schuller and his Institute for Successful Church Leadership but, as David Cloud wrote,
Two years after Schuller published Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, Christianity Today editors examined Schuller's theology and, amazingly, concluded that he is not a heretic. Consider an excerpt from an August 10, 1984, Christianity Today article by Kenneth Kantzer and Paul Fromer:
"He believes all the 'fundamental' doctrines of traditional fundamentalism. He adheres to every line of the Apostles' Creed with a tenacity born of deep conviction. ... he avowed belief in a literal hell. He was not sure about its location, and the fire is to be understood figuratively...”
This is remarkable. Sure, when Robert Schuller is questioned about his theology, he says he believes the fundamental doctrines of the Faith. Most Modernists do. What he will not admit is that he redefines the terminology of the Faith so as to produce an entirely different, and false, theology. We have seen this from his own pen. We do not need a personal interview to clarify the man's blatant apostasy!
Schuller says he believes in salvation by grace, but what he actually believes is that salvation is being rescued from poor self-esteem. He says he believes in Hell; but his hell is the loss of self-esteem, not a place of fiery eternal torment. He says he believes in sin; but sin is not willful rebellion against God and His law, but the loss of self-esteem. He says he believes in Jesus Christ; but his positive-only, "Self-Esteem Incarnate" Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible.
Schuller says he believes everything in the Bible. That is not true. What he believes about the Bible is actually a redefined, twisted view of it. His repentance is not Bible repentance; his new birth is not Bible regeneration; his Hell, his Heaven, his Jesus, cross, his salvation is not that of the Bible. The man is an arch-heretic, a blasphemer. He has never retracted or repented of the views promoted in his book Self-Esteem. [14]
Robert Schuller - Radio Interview
The following are highlights from a two hour interview with Michael Horton on The White Horse Inn radio program, Nov. 1992 (re-aired Aug. 10, 1997).
The following highlights from an 11/92 radio interview with Robert Schuller provides a good snapshot summary of Schuller's perverted gospel of self:
HORTON: Would you be willing to address your congregation as a group as sinners?
SCHULLER: No I don't think I need to do that. First of all, my congregation is a very mixed audience.
HORTON: But our Lord's audiences were mixed with disciples and unbelievers both.
SCHULLER: Oh yes, but I'll tell you, the audience is quite different that I talk to than what the Lord spoke to. I speak every week to millions, not a million but millions of people in Russia on channel one. And I speaking to a couple of million people every Sunday.
HORTON: Are you saying that it is the size of the audience that matters?
SCHULLER: No it's not the size of the audience, it's where are they at at this time. My only concern is: I don't want to drive them farther away than they are! And I listen to so many preachers on religious radio stations...and by golly, if I wasn't a Christian, they'd drive me farther away. I am so afraid that I am going to drive them farther; I want to attract them, and so I use the strategy that Jesus used. I preach the way Jesus preached. I don't preach, probably, the way Paul preached....
*********
HORTON: But what I'm asking is this. Justified from what? The wrath of God?
SCHULLER: Oh! I'll never use that language
HORTON: But the Bible does.
SCHULLER: Yes, the Bible does, but the Bible is God's book to believers primarily. Listen, and then call me a heretic if you want to, but I'm interested in attracting people, and not driving them farther away. There is language I can and will use and there are times, if we are wise, there is language we will not use....If God is a God of love, how do we handle this concept of wrath? At the outset, on the surface, it appears to be a contradiction; maybe it is. I tell you this, I have come to the conclusion that I haven't stepped into the center of truth until I've dared to step into contradiction. The Bible is a contradiction: Old Testament--Law, New Testament--Grace. Jesus is a contradiction; totally human and totally God.
*********
HORTON: Dr. Schuller, how could the cross as you write, "sanctify the ego trip," and make us proud, in the light of passages that say, "I hate pride and arrogance (Prov. 8:13), "Pride goes before destruction" (Prov. 16:18),"The Lord detests all the proud" (Prov. 16:5), "Do not be proud"(Rom. 12:16), "Love does not boast it is not proud" (1Cor 13:4). In fact Paul warns Timothy that in the last days men "will be lovers of themselves" (2Tim 3:2). Why should we as Christian ministers, myself included, why should we do anything to encourage people to become "lovers of themselves" if Paul in fact warned others that that would be the state of godlessness in the last days?
SCHULLER: I hope you don't preach this, I hope you don't preach this!
HORTON: What, the texts?
SCHULLER: No, what you just spoke into the microphone right now. I hope you don't because you could do a lot of damage to a lot of beautiful people... if you preach that text, oh man, I sure hope you give it the kind of interpretation that I do or, I'll tell you, you'll drive them farther away and they'll be madder than hell at you and they'll turn the Bible off, and they'll switch you off, and they'll turn on the rock music and Madonna. Just because it's in the Bible doesn't mean you should preach it. ... it is so difficult to preach some of those texts and not come across as lacking humility preach some of those texts and not come across as lacking humility...
*********
HORTON: But Dr. Schuller, did you write "The unsaved person cannot perceive himself as worthy of divine grace and hence rejects it."?
SCHULLER: I may have said that because I am inclined to believe very definitely that the person who is lost and unsaved is afraid of the light. The person who is only used to darkness is afraid of the light and I think unsaved people do not consider themselves worthy enough; I think that's absolutely true, "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us."
HORTON: But not while we were worthy Christ died for us?
SCHULLER: Listen, if Christ had died for somebody who wasn't worth anything that would have been a lousy deal. God is a good steward and he teaches us to be good stewards. God knows the worst sinner is worth saving so that he would die on a cross for us.
HORTON: But how can we deserve undeserved favor?
SCHULLER: You tell me! I don't have to answer that question. You're asking me how we can be saved by grace. It's because of the love of God, and we are saved by grace.
HORTON: But if we are worth it, then it is not grace, it's merit.
SCHULLER: No, no. It means that we are still creatures of God, we are still sons of God. We have value. We still have value. [15]
*********
I believe the interview ended as follows
HORTON: Dr. Schuller, what do we tell someone who says, "I'm already happy and fulfilled, so why do I need the gospel?"
SCHULLER: I don't know ... I can't relate to that.
HORTON: Ought we to pray, "Our father in heaven, honorable is our name"?
SCHULLER: (Silence)
HORTON: That's a legitimate question?
SCHULLER: It may be a legitimate question but I think it's kind of a dumb question because I don't teach that. Ask someone who teaches it.
HORTON: Well you wrote it on page 69 of Self-Esteem: The New Reformation.
SCHULLER: You know what, I'm tired now. You're laying so many heavy trips on me, and I wasn't prepared for this.
Taking Anyone (Even Schuller) Out Of Context Is Wrong
Robert Schuller and Meditation
The one common factor between Christians, non-Christians, heretics, cult leaders etc. is that they tend to take certain statements way out of context - context being the part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.
Sadly Christian apologists do this as much as anyone else. For example, the case the Schuller endorsed Transcendental Meditation is assumed because he is widely reputed to have said
The most effective mantras employ the "M" sound. You can get the feel of it by repeating the words, "I am, I am," many times over...Transcendental Meditation...is not a religion nor is it necessarily anti-Christian. (Peace of Mind Through Possibility Thinking, 1977 pp. 131-32)
Interestingly, and I have noticed this many times, many Christian sites will use EXACTLY the same phrase. Where it began I do not know, but the words have undoubtedly been copied over and over again with, seemingly, not one person bothering to go and look at the original context. In this case if you do, you do you will find that quite the opposite is true. Although his sins are too numerous to recount on one page, Schuller was not, at least not in this particular instance, endorsing Transcendental Meditation. Here is what he said - in context.
"A variety of approaches to meditation . . . is employed by many different religions as well as by various non religious mind-control systems. In all forms . . . TM, Zen Buddhism, or Yoga . . . the meditator endeavors to overcome the conscious mind ..." It is important to remember that meditation in any form is the harnessing, by human means, of God's divine laws.... We are endowed with a great many powers and forces that we do not yet fully understand.( He believes these are valid methods for "the harnessing, by human means, of God's divine laws. ..."
The mantra has been and is being widely discussed through the advocates of one of the most successfully merchandised forms of meditation. I refer to Transcendental Meditation or TM, as it is commonly called. It is not a religion nor is it necessarily anti-Christian. It is, however, commercially non-Christian. It does not integrate into its practice the dynamic love and positive power of Jesus Christ. For this reason I advocate the Meditation that Christ practiced. I call it: PTM, or Possibility Thinking Meditation".
While I have absolutely no idea what he meant by "PTM, or Possibility Thinking Meditation" the fact remains that the quote was cut off at a very strategic point and, if read in context, does not say what is commonly supposed.
See Context is CRUCIAL
Incidentally, although statements in the Bible are commonly taken out of context in order to force them to say what the speaker, author etc. wants them to say, the worst - absolutely the worst- example of taking another person's words out of context that I have EVER come across is Martin Luther.
Not only has historical accuracy given place to popular legend and over simplification, but in order to prove Luther was an impostor who worshipped Mary until he died, numerous people dishonestly and deceptively quote him out of context. In reality, Luther disagreed with the Catholic position on almost every count except for one. He retained a lifelong commitment to Mary's perpetual virginity. See Martin Luther
EndNotes
[01] Dr. Robert Schuller. John M. Soderberg. Soderberg Bronze. http://www.johnsoderberg.com/gallery.php?sc=11
[02] Michael Nason and Donna Nason, Robert Schuller: The Inside Story (Waco: Word Books, 1983), p. 152. Quoted from A New Reformation? The Faulty Gospel of Robert Schuller by Joseph P. Gudel
[03] Robert Schuller, as quoted in Kevin Morgan, Sabbath Rest (TEACH Services Inc., 2002)
[04] David Reagan. Living for Christ in the End Times. Publisher: New Leaf Pr (July 2000) Pg. 46.
[05] A Course in Miracles. Christian Research Institute. http://www.equip.org/article/a-course-in-miracles/
[06] The Power of Positive Thinking. Publisher: Important Books; 8.7.2013 edition (September 6, 2013) Pg. 1
[07] The Power of Positive Thinking. Publisher: Important Books; 8.7.2013 edition (September 6, 2013) Pg 86
[08] Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life. Introduction. Publisher: Orient Paperbacks (October 30, 2006)
[09] Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life. Pg. 85. Publisher: Orient Paperbacks (October 30, 2006)
[10] http://www.somarchives.org/about-the-archives. http://www.somarchives.org/about-the-archives
[11] Paul (David) Yonggi Cho. General Teachings/Activities.
http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/cho/general.htm for more information
[12] Yoido Full Gospel church leaders found guilty of tax evasion. Kim Mi-hyang, staff reporter.
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/625270.html
[13] Pat McDonnell, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. CAMP Strives to Unite Christians and Muslims.
https://www.questia.com/magazine/1P3-592497961/camp-strives-to-unite-christians-and-muslims
14] David Cloud. Way of Life Literature. Evangelicals and Modernist Robert Schuller.
https://www.wayoflife.org/database/evangelicals_and_modernist_robert_schuller.html
[15] A Discussion With Robert Schuller By Michael Horton. ©1992, 1999 Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.
https://www.monergism.com/discussion-robert-schuller
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