The Connection Between the Emergent Church and Roman Catholic Mysticism

Now, it seems that there's an obsession with Roman Catholicism by the Emergent Church. Examples would the appealing to people like Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), John of the Cross (1542-1591), Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), and Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

A while back, Richard Bennett, a former Roman Catholic priest of the Dominican order, who served in Trinidad, gave this lecture on the Emergent fascination with Roman Catholic mysticism. He goes into detail about the definition of mysticism. I will add though, that although Bennett identifies Richard Foster as an Evangelical, Foster is actually a Quaker mystic, with Quaker theology being based off mystical, subjective experiences.


Now, apparnetly, Mr. Bennett did another lecture on the same topic, and it was updated. In this one he touches on people like Phyllis Tickle, Tony Jones and Brian McLaren. Just as an interesting note: where Bennett is speaking at, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, is where Charles Spuregon was pastor in the 19th century.