And wonder is that feeling we get when we let go of our silly answers, our mapped out rules that we want God to follow.Ī million to one is very low odds that 'any' of our theology is right.

Miller reiterates his rejection of immoveable doctrine by concluding:Īt the end of the day, when I am lying in bed and I know the chances of any of our theology being exactly right are a million to one, I need to know that God has things figured out, that if my math is wrong we are still going to be okay.

That might sound acceptable to many people today in our feel-good, redefining society, but it is the 'pat answers' and the 'chart' that the Bible has given us so we can understand God, life, and salvation.

Miller backs up his dismissal of doctrine and theology (an earmark of all emerging leaders) when he says he has 'climb outside my pat answers ,' and says 'Too much of our time is spent trying to chart God on a grid' (p. He was the editor for a book titled Healing Emotions: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Mindfulness, Emotions, and Health. Goleman (author of The Meditative Mind) writes favorably about mantra meditation and Buddhism. And while Miller doesn't mention contemplative or mantras in his books, he helps condition people to see mysticism as a legitimate and valuable practice.įor those who may be skeptical regarding Miller's view on mysticism, in Searching for God Knows What in the acknowledgements, Miller thanks New Age meditation proponent Daniel Goleman. When the 'Christian' mystics speak of mysticism, they are referring to altered states of consciousness (the silence) reached during mantric-style meditation. But putting in context Miller's statement above, he is actually defending 'Christian writers' who embrace 'mysticism.' These are two different things. Some may say that Miller is merely defending ideas like the trinity or eternity (which he refers to in BLJ) as being mystical. He has echoed mystic Karl Rahner's words who said the Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will be nothing. That can be substantiated when Miller says: 'You cannot be a Christian without being a mystic' (p. When Miller says 'Christian spirituality' can only be 'experienced,' this is referring to mysticism. When Miller says that 'Christian spirituality' cannot be explained, he means that solid, unchangeable biblical doctrine and theology do not exist.

For me, the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity and embracing Christian spirituality, a nonpolitical mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained (p.

Donald miller blue like jazz author