How Dan Boone Hides His False Teaching In Plain Sight

Dan Boone, President of Trevecca Nazarene University, cannot be trusted with disseminating biblical truth. In a recent post on his blog, he suggests three basic areas in which, as he says, “ the church today needs a greater degree of trust.”  I believe he strikes out in all three areas, especially his final point.

I would point out that since I am well familiar with his writings in the past ten years or so, I note again a taste of arrogance, as well as a subtle disdain for those Christians who dare to stick to a biblical principle and not deviate from it.  He can’t help but look down on those kooky “fundamentalists”, and he always uses that term in a derogatory, less than “charitable” manner, as he expressed in his book, “A Charitable Discourse.”

Here are his three points:

“An older generation needs to trust the missional spirit of a younger generation as they seek to reach their changing world.”

“The church needs to trust the Christian college to do its thought-work in a complex world.”

In these first two points, the answer should be a resounding no! Trust must come conditionally, especially in these days.  The younger generation has been poisoned with so much nonsense and unbiblical ideas, especially from people like Dan Boone, that there is no way they should be trusted without scrutiny based on God’s word.  And the same goes even more for trusting a Christian college. All Christian colleges need to be held up to the light of scripture, and be held accountable for their actions and what they teach.  There is no such thing anymore as trusting Christian colleges without subjecting them to accountability.  And I’m sure Mr. Boone does not wish to have Trevecca held accountable, which it should always be.

Finally, point number three, which is the most concerning to me:

If we are to have “in essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity,” the million dollar question is—what is essential and what is nonessential?

I would suggest the essential things include a saving experience in which the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons and daughters of God. I would also include the core of Christian faith as expressed in the Apostles’ Creed and the stated doctrines of the church. (For me this is my denomination’s sixteen Articles of Faith rooted in historic Methodist and Anglican belief.)

My nonessentials list is a lot longer—creation theory, political party, hawk or dove, role of government, method of befriending the homosexually oriented, church music preference, preferred eschatology, favorite authors, method of baptism, church architecture, budget priorities, whether there is one or three authors/chronologies of Isaiah, interpretation of Gen. 1, the death penalty, the right of a woman to preach (although this comes close to being an essential for me), social drinking, reading from the early church fathers, yoga, blessing pets in the church sanctuary, speaking in tongues, Catholic theology, real wine or Welch’s at Communion, casual or coat-and-tie on Sunday, Left Behind opinion, national health care, and so on.

The main mistake Dr. Boone makes in listing a bunch of items as “non-essential”, is that he does not realize that everything that God says in His word, or everything that Christ commands us to do, is essential! Note that he “suggests” some non-essentials, which is good, because he apparently does not know for sure what is essential or non-essential.

The only measuring stick as to what is essential or non-essential is Holy Scripture! And you certainly cannot suggest that something that is clearly taught in scripture cannot be an essential. And the fact that he cannot be specific about what he believes about each of these items makes his list irrelevant, and no one can reasonably agree or disagree with these points, unless he specifically says what he believes about them!

Hiding His False Beliefs Behind Words

What Dr. Boones does is hide his false teachings behind words.

He hides his belief in evolution: For example, his “non-essential” of creation theory.  He wants to shut off discussion of his false belief in evolution, and his rejection of the literal account of creation. This very idea alone makes him a false teacher, since belief in evolution rejects the creation account and the actual existence of Adam and Eve. He makes God a liar by rejecting God’s simple story of creation.

He hides his love of contemplative mysticism and works written by heretics: therefore, his non-essentials of “reading from the early church fathers”, and “yoga’.  This is a reflection of his affinity for contemplative mysticism and Eastern practices such as yoga, practicing the silence, and prayer labyrinths, which he finds nothing wrong with. There are many “early church fathers” who are outright heretics, so no Christian ought to agree that this is non-essential, unless Dr. Boone specifies which ones he is talking about.  And yoga is certainly not a non-essential, because it is based on Eastern mystical practices, and is actually a religious practice which Christians should avoid.  Mr. Boone is well known for his liking of Thomas Merton, and prayer labyrinths, and trips to Merton’s Abby of Gethsemani.  So certainly, he would want these subjects to be non-essentials.

He hides his ecumenicalism: his non-essential of Catholic theology is also disturbing. Dr. Boone is a good example of the many Nazarenes who have compromised biblical truth and who consider Roman Catholic teaching to be okay, and therefore we can get along with them. Catholic theology is so full of heresy, and yet Boone and other misguided Nazarene leaders today are leading people to accepting Catholic theology as no big deal. This is shameful, and this is part of what is destroying the Nazarene denomination-thanks to Dan Boone and many others.

In all these other items, it all is based on what the context is. Even a subject as “speaking in tongues” is all determined by what scripture teaches about it! The matter of “the right of a woman to preach” can also be answered by scripture. Dan Boone does not seem to realize the essential of “obey the word of God and all it teaches.”

The bottom line is, Dan Boone wants all Christians to agree on the things he suggested as being essential, which I agree are essential- but he wants to then leave open anything else as being non-essential. Including his own heretical neliefs.

You can read the entire article he wrote, and perhaps leave your thoughts with him. Since he has advocated a “charitable discourse” in the past, he ought to let everyone give their honest opinion of his writing.

http://www.danboone.me/trust/?fbclid=IwAR1FgLJATwYK7klKsuwbrb5OKt1Y2G6w9fvO4cBNdTKURDcGcFDKVFhzoJw

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Dan Boone Praises A Racist, Pro-Abortion “Pastor” Who Will Speak At Nazarene Theological Seminary

Dan Boone, President of Trevecca Nazarene University, is one of the most influential and important people in the Church of the Nazarene today.  However, this is not meant to be a compliment, if Mr. Boone is reading this. The “importance and influence” of this man is one of serious significant theological error. I may actually be inaccurate in calling it error.  Dan Boone not only falls short of good biblical discernment, he is one of the wolves in sheep’s clothing who are taking a wrecking ball to the foundations of the Nazarene denomination. He knows exactly what he is doing. And what is more alarming is that he represents the mindset of many other leaders in the denomination!

The most recent evidence is his comment below, which was posted by the seminary as well, to no surprise.

 Boone praises Frank Thomas, who is scheduled to speak at the seminary in September. Thomas is a proven racist, based on his own writings, his tweets, and even some of his preaching.  Not only that, Thomas recently showed in series of tweets and re-tweets his disapproval of the striking down of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. It is clear that he is pro-abortion, a stance that goes against scripture, and even goes against the Nazarene position on human life. And yet, he is to speak at Nazarene Theological Seminary.  And Boone is delighted.

Back to my reference to “wolves” in describing Dr. Boone. In 2017, he was one of the most, if not the most, instrumental church leaders in re-writing the statement on human sexuality and removing the word “perversion” from the language. Dr. Boone will certainly not admit it if asked, but he is pro-LGBT.

His muddied views on human sexuality have been referenced posititively in several papers written by the rebellious Holland Nazarene Church District. This is the Holland District which is blessing same sex unions, and which has not been disciplined in any way by the Church of the Nazarene leaders. (As far as I know). Dan Boone is in good company with them, because the General Superintendents have all been derelict in their duties to uphold biblical doctrine, even as they claim otherwise that all is well.

This lack of discernment is not new to Mr. Boone.  Sometime around 2010 or 2011, I wrote about the prayer labyrinth in use at Trevecca Nazarene University. Mr. Boone defended the labyrinth (which he re-named later as a ‘prayer walk’), which is used in contemplative mysticism as a way to empty the mind and pray to God, but not in a scriptural manner. He also has allowed for years an annual trip to the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, KY.  It is the spiritual home of Thomas Merton, a monk who was steeped in contemplative mysticism. In these trips, Nazarene students are even encouraged to “practice the silence”, and to pray alongside Roman catholic monks and be involved in their rituals. See this article:
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/trevecca-nazarene-university-continues-to-promote-mystical-silence-instead-of-biblical-prayer/

Years ago, Mr. Boone used to have the following statement in his bio at Nazarene Theological Seminary: “I am deepening in the mystical forms of prayer.”  The statement is no longer there. He also has stated outrageous unbiblical things such as claiming that many of the Psalms were “borrowed”  from pagan religions:

“What I find more exciting and authoritative is the thought that the people of God were exiled in the pagan land of Babylon, listening to pagan stories about the origin of the universe, and the breath of God spoke through a prophet giving them a different understanding. They hijacked the Babylonian tale of creation and declared God to be the one who, in the beginning, created creation and came to take up residence with us in the cosmic temple. Now that’s authority” (from letter to area pastors in response to Sue and Don Butler’s article)

“The Hebrew creation account is a re-telling of the Babylonian tale. Their Hebrew feast days are re-interpretations of the Canaanite days. The Royal Psalms in the collection of Psalms were once Canaanite songs.” (Dan Boone)

He has compared Bible-believing Christians to jihadists. He wrote a book called “A charitable Discourse”, but Mr. Boone is far from charitable towards those who wish to uphold biblical principles. He insults them:

“Religious fundamentalism is one of the hot topics in the world today and this website has given me the best model, other than Islamic fundamentalism, to demonstrate to students how religious fundamentalism works.”

“I only argued with them in the first place because they were making false claims about Trevecca, and to expose them for who they really are—religious fundamentalists.   But you can’t have discussions with people whose minds are already made up… Rational conversation with them is not possible”

Dr. Boone has called Thomas Merton and Ignatius of Loyola spiritual giants.

Merton was not a spiritual giant- he was a monk who said that he was “deeply impregnated with Sufism” because he believed that Eastern mysticism was compatible with and could be incorporated into Christianity.  He placed Mary high on a level equal to Jesus, and he prayed to many catholic saints.  He was influenced by Aldous Huxley, who found enlightenment through hallucinogenic drugs.
Ignatius of Loyola was no wiser, and as the founder of the Jesuits he brutally persecuted Christians and swore complete submission to the pope.  As most Roman Catholics do, he venerated Mary.  He practiced extreme asceticism, living in a cave for a year and never bathing.  He also promoted and taught visualization prayers, breath prayers, and other unbiblical practices
(Source: Way of Life).  Yet, Dan Boone calls Thomas Merton a spiritual giant.

In a Letter to Pastors that he wrote in 2009, Dr. Boone not only erroneously claimed that the Roman Catholic church was the only church for 1500 years after Christ, but he also exposed more error along with his ecumenical get along with everyone philosophy.  How is it that we can “be one” with the Roman Catholic Church?

“While Nazarenes are different from Catholics in very significant ways, we believe that we will share eternity with them in the presence of the Christ who prayed that we might be one.” (Dan Boone)

To be fair, Mr. Boone is not alone in his lack of discernment and his unbiblical love of contemplative mysticism. There are other leaders as well who love the writings of false teachers such as Merton, Henri Nouwen, and Richard Foster, to name just a few. Nd so that is the problem. Leaders and ordained pastors alike are going down the same road that Dan Boone is going.  And need I say that the General Superintendents continue to be either oblivious to anything wrong, or some are complicit in all that is harming the Church of the Nazarene.

I have also had conversations via email with Dan Boone, and this article details some of that: https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/conversation-with-a-university-president/

I have concluded that the denomination is beyond repair as it stands. The only “fix” is that either more faithful Christians in the denomination will have to leave eventually, or there is a seismic shift in leadership with a thorough housecleaning to save the denomination.  Most likely acceptance of homosexuality will be the deal breaker for many Nazarenes who are “sticking with it” for now. But there are already plenty of good reasons to leave what is now an apostate denomination. I used to be a member, yet it breaks my heart to say it.

With “leaders” such as Dan Boone, and other “leaders” who have turned a blind eye to the truth of what is happening, the Church of the Nazarene is well on its way to irrelevance, along with all the other mainstream “Christian” churches that have compromised biblical truth and sold out to satan.

Additional related articles:
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/dan-boone-goes-after-bible-believers-again/

https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/a-response-to-dan-boones-report-on-soulforce/

https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/emergent-church-what-is-it/dr-boones-comments-on-trevecca/

https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/the-road-to-catholicism-in-the-nazarene-church-mindless-retreats/

Trevecca Nazarene University Continues To Promote Mystical Silence Instead of Biblical Prayer

“…I am deepening in the mystical forms of prayer.” (Dan Boone)

Thanks to the undiscerning “leadership” of President Dan Boone, Trevecca Nazarene students will have the opportunity to go on a mystical ride. Once again, it time for the “Spiritual Formation” retreat at the Gethsemani monastery in Kentucky, spiritual home to the famed Roman Catholic mystic, universalist, and Buddhist sympathizer Thomas Merton. (https://www.trevecca.edu/community-life/faith-service/spiritual-formation-retreat)
Merton, who is dead, is a rising star amongst many undiscerning, confused or deceived Nazarene pastors of today. Along with his spiritual brother, Henri Nouwen, and other modern day proponents such as Richard Foster, they have risen to a prominence equaling and perhaps surpassing that old out of style book called the Bible.

Contemplative prayer uses the same meditative exercises used in Eastern religions and New Age cults. Practicing the silence has absolutely no basis in scripture, yet Dan Boone has deceived many students at Trevecca by sending them on yearly retreats alongside Roman Catholic nuns and monks. Dr. Boone also promotes the use of prayer labyrinths, and has had one there for years at Trevecca. After I exposed this more fully, he made excuses about it, and later re-named the labyrinth and called it something else.

Practicing the silence is simply another form of contemplative mysticism (or contemplative spirituality), which is often excused for by Boone and others by abusing the meaning of Psalm 46:10. Dr. Boone once said on his profile page at Nazarene Theological Seminary, “…I am deepening in the mystical forms of prayer.” (It is no longer there). Well, this is exactly where the Church of the Nazarene is going, and even more boldly than nine years ago when I first saw this coming.

The affinity for mysticism has taken over the Nazarene universities and the seminary and Bible college so much, that the holiness denomination is transforming into a reflection of the Roman Catholic Church combined with Eastern mysticism and contemplative prayer rituals. In the promotion for the retreat, students are given the option of spending time with the nuns during their prayer hours, almost certainly with the chance to hear prayers to Mary the co-redemptrix with Christ, and even the prayers to dead “saints.” When you view the video promotion, there is nothing that connects “silence” with any biblical teaching or instruction.

Forms of contemplative prayer include: centering prayer, labyrinth meditation, stations of the cross, breath prayers, the silence, lectio divina. The goal of contemplative prayer is to clear one’s mind so that you can hear God better. It seeks to empty the mind and enter an altered state of consciousness by repetition of a mantra; focusing on one’s breathing; contemplating images or icons. I suppose that through this method, the person will receive new revelation from God.

But biblical prayer is based on the scriptures:
See: Micah 7:7; Ps. 4:3; 1 John 5:14, 15

True prayer is with both spirit and mind, not one or the other. 1 Cor 14:15

True prayer talks to God the Father (Phil. 4:6) through Jesus Christ (John 16:23), in the power of the Holy Spirit. And we understand that what God has revealed in His Word is sufficient; any new revelation is unnecessary. 2 Tim. 3:16–17

The Retreat At Gethsemani And Its Purpose

Here is what Trevecca’s website says as it promotes what is basically a “Christianizing” of pagan practices:

“How does one learn about silence?  By being silent.
How does one hear the voice of God?  By listening”

But scripture says that, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  Rom. 10:17

What is being promoted in this retreat is not a focus on hearing the voice of God through His word, but to become silent and somehow have God speak to you directly.  But if someone tells you that he heard God’s voice, how would you know if it was not actually a demonic voice?  They also say this:

“Are you looking for a true retreat, a chance to read, pray, rest, and enjoy nature? There will be no agendas, no meetings, and no requirement—just being quiet before God and listening for His voice.”

So what they are saying here is, to truly listen to the voice of God, we must be silent.  Is this how we are taught to listen to God?  Where is the biblical basis for this?  Is this the technique Neal Donald Walsch used before he wrote his book, Conversations With God, in which he claims he actually had conversations with God?  How does one believe him, and not me, or someone else?

“Union with God in prayer requires us to learn to quiet ourselves–yes, from the noises which surround us, but also from inward noises (restlessness, fears, our agenda’s, etc.)  It is this stillness and emptiness which allows us to be open to hearing the voice of God.”

Union with God?  Stillness?  Emptiness?  Emptiness allows us to be open to the word of God??  Where is this remotely taught in scripture?  I can tell you, it is not.  Dan Boone and the emergent church people try justifying practicing the silence by quoting Psalm 46:10.  (“Be still, and know that I am God”).  He needs to read all of Psalm 46 in context, and he should know that it has nothing to do with practicing the silence.  Why do so many ordained elders in the Christian church today twist scripture for their own agenda? Emptying the mind is a dangerous practice that is inviting demons to come in, not God.

This is a constant promotion of not only mysticism and pagan prayer methods invented by man and not found anywhere in scripture, but also an encouragement of ecumenism and fellowship with those who practice a false works-based religion.  Instead of rescuing their students from the clutches of the false system of Rome, these leaders are sending our students directly back to what those from the Reformation were rejecting, year after year now.

Dr. Boone’s Love of Thomas Merton and Other Roman Catholic Mystics

Dr. Boone has called Thomas Merton and Ignatius of Loyola spiritual giants.
Merton was not a spiritual giant- he was a monk who said that he was “deeply impregnated with Sufism” because he believed that Eastern mysticism was compatible with and could be incorporated into Christianity.  He placed Mary high on a level equal to Jesus, and he prayed to many catholic saints.  He was influenced by Aldous Huxley, who found enlightenment through hallucinogenic drugs.
Ignatius of Loyola was no wiser, and as the founder of the Jesuits he brutally persecuted Christians and swore complete submission to the pope.  As most Roman Catholics do, he venerated Mary.  He practiced extreme asceticism, living in a cave for a year and never bathing.  He also promoted and taught visualization prayers, breath prayers, and other unbiblical practices (Source: Way of Life).  Yet, Dan Boone calls him a spiritual giant.

In a Letter to Pastors he wrote in 2009, Dr. Boone not only erroneously claimed that the Roman Catholic church was the only church for 1500 years after Christ, but he also exposed more error along with his ecumenical get along with everyone philosophy.  How is it that we can “be one” with the Roman Catholic Church?
“While Nazarenes are different from Catholics in very significant ways, we believe that we will share eternity with them in the presence of the Christ who prayed that we might be one.” (Dan Boone)

“Be one” with the Roman Catholic Church and all its false doctrines? His philosophy seems to be that anyone who claims the name of Jesus, no matter their belief otherwise, will spend eternity with Christ. This is contrary to Jesus’s teaching, and indicates Dr. Boone’s dangerous and ignorant thinking as he misleads others.

Nazarene Pastors Love Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen and Other Mystics

Although Merton and Nouwen are proven false teachers who were universalists and Buddhist sympathizers, an alarming number of Nazarene leaders and pastors love their heretical work. Here are some recent comments by Nazarene pastors on a closed Nazarene FaceBook page, in a very “enthusiastic” discussion with Bible believers. Their names are not mentioned because it is a closed group, but I would love to challenge them to promote these false teachers openly at their churches and in public. Listen to some of them defend Henri Nouwen who promoted doctrines of demons:

“One of my favorite authors since my sophomore year of university (Compassion). Grounded me as a new pastor (Return of the Prodigal Son). Helped me through an evacuation due to civil war and three moves in my first six months as a Nazarene missionary (Way of the Heart). Helped me see the significance of my work with organic church movements in west Africa and north America (Reaching Out). Love this guy, a real spiritual mentor for me. I encourage people to read his books whenever I can.” (A Nazarene college professor)

“In the Name of Jesus” has given me such encouragement time after time since college. And “Compassion” is a powerful, powerful book.” (a Nazarene pastor)

It is sad to see so many pastors in the Church of the Nazarene being deceived by the writings of a man who was not even a Christian. He was a false Christian, and a universalist. No wonder the church is in such pitiful spiritual condition. Those who are in positions of leadership and pastoring a Christian church will be held much more responsible by the Lord for promoting this man’s writing that is inspired by satan, not the Spirit of God.

The Fifth Column: Corrupt Leaders

I have seen material sent out by the New England District Superintendent that promotes writers who are mystics. My former pastor was proud of his library, once showing me his books which included such authors as Henri Nouwen and Thomas Merton. Books by Merton, Nouwen and other mystics are being used in theology curriculums in the universities and seminary. Pastors are quoting Mother Theresa and other heretical mystics from Roman Catholicism- in their sermons! A pastor preached a Christmas sermon recently- all about Mary, and her co-partnership with the Savior. This stuff is straight out of Roman Catholicism!

I recently listened to a sermon titled “The Fifth Column.” It starts by describing this phrase that was used by a military leader, to describe how he will use a stealth group of loyalists hidden within the city, to weaken it and prepare for a final and decisive assault. The destruction of the church will be from within, as corrupt pastors slowly deceive undiscerning church members with the demonic influence of these mystics. We can no longer just call it “dubious”. We cannot just call it “not advisable”. We absolutely must not call it “a difference of viewpoints.”

We must call it what it is: demonic, unbiblical, destructive to the church, and we must call out the leaders and pastors who are promoting these false teachings.

Manny Silva

Links:

Free ebook resource:

https://www.wayoflife.org/free_ebooks/evangelicals_and_mysticism.php

Articles:

https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=618&more=1&c=1

https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/emergent-church-what-is-it/prayer-labyrinths-what-are-they/

https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/trevecca-nazarene-university-promoting-mysticism-and-pagan-practices/

https://www.wayoflife.org/database/thomasmerton.html

https://www.wayoflife.org/database/beware_of_henri_nouwen.html

https://www.wayoflife.org/database/richardfoster.html

Appointment Of A New President at ENC: Symptom of A Major Problem In The Nazarene Church

Dan Boone, president of Trevecca Nazarene University, was recently selected as the new president of Eastern Nazarene College, which is also being discussed as a possible merger with Trevecca. He will step in sometime after Dr. Corlis McGee leaves her current position later in the summer. The “leaders” of the denomination are cheering, no doubt. They have always been complicit, or at the very least willfully ignorant, with everything that has been destroying the Nazarene denomination spiritually.

I am not surprised at this choice. Dr. Boone and Dr. McGee share some views that make this selection understandable. To many of us who have voiced our concerns about the denomination for years, it further indicates full steam ahead towards a practical marriage between Nazarenes and Roman Catholics. The only major item that will be missing soon is to have pope Francis as the keynote speaker at a future General Assembly. And why not? The prayer stations are already in place, the Roman Catholic practice of Lent and ashes to the forehead is everywhere, and the Roman Catholic retreat is scheduled for a pre-Assembly event this summer.

If you believe in the Bible- truly believe in it, not just parts of it as Dan Boone does- then I could not warn you any more than I do now. You are placing your child in danger by sending them to Eastern Nazarene College, and frankly, there is hardly a Nazarene college now that has a strong biblical foundation anymore.

So here is why Dr. Boone’s appointment bodes very badly, especially for those who have children of college age.

Ecumenicists Promoting Roman Catholicism

Dr. Boone and Dr. McGee are both ecumenicists. Dr. McGee has expressed to me in a past meeting with her and the ENC provost that Roman Catholics are our brothers and sisters in Christ. On the ENC website, you will find Roman Catholic churches on the list of available churches to attend in the community. In the ENC bookstore (last time I visited), you would also find Roman Catholic related books, including a Roman Catholic bible, along with many books by authors that promote an ecumenical belief system.

Dr. Boone, as Trevecca president, has long promoted yearly trips for students to the Gethsemani Monastery in Kentucky, a site that was the spiritual home of the Roman Catholic mystic, Thomas Merton. Here at this retreat, students from ENC have the opportunity to “practice the silence”, which is nothing more than Catholic mysticism that has no roots in biblical teaching. The “spiritual discipline” of silence is a doctrine of demons. This retreat is scheduled for this year again: https://www.trevecca.edu/community-life/faith-service/spiritual-formation-retreat

Dr. Boone also has promoted the use of prayer labyrinths, and has had one there for years at Trevecca. After I exposed this more fully, he made excuses about it, and later re-named the labyrinth and called it something else. It is not just Trevecca doing this: https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/labyrinths-prayer-stations-yoga-in-the-nazarene-church/

An Uneasy Accommodation To The LGBT Community

At Eastern Nazarene College, an LGBT support group was allowed to be established at Munro Hall. I sent a letter to Dr. McGee wondering how Bertha Munro would have felt, knowing an LGBT group was meeting in a building named in her honor. I received a reply their from former chaplain, with an excuse that the school does not necessarily sponsor the group, which was a lame excuse because all they had to do was say no to a group whose basic premise goes against Biblical values. And this same chaplain spoke in a chapel service several years ago, all but promoting a relaxation of biblical standards regarding homosexuality.

For Dr. Boone, all those things at ENC fit right in with his track record. He is known for accommodating the LGBT agenda at Trevecca, having allowed an extreme LGBT group to come on campus to have “a dialog.” https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/a-response-to-dan-boones-report-on-soulforce/

And lest we forget, at the last General Assembly, Dr. Boone was one of those most instrumental in arguing for postponing an attempt to strengthen the Church statement on homosexuality. It will be interesting to see what the arguments for this will be this year. I working on evidence that indicates that the denomination is in for a very difficult time regarding the homosexuality issue, which will lead to further division in the Church.

Hostility Towards Bible Believers

Dr. Boone has an utter disdain for Bible believing Christians, as shown in this article I wrote a few years ago. He has compared Bible Believing Christians to Islamic fundamentalists. He says that our appetites have been whetted “by religious blood in the water.” (https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/dan-boone-goes-after-bible-believers-again/)

Promoting False Teachers

Dr. Boone is certainly no Bible traditionalist. He has very bad theology, he promotes false teachers, and he does not believe in the creation as told in Genesis. He was a prominent member of the group, Nazarenes Exploring Evolution, before it’s website suddenly closed down for no apparent reason. Until it closed down, folks like Dr. Boone were heartily endorsing the idea that God used evolution to create us. He was not alone in that group, and was joined by many well-respected pastors, professors and national leaders. Very frightening indeed.

In an older profile at Nazarene Theological Seminary, which is no longer posted, he said the following:

“…I am deepening in the mystical forms of prayer.”

Dr. Boone promotes one of the leading teachers of contemplative mysticism, false teacher Richard Foster. As an example, Foster makes the amazing claim that non-believers can also practice the Christian spiritual disciplines: “We need not be well advanced in matters of theology to practice the Disciplines. Recent converts–for that matter people who have yet to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ–can and should practice them” (Celebration of Discipline, 1978, p. 2).

Dr. Boone has called Thomas Merton and Ignatius of Loyola spiritual giants.
Merton was not a spiritual giant- he was a monk who said that he was “deeply impregnated with Sufism” because he believed that Eastern mysticism was compatible with and could be incorporated into Christianity.  He placed Mary high on a level equal to Jesus, he prayed to many catholic saints.  He was influenced by Aldous Huxley, who found enlightenment through hallucinogenic drugs.

Ignatius of Loyola was no wiser, and as the founder of the Jesuits he brutally persecuted Christians and swore complete submission to the pope.  As most Roman Catholics do, he venerated Mary.  He practiced extreme asceticism, living in a cave for a year and never bathing.  He also promoted and taught visualization prayers, breath prayers, and other unbiblical practices (Source: Way of Life).  Yet, Dan Boone calls him a spiritual giant.

In a Letter to Pastors he wrote in 2009, Dr. Boone not only erroneously claimed that the Roman Catholic church was the only church for 1500 years after Christ, but he also exposed more error along with his ecumenical get along with everyone philosophy.  How is it that we can “be one” with the Roman Catholic Church?

“While Nazarenes are different from Catholics in very significant ways, we believe that we will share eternity with them in the presence of the Christ who prayed that we might be one.”

His philosophy seems to be, anyone who claims the name of Jesus, no matter their belief otherwise, will spend eternity with Christ. This is contrary to Jesus’s teaching, and indicates Dr. Boone’s dangerous and ignorant thinking as he misleads others.

A Symptom Of A Bigger Problem

I am sure Dan Boone is a nice guy. But how long will the denomination continue to tolerate nice guys who teach bad theology, who do not believe in the creation account in Scripture, and who promote Roman Catholic mysticism? Sadly, the appointment of Dan Boone is merely a symptom of a much bigger problem in the Church of the Nazarene. Dan Boone is not going anywhere else because I wrote this article. I have no illusions of that.

It is going to take a huge cataclysmic event of spiritually challenging proportions to generate any kind of major opposition to the apostasy in the church. By then it might be too late. Will people only wake up at the next General Assembly if some earth shattering amendment is made regarding homosexuality, the next frontier in the Church? Will same sex relations be blessed in the church? Is it happening already, and you just don’t know it? Will homosexual “Christians” be a part of the accepted conversation?

Or perhaps, most of the sheep in the pews will they continue on pretending that all is well in a holiness denomination that only mouths the words, but does not live them anymore.

Holiness is becoming heresy right before our eyes.

Additional Documentation:

Dan Boone’s Involvement with Promoting Evolution
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/nazarene-scholars-continue-to-undermine-belief-in-gods-word-with-evolutions-lie/

Dan Boone’s Dislike of Bible Believers
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/dan-boone-goes-after-bible-believers-again/

Dan Boone’s Involvement with SoulForce (LGBT advocates)
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/a-response-to-dan-boones-report-on-soulforce/

My Conversation with Dan Boone:
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/conversation-with-a-university-president/

A Charitable Discourse?
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/a-charitable-discourse-or-compromise/

Labyrinths and Prayer Stations
https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/emergent-church-what-is-it/trevecca-labyrinth/

https://reformednazarene.wordpress.com/labyrinths-prayer-stations-yoga-in-the-nazarene-church/

 

Nazarene Scholars Continue To Undermine Belief In God’s Word With Evolution’s Lie

“Theistic evolution is a concept being taught in many “evangelical” seminaries and colleges today. It is an idea that comes straight from the pit of hell. To believe that human evolution is true is to say that the Bible contains lies and myths, and that Adam and Eve were allegorical figures. If you teach and promote theistic evolution, you are calling God a liar. There is no middle ground here.”

This is my first article in almost two months, but I’m afraid things are just as bad as it was since my last post; the status quo in most of the evangelical denominations has not changed; and the Nazarene church is still in bad shape, notwithstanding any rosy reports from the General Superintendents or other leadership. Compromise seems to be the underlying principal for these religious leaders for quite some time now. Independent thought and true leadership is a thing of the past, as these General Superintendents continue to speak with one voice, or not speak at all, regardless of the truth.

In fact, the reluctance of the Generals to inform tithe-paying members about any details of the developing Nazarene Publishing House scandal, is a scandal and a moral and ethical failure in and of itself. I await further information before writing fully on this situation, but I can tell you that even those at NazNet (a Nazarene discussion site) who oppose us and disagree that there is a rebellion against God’s word within the church, are concerned and outraged at the continuing secrecy within the General Board regarding the financial debacle at the Publishing House. This link will take you to a discussion on NazNet that has broken all viewing records at that website, for any topic previously.

But let me alert you (again) to a further scandalous debacle that has been going on for a while now, and that is the promotion of theistic evolution in the church as an acceptable view of how we were created by God. The promotion of evolution by theology professors and other scholars, as well as by college and seminary presidents and district superintendents, goes to the heart of the problem in the Church of the Nazarene today. What is that problem? It is simply this: that men in the church are now standing on a foundation built on their wisdom and knowledge, rather than on the foundation of the teaching of God as written in His word. Selective belief in some scripture, while rejecting other parts, is the philosophy of these so-called “learned men and women”, even if they don’t state it overtly.

And now to show that it looks like the danger is worse than we thought. The group Nazarenes Exploring Evolution, lead by Tom Oord, professor of religion at Northwest Nazarene University, recently conducted an online survey. It involved the questioning of two demographics- a sampling of Nazarene laypeople, and a narrower sampling of Nazarene college scholars. Both results look pretty bad, and serves as a continued and even louder warning to parents who love their teenagers and want them to have a solid education that is grounded in truth. They will no longer be guaranteed to have that at any Nazarene university or college, including any of the seminaries.

Well known college presidents such as Dan Boone of Trevecca are fueling the advancement of the anti-biblical notion that man was created over millions of years of random evolutionary processes. Others pushing this godless idea which clearly contradicts the Biblical account include theological intellectuals like Al Truesdale, my former Greek New Testament professor; Scott Daniels, pastor of Pasadena First Church; retired professor Robert Branson; Kerry Fulcher and Mark Mann of Point Loma; Mark Winslow of Southern Nazarene; District Superintendent Stephen Borger; Carl Leth, Dean of Theology at Olivet Nazarene; Mark Maddix of Northwest Nazarene; Henry Spaulding, Mt. Vernon Nazarene President; theologian Rob Staples; and quite a few more “learned men and women”, who can be found at the Nazarenes Exploring Evolution site. **

** Update: The site has since been deleted, perhaps because of too much negative exposure.  However, searches on the wayback machine for “Nazarenes Exploring Evolution” will turn up many articles written by Dan Boone and others who support evolution. They span from 2013 to 2016. The following link will get you all the distinct web pages found when searching and will list each for you to check out: https://web.archive.org/web/*;type=text/exploringevolution.com/*
You have to be patient, sometimes searches are slow. You also need to understand how it works.  Resulting pages are usually documented in a calendar view, that shows you a specific date that an articles was entered.

Here is Thomas Oord’s project summation for Nazarenes Exploring Evolution; https://web.archive.org/web/20140517100539/http://exploringevolution.com/

These people are all responsible for helping indoctrinate countless students with theistic evolution, and their furtherance of this godless idea will lead to them being held accountable by God someday.  They need to repent, or they need to be removed from their positions of authority over our students.  Many of them have also been pushing the emergent church teachings. And do you wonder why so many young people are walking away from the church? Why wouldn’t they, when they are taught that they cannot trust God’s word?

In his article Poll Shows Nazarene Scholars Embracing Evolution, Ken Ham of Answers In Genesis summarizes the survey results:

Overwhelmingly, scholars at Nazarene institutions believe:

1) that the Bible does not require a belief in a young earth (nearly 95%)
2) that the Bible is compatible with evolutionary ideas (82%)
3) that science has established that the world is billions of years old (nearly 86%), 4) that human evolution is true (67%)
5) that the Nazarene church should consider theistic evolution as a valid alternative to biblical creation (87%).”

Those are very disturbing statistics, and the numbers for the first four questions, which were also posed to Nazarenes in general, were almost as ominous. To believe that human evolution is true is to say that the Bible contains lies and myths, and that Adam and Eve were allegorical figures. To believe that human evolution is true is to say that the Jesus was not truthful when he referred to Adam. To believe that human evolution is true is to say that sin and death did not come into the world through the disobedience of Adam, as written in Romans chapter 5.

So let’s be clear: if you teach and promote theistic evolution, you are calling God a liar. But it seems it will only get worse, and Bible-believing Christians will have to decide whether a secular college will be less dangerous to their children’s spiritual wellbeing than a “Christian” college or university. This whole bunch are some of the most dangerous people professing to be Christians today, and any parent sending their children to a Nazarene university or seminary today is literally gambling with their child’s spiritual health.

Dr. Ham, who has spoken out about and exposed these issues more than most Nazarenes have, went on to comment:

“This is clear evidence that a major denomination is teaching young people that they can’t trust the Bible when it comes to Genesis 1–11 and that fallible man can reinterpret God’s Word—thus man is the authority and not God.”

I agree. These men and women are a disgrace and not one of them should be in a position of authority that they are in, because they are misleading many.  The failure of the Nazarene General leadership in even attempting to right the ship makes them just as culpable, because they are allowing the erosion of Biblical standards by doing nothing- which seems to be all they are willing to do.

Addendum

What follows is the statistical report of both surveys, which are from the BioLogos website. (http://biologos.org/blog/nazarenes-on-evolution).   I found it very discouraging; you are free to make your own conclusions and decisions.

Poll of Nazarenes on Evolution

Question 1: Genesis and other biblical texts require Christians to believe the earth was created less than 15 thousand years ago.

Question 2: The Bible can properly be interpreted as compatible with the theory of biological evolution.

Question 3: Geology, astronomy, and physics have established that world is billions of years old.

Question 4: Humans likely became a species as God worked with the biological evolutionary process.

Among other things, this poll suggests that more Nazarenes today feel comfortable with evolution.

 

Nazarene Scholars on God Creating through Evolution

Question 1: Genesis and other biblical texts require Christians to believe the earth was created less than 15 thousand years ago.

Question 2: The Bible can properly be interpreted as compatible with the theory of biological evolution.

Question 3: Geology, astronomy, and physics have established that the world is billions of years old.

Question 4: Humans likely became a species as God worked with the evolutionary process.

Question 5: The Church of the Nazarene should allow the theory that God creates through evolution as one acceptable view of creation among others.