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Christianity Today, August, 2008 |

GOOD QUESTION

Nothing New

Popular spiritual author and Oprah favorite Eckhart Tolle quotes Jesus a lot. Is he a Christian?

James A. Beverley | posted 7/23/2008 09:50AM

Oprah winfrey's recent promotion of Eckhart Tolle has put the German-born author's latest work, A New Earth, on the bestseller lists with the largest reprint run in the history of Penguin Books. Tolle, ...

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Teresa

Posted: August 05, 2008 1:50 PM

Tolle is going to hell because he has rejected the one and only person that came as God in human flesh to pay for the sins of the world. He came to reverse the curse, where as Mr Tolle beleives that it is humanity that is divine as not Jesus Christ. That reject will be allowed in the Lake of Fire. I am not saying that I am happy about his denial and the consequnce of such, but no, Tolle is no more Christian then the Anti-christ is or Brian Mclaren for that matter. God bless, Serve your king!

George T.

Posted: August 02, 2008 9:15 PM


It is a "good selling"anything that some people write to make us doubt our Christian Faith. The "Dan Browns" will multiply in various forms. They make lots of easy money!!

A Hermit

Posted: July 29, 2008 5:46 PM

Jesus did not come to bring the one and only belief system or a series of intellectual dogmas that one gives assent to to be 'saved'. When he says, I and the father are one- may they be one 'in us', it refers to a living transcendent reality. How do we experience that? How does one 'lose one's life'? How do we experience the Reality of "not I, but Christ in me?" Christians are called to live the reality pointed to by Christ, to 'do the will of God in the gift of the present moment'. Living the reality, being in Messiah, living as Messiah lived, is far better than arguing over words and concepts. If what Tolle says is helpful, use it. St. Paul calls us to 'test everything, retain what is good.' Beliefs point us to the reality of Christ/Messiah. They do not subsitute for a living encounter.

Bret Hammond

Posted: July 28, 2008 11:43 PM

This guy is dangerous....all the more so since he's teamed up with Oprah. I'm constantly getting questions about this guy from the stay-at-home mothers in my congregation who watch Oprah. They've been suckered in by Oprah's charity and personality. They hear Tolle say things that sound holy and *almost* right and they get confused. This is nothing less than the worst kind of deception. So may of us thought we were done with the New Age Movement back in the 80's. Here it is again...and financially backed by the most wealthy and respected woman in America. WATCH OUT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf3Gh8dVoBo

Byron Ware

Posted: July 28, 2008 3:08 PM


under the sun Opra is dangerous! Giving a pedestal for this apostate to spew this satanic junk. As Christians we know what the bible has to say for the times that we are in. During the time at the end of this age Jesus said that they wouldn't listen to sound doctrine. Read the book of Titus (it will only take 10 min.) We are in dangerous times. God bless

Kurt Peterson

Posted: July 28, 2008 2:26 PM

One commenter on this web site asked, "How can we intelligently, maturely and with true Christian charity respond to his (Tolle's)teachings?" I have the first step...don't read the malicious comments from anonymous online contributors to Christianity Today online. Why the vitriol? If the cause is perceived as right, should Christians happily carry the labels "elitist," "intolerant," or "closed-minded?" Why would anyone like Tolle, or any other thoughtful person for that matter, ever want to talk with a Christian about anything when boors like those on this web site claim to speak for evangelicals? And, why would the editors title Beverley's thoughtful review with an assessment of Tolle's eternal status before God? Do they now have the ability to determine who is and is not a Christian?

Bret	Posted: July 28, 2008 2:24 PM

Tolle is certainly more Christian than the typical partisan of the religious self-righteous, who resemble more scripture quoting Pharisees. Jesus tells us to love the Lord our God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. In essences this is exactly what Tolle proposals. The religious self-righteous, however, use scripture to vilify others, to manipulate and control others, to assert and assume power, and they very cleverly do so by quoting scripture. Though they claim a to do their deeds in accordance with Jesus' teaching, when judging their behavior and the seeds they sow and the crops they reap, one can quickly discern that money and power are their true gods. They love neither their neighbor as themselves or obey God when to do so would call on them to lose power or money.

Verity

Posted: July 26, 2008 1:45 PM

I think there is a huge hunger for spiritual meaning in life. Oprah has tapped into this hunger and is feeding it. Most people are so ignorant of the Bible and what it says that anyone who mentions Jesus name must be a Christian and be ok in their opinion. Instead of being self-righteous, we as followers of Jesus Christ should "get out there" spend time with our neighbors and co-workers loving them into truth, praying for them, and in general bringing them into a relationship with Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Ephrem Hagos

Posted: July 26, 2008 2:47 AM


Why do Christians pretend to know the truth when they do not? Why do they defend the teachings of Jesus Christ when they don't even know who He is or is not? Here is the simplest of proofs: being the first to throw stones at others when living in a glass house oneself (John 8: 1-11).

Patrick Gann

Posted: July 25, 2008 10:51 PM

Excellent article. The other commenters are happy to condemn Tolle and/or his teaching right at the start, but this article is far more balanced. What's presented here is fact: at the end of the day, Christianity cannot be merged with Tolle's philosophy, which it seems Winfrey generally subscribes to. On a tangent: Oprah scares me. I'm not worried about some Oprah-cult conspiracy-theory, but the famous YouTube clip of Oprah vs. a Christian in the audience is telling. Oprah's arguments against the "exclusivity" of Christianity are weak; most apologists have dealt with them well.

Ben	Posted: July 25, 2008 10:09 PM


Why even give Oprah the press? Christians need to turn off their televisions--especially when vapid talk shows are on. It's time to grow up and put away childish things.

Polycarp

Posted: July 25, 2008 9:51 AM

Tolle would never had gained popularity had it not been for Oprah. As many of you already know his message is nothing new. (Hence the title of this article) It is nothing more than a remixed and restated new age philosophy that gives many the impression that he is saying something new. But aside from these points I have my own questions. Does he practice what he preach? Why have so many Christians who claim to be "born again" buy into this ideas hook. line and sinker? Can we extract truths from his books without embracing the totality of his philosophy? How can we intelligently, maturely and with true Christian charity respond to his teachings?

ken	Posted: July 24, 2008 10:48 PM


Dean, be careful of how you view people like Oprah. getting people to believe that there is more than one path to heaven is not the work of God, it is a lie and distraction put in place by satan. Just because she does a lot (a lot!)of good things on the surface does not mean that she is not rotten on the inside. you can rap manure in pretty wrapping paper right?

judy	Posted: July 24, 2008 10:30 PM


dear oprah,please be careful who you deal with,please turn your heart towards GOD faithfully not towards someone who has no idea of who GOD is,i love the good you have done yet PLEASE don't be fooled.

Dean VF

Posted: July 24, 2008 9:22 PM

I consider her a good influence because of her work in encouraging people and instilling values that are found in Scripture: encouraging and believing in people (made in God's image), challenging people to give away wealth for others (treasures in heaven), to get spending under control and save instead (can't serve God and mammom), to take care of their bodies (our bodies are God's temple). Certainly she is not a good influence through her views of God, salvation, or true hope, but that's not to say God is not using her in other ways.

Steve

Posted: July 24, 2008 7:38 PM

It's tragic, reading some of these comments heaping praise on Tolle and Oprah--especially from those espousing some sort of "Christian" connection. Christianity is spelled out clearly in the Apostle's and Nicene Creed. Compare those statements with Tolle's beliefs. We must begin to call a spade a spade, and recognize that those not willing to adhere to the creeds of the ancient church (specifically those of the first four ecumenical councils), all of which are based in scripture, are not Christians. Can I be a Muslim and not adhere to Muhammed's prophecies or the Five Pillars? Can I be a Buddhist yet hold beliefs completely contradictory to the many flavors of Buddhism? Of course not. So too can you not be a Christian and cling closely to people and beliefs that reject the core tenets of Christianity. If I'm an elitist, if I'm "intolerant," if I'm close-minded, then so be it.

Gnostic

Posted: July 24, 2008 5:55 PM


Definately not on the Jesus way.

Tara	Posted: July 24, 2008 4:20 PM

If Oprah believes in Tolle, why has she had so many shows about finding ones trueself etc. Believe in yourself and on and on...... Sounds like a bit of contradiction going on there. Why is she still making millions instead of giving it all away and shrinking into the oblivion of the Universe. In reality she stands out more that most Americans. Why because she believed in herself!!! She believed she was unique and on and on..... T

carmino seranni

Posted: July 24, 2008 3:36 PM


Read my blogs...google my name and hit search....I have 20,000 sites that carry my blog..Please get in touch with me Oprah....

CSP	Posted: July 24, 2008 3:34 PM


Of course he is speaking of Gnostic Christianity and not orthodox Christianity which has been responsible the for the inquisition, burning of so-called witches, collaborating with Nazis, child abuse and countless other atrocities in the name of Jesus and God. Regards, CSP

Richard Fasanello

Posted: July 24, 2008 2:37 PM


Sounds like Tolle is preparing the masses for the population reduction (90%) the one-world government/religon people are planning. After all, if we believe we are only illusions, we will not object to being euthanized. We will be convinced we are not dying, but just being recycled!!

Rita	Posted: July 24, 2008 1:16 PM

My rating is for the article, but this comment is in response to some of the other comments. I used to be a huge fan of O magazine. Loved it! After a while though, I found that when it came to how I lived, I was relying on the Bible more, because it wasn't hit or miss like the ideas in Oprah's magazine. Eventually I stopped my O subscription because it seemed kind of like a waste of money if you have to sift through it to find the good advice.

Timmy

Posted: July 24, 2008 1:04 PM

Oprah and her influence makes me sad. There are so many people willing to turn her into a God and follow her every word - when the true ONE they need is nearer than they think. It makes me feel that maybe we as Christians are failing. That the harvest is plenty - but the true laborers of Christ are few. Look around - our society is ripe for the hope, love, grace, and mercy that is found only through Jesus Christ - but why do so many embrace another message? It makes me wonder if we as Christians are failing? Are we judging more than loving? Are we dividing more than uniting? Do they look at us and see the love of Christ or the hard heart of a hypocrite? I look at myself and I'm not sure that I like the answers.

Jean	Posted: July 24, 2008 1:00 PM


I wrote to Mr Tolle after reading portions of his recent book. That he quotes Jesus lends some credibility for the undiscerning spirit and therein lies some of the danger.

Laurel

Posted: July 24, 2008 12:39 PM


I am finding myself agreeing more with Doug every time I see Oprah on TV.

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