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The organization historically known as Campus Crusade for Christ changed the name of its American campus ministry several years ago to "Cru"--a name that isn't even a word, and has no meaning. When an organization changes its name, it's often a sign of a change in direction.
Cru continues the practice of holding annual summer conferences for staff. This year's conference, Cru19, took place in Fort Collins, Colorado from July 19-25. There was much, such as Josh McDowell's apologetics, that seems to be good; other people have warned about some things or people who seem questionable, and I noticed a few others.
Cru19 included workshops, described as "...interactive, hands-on, smaller group presentations...an hour in length and facilitated by authors, pastors, CEOs, missionaries, Cru staff members, faculty, and many others."
The use of the enneagram is becoming popular in evangelicalism, and Cru is no exception (bold in original):
Saturday, July 20, 1:30-2:30 PM
Going Deeper With the Enneagram
Gina Butz | LSC 382
So you know your enneagram type. Now what? Come here thoughts and practices for how to use the enneagram to go deeper in your personal and spiritual growth.
The use of the enneagram is a New Age technique. See The Enneagram— Does It Have A Place In Christianity? and other information on the subject at Lighthouse Trails Research Project.
Contemplative spirituality was promoted in this workshop, taking place at the same time:
Creating Space to Hear God’s Voice: Solitude and Silence
David Neibling & Paul Lucido | Clark A104
Silence and solitude help us to counteract the noise and busyness of our daily lives, creating space for us to experience God’s presence, hear His voice and be transformed. Come and learn about these spiritual practices as they relate to quieting our minds and hearts, deepening our relationship with God and impacting our capacity to connect with others.
Several of the blogs on my blogroll have useful information on contemplative spirituality; I particularly recommend Lighthouse Trails Research Project.
Secular psychology was promoted in this workshop:
Thursday, July 25, 2:45-3:45 PM
Birkman, Because ...
Cy & Diane Farmer, Francine Smalley & Mark McGowan | Clark A201
Those attending this workshop will learn that Birkman can be used to encourage personal growth by acknowledging strengths and challenges alike and how individuals and teams benefit from the Birkman Method through better communication and a clearer understanding of people’s interests, needs, usual behaviors and stress behaviors. Birkman can be used to help fulfill the admonishment in Galatians 6:4, "But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work (examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior), and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another.” (AMP).
Birkman is a company promoting a method of organizational psychology originated by Dr. Roger Birkman, and includes personality assessments. It's unfortunate that Cru doesn't regard the Bible as sufficient for personal growth, and has to adopt unbiblical methods.
Cru19 also included "Super Seminars," described as "select, large group, lecture gatherings." This one caught my attention:
Wednesday, July 24th | 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Shalom and the Community of Creation
Randy Woodley | Lory Student Center Ballroom Grand Ballroom B
Materialism. Abuse of nature. Injustice. War. The problems facing America today are staggering. We need restoration. But how?
Randy Woodley offers an answer: the Native American “Harmony Way,” a concept that, like shalom, can bring reconciliation between Euro-Westerners and Indigenous Peoples, connectedness with Creator and creation, justice, an end to imperial warfare — and a more authentic spirituality. Rooted in redemptive correction, Dr. Woodley calls for partnership through the co-creation of theological systems that foster wholeness and peace.
I'd never heard of Randy Woodley, but the description of the seminar immediately set off alarm bells with me. The idea that Native Americans are in harmony with the environment is politically correct nonsense that ignorant white people are happy to believe. As Canadian journalist Stephen Hume--a man generally sympathetic to Natives--pointed out in his book Ghost Camps (1989), the reason that Natives haven't slaughtered all the wildlife long before now isn't because of their respect for the environment, but because they lacked the technology. A quick search for Dr. Woodley turned up the following resume for him at Portland Seminary, affiliated with George Fox University (bold, links in original):
Randy Woodley, PhDI don't even need to click on the links to see what Dr. Woodley is like. The American Baptist Churches (formerly the Northern Baptist Convention) are the liberal Baptists; this is the denomination that includes people such as Tony Campolo and Ron Sider. Jim Wallis, who seems to have been around forever, is someone I've long regarded as a Communist masquerading as a Christian; he hasn't changed, but evangelicalism has moved so far to the left in recent years, that it's caught up to him. Just the words "Emergent Village Voice" speak volumes; it should be noted that George Fox University is named after the founder of the Quakers, and is thus naturally likely to be favourable toward contemplative spirituality. And of course, The Huffington Post is hardly a bastion of biblical Christian doctrine.
Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture
Director of Intercultural and Indigenous Studies
Introduction
Rev. Randy Woodley (PhD, Asbury Theological Seminary) is a Keetoowah Cherokee (legal descendent) teacher, poet, activist, former pastor, missiologist and historian. Woodley received his baccalaureate degree from Rockmont College in Denver. He was ordained to the ministry through the American Baptist Churches in the USA in Oklahoma after graduating with a Masters of Divinity degree from Eastern Seminary (now Palmer Seminary) in Philadelphia. Randy's PhD is in intercultural studies from Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.
Woodley’s books include The Harmony Tree: A Story of Healing and Community, 2016 (Friesen Press), Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision, 2012 (Eerdmans) and Living in Color: Embracing God’s Passion for Ethnic Diversity, 2004 (IVP). He has authored numerous book chapters and contributed essays and articles in compilations such as the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics (Baker Academic), An Emergent Manifesto of Hope (Baker), The Justice Project (Baker), and The Global Dictionary of Theology (IVP).
Professor Woodley is active in the ongoing discussions concerning new church movements, racial and ethnic diversity, peace, social justice, interreligious dialogue and mission. He regularly blogs in these areas and publishes his own blog, Ethnic Space and Faith. He is also a regular contributor to God's Politics Blog: Jim Wallis and Friends, Emergent Village Voice and The Huffington Post’s religion page.
He also hosts the "Peacing it all together" podcast about journey and place with Bo Sanders.
Rev. Woodley was pastor of the Eagle Valley Church in Carson City, Nevada, which for many years served as a unique role model as an authentic Native American Christian church. He and his wife Edith, cofounders of Eagle's Wings Ministry, are considered early innovators in what has been dubbed the “Native American Contextual Movement.” The Woodleys have spent over 25 years of culturally contextual service in Native North American communities.
Campus Crusade for Christ founder and president Bill Bright (1921-2003) had his faults, but I doubt if he would have approved of some of the things now being promoted by the movement that he founded; he must be turning over in his grave.
October 3, 2019 update: Jeff Maples at Reformation Charlotte has an excellent post on the cultural Marxism-infested social gospel content of CRU19, as shown in this video:
HT: The Watchman's Bagpipes
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