EASTERN PANTHEISTIC MONISM

AND

part 1

I. Why the West Turned East and Inward and Downward

A. Disillusionment with Western rationalism

B. Disillusionment with American Christianity

C. Increased religious exposure, spiritual others

D. “Encircling Eyes” (Os Guinness, The Dust of Death)

II. Spiritual Warfare and Alien Worldviews (D. Groothuis, Confronting, chapter 2)

A. Angels and demons

B. Satan: the Father of lies

C. Signs and wonders: good and evil

D. Spiritual warfare principles from Acts 13:1 – 12 (see also Ephesians 6:10 – 18)

1. A God-ward orientation is needed to discern your calling in ministry and to receive power over error (vs. 1 – 3)

2. We need the wisdom of the church to discern God’s call in our life and power over error (vs. 1 – 3)

3. We need to know and proclaim God’s word for power over error (vs. 4 – 5)

4. The power of error opposes the truth of the Gospel (vs. 6 – 8)

5. God’s work in God’s way will find God’s power over error (vs. 9 – 12)

· Books on the New Age

1. Douglas Groothuis, Unmasking the New Age (IVP, 1986).

2. Douglas Groothuis, Confronting the New Age (IVP, 1988)

3. Douglas Groothuis, Deceived by the Light (Wipf and Stock reprint, 2002). Focuses on near-death experiences and their New Age connections.

4. Douglas Groothuis, The Soul in Cyberspace (Wipf and Stock reprint). One chapter looks at technoshamanism, which is related to New Age theology.