MacArthur and Pagitt on Yoga
Is yoga appropriate for the Christian? John MacArthur, anti-emerging pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, says no. Doug Pagitt, emerging pastor of Solomon’s Porch1 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, says yes. Both pastors participated in a brief CNN discussion on Prime News with Mike Galanos.
I think MacArthur nails it. Here’s the heart of the discussion:
MacArthur: In the big picture, why would Christians want to borrow an expression from a false religion, from pantheism (god is everything, you’re god, everything is god), when we believe there’s only one true God (the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ). Why would we need to import that? If you want to exercise, exercise. But why borrow a term that has been part of a false religion for centuries?
. . .
Pagitt: Well, for people who perform yoga, what they’re normally trying to do is to find a whole and complete and healed life. So when people participate in yoga, most of them aren’t on some kind of a yoga agenda. What they’re trying to do is use whatever practices they can find that would help them have a whole and complete life. And for a Christian, that’s certainly what we’re after. The Jesus agenda is a whole life, is a complete life, is a healed life. So when people use it to relieve stress, to be healthy in their relationships, to feel good in their body, that’s a really good thing.
In fact, there’s a great little verse in the New Testament where it says, “Whatever is good, whatever is right, whatever is noble, whatever is praiseworthy, think upon such things.” And for so many of us, yoga has been one of those ‘whatevers’ that’s such a positive thing in our life.
. . .
MacArthur: Well, let me just respond to what I’ve been hearing. That doesn’t sound anything like Christianity. If you want a whole life, if you want your life to be what it should be, you don’t put yourself in some weird physical position, empty your mind, center on yourself and try to relieve your stress. You go to the word of God, to the gospel of Jesus Christ, you embrace in faith the sacrifice of Christ in his death and resurrection as your savior and redeemer. God comes, regenerates you, transforms your life, makes you a new creation, and you’re saved and you’re on your way to heaven, and you can live a life of peace and joy. That’s the promise of the gospel. There is no contribution made to that by any physical position or any kind of meditation.
The idea of Christianity is to fill your mind with biblical truth and focus on the God who is above you. That’s Christian worship. The idea of yoga is to fill your mind with nothing except to focus on yourself and try to find the god that is inside of you. From a Christian viewpoint, that’s a false religion. Exercise is a different issue.
Amen. Thank you, Dr. MacArthur, for your commitment to the Scripture, to the gospel, and to biblical Christianity.
Read the whole thing at Pulpit Magazine, or watch the video below (may not appear in the feed).
See also Douglas Groothuis’s post: John MacArthur and Doug Pagitt on Yoga
Notes
- Does anyone have any idea what that name means? [↩ back]
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Andy Naselli
See here.
My guess is that the name “Solomon’s Porch” is intended to communicate parallels with the actual “Solomon’s Porch.” Perhaps they perceive that Jesus’ temple crowds were informal, discussion-oriented, and warmly received. Just a guess.
Sep 13th, 2007 12:09 pm
Phil Gons
I gathered the parallel to the original Solomon’s Porch, but didn’t know what it was symbolizing. Your explanation sounds on target. However, Jesus’ teaching at Solomon’s Porch in John 10 doesn’t strike me as a warm emergent “conversation”! :)
I wonder how many services at Pagitt’s church end this way?
Sep 13th, 2007 12:22 pm
Doug Pagitt
I have only been arrested once and never been stoned.
Sep 13th, 2007 4:34 pm
Phil Gons
Thanks for the info, Doug. So what is the significance of “Solomon’s Porch” as your church’s name? Is Andy’s guess on target?
Sep 14th, 2007 1:50 pm
glenn
I think John Mac Arthur has an important point. It may not be an issue for all who “do Yoga exercises” but it is for those who go to Yoga studios. The bible warns [NIV Luke 6;40] “everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher”. I’d recommend that any Christians that like to do Yoga seek to exercise under a Christian Instructor, not one who just says he/she’s Christian, but one who lives it. There’s a lot of “almost Chirstians” these days.
Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth: http://thebigpictureministry.htohananet.com/blog/_archives/2006/12/21/2589844.html
The Bible tells us over and over that our God is a Jealous. Let’s not provoke him!
Glenn
Feb 9th, 2008 10:35 pm
richbrfl
John MacArthur did a great job of explaining his point, as he so often does. Though we have lost a number of our great Christian leaders lately including my own pastor Dr. DJK, John still says what he truely believes is Scripturally true rather than worrying about which way the wind is blowing.
Apr 27th, 2008 4:24 pm