Schuller and Unity
Author: Professor Walter J. Veith, PhD
Summary: Some of Robert Schuller's teachings share foundational elements with New Age and Roman Catholic doctrine.
 
This article is part of a series. We recommend that you first read: Robert Schuller's Distorted Doctrine .
 

Some of Robert Schuller's beliefs align well with the New Age movement and the principles of Rome's Vatican II Council.

Dr. Schuller's self-esteem teachings carry similar tones to the New Age doctrines, which teach that people are divine and sin doesn't exist. Schuller's psychology-based Christian ministry blends well with New Age spiritual teachings such as those of Helen Schucman and Marianne Williamson. And his encouragement of mystic spiritual formation is the same encouragement we are hearing from both papal and New Age leaders. 

All for Unity

All of these similarities are helping to bring about unity across religions. For example, in 1972, Schuller "invited Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen to his pulpit and joined with Catholic bishops at their Mass at the Annual Mary's Hour at the Los Angeles Sports Arena."i

In 1985, the National Catholic Evangelization Association and Tyndale House Publishers worked together to publish What Christians Can Learn from One Another about Evangelizing Adults, which called for more cooperation between Protestants and Catholics in evangelism. The book contained a chapter by Billy Graham and an article by Robert Schuller.ii

Schuller has a history of seeking unity with the Roman Catholic Church, but the attempts for reunion always confirm the supremacy of the Papacy. In 1987, Dr. Schuller said, "It's time for Protestants to go to the shepherd [Pope] and say 'what do we have to do to come home?'"iii

And in 1990, "when Schuller was planning for the building of his Crystal Cathedral, he made a special trip to Rome to ask the Pope's blessing on the building plans."iv

Schuller is—like those in the ecumenical, Pentecostal, and New Age movements—working towards religious unity. Unfortunately, the unity these groups strive for is not based on the Bible. Rather, it is formed through sharing emotional experiences and ignoring doctrinal differences. Schuller says this:

I'm dreaming a bold impossible dream: that positive-thinking believers in God will rise above the illusions that our sectarian religions have imposed on the world, and that leaders of the major faiths will rise above doctrinal idiosyncrasies, choosing not to focus on disagreements, but rather to transcend divisive dogmas to work together to bring peace and prosperity and hope to the world...v

The Bible calls us to unity, but is it possible to rise above divisive dogmas without removing truth? Real, God-given unification is only possible through the work of God's Spirit to bring patience, humility, and a shared understanding of truth (Ephesians 4:2-4).

True unity can never be gained by ignoring each other's incorrect theology. Scripture calls us to worship God "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24, emphasis added). Never should we sacrifice truth for the sake of unity. Such a concession would deny God—for God is truth (Deuteronomy 32:4).

 


 

i. David Beale, S.B.C. House on the Sand (BJU Press, May 1985): 144.

ii. David W. Cloud, Flirting with Rome: Evangelical Entanglement with Roman Catholicism Volume 4 (Oak Harbor, WA: Way of Life Literature, 1993): 31.

iii. Robert Schuller, as quoted in Kevin Morgan, Sabbath Rest (TEACH Services Inc., 2002): 72.

iv. Foundation (March-April 1990), as quoted on rapidnet.com.

v. Robert H. Schuller, My Journey (San Francisco: Harper, 2001): 502.

This article is adapted from Walter Veith’s Rekindling the Reformation DVD The Jesuits and The Counter Reformation Part 2

Disclaimer: The contents of this article and website are not intended to accuse individuals. There are many priests and faithful believers in Roman Catholicism who serve God to the best of their ability and are seen by God as His children. The information contained herein is directed only towards the Roman Catholic religio-political system that has reigned in varying degrees of power for nearly two millennia. Under the influence of its successive popes, bishops, and cardinals, this system has established an increasing number of doctrines and statements that clearly go against Scripture.
 
It is our sincere desire to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader, so you may decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find herein anything contrary to the Word of God, you need not accept it. But if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality, we encourage you to make all haste to accept that Truth which is revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
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