News:
Moravian Church schedules Occult Workshop

 

Touched by an Angel?
 For years North Americans have been fascinated with the subject of angels. We shall see it has also become a subject teeming with deception and  one more way Satan uses to turn people away form Jesus Christ.

-- (Edmonton, Alberta) --
For years North Americans have been fascinated with the subject of angels. Once a small cottage industry, angels are now big business. Everything from books about angels to angel jewelry can be found in stores and on the Internet. Perhaps Michael Landon helped jump start that interest with his TV show, "Highway to Heaven," but it was "Touched by an Angel" that really seemed to energize people's interest in the subject of angels.

Many people over the years have written on the subject of angels, including Billy Graham. In recent years, however, it has become much more than just an interesting subject for some Christians, it has become an obsession. As we shall see it has also become a subject teeming with deception and one more way Satan uses to turn people's eyes away from Jesus Christ.

Interacting with the Spiritual Realm
Several months ago the Rio Terrace Moravian Church in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) promoted the "Angel Connections" workshop to its congregation and community. Although the class was cancelled due to insufficient registrations, Moravians everywhere should be alarmed that the class was scheduled at all. This workshop, which was advertised in their lobby and church newsletter was described as follows:

Clean and balance your chakras, access information from your guardian angels, find your divine communication style and learn about the four main archangels. We will do a number of guided meditations and process activities to stimulate the right brain and quiet the conscious or “ego” mind.

The class was scheduled for Wednesday January 26th and Wednesday February 2nd at the Rio Terrace Moravian Church.

The instructor for the scheduled class was Elizabeth Manuel who has the following qualifications: Reiki Master, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Sirian Energy  Practitioner, and Angel Therapy Practitioner (ATP). (Elizabeth notes she received the training for this from Dr. Doreen Virtue.) While the list of classes taught by Elizabeth Manuel is certainly disturbing and clearly shows her occult practices, her mentor - Dr. Doreen Virtue - causes even greater alarm.

Dr. Doreen Virtue - Occult Practitioner
Doreen Virtue is a spiritual clairvoyant Doctor of Psychology who holds BA, MA, and Ph.D. degrees in Counseling Psychology. Doreen has developed what she calls “angel therapy” which came as the result of consulting the guidance of “angels” and other spiritual “beings.” She teaches:

 

  • how to call upon and develop a closer relationship with goddesses, archangels, ascended masters, and other members of the spirit world
  • how to increase your psychic abilities and clairvoyance through medium mentorship
  • how to use crystals in your healing and psychic work
  • how to use oracle cards to give accurate readings for yourself and others
  • angel therapy & angel communication including how to develop a closer relationship with your guardian angels and the archangels
  • mediumship, reincarnation, and channeling

For a complete description of Dr. Virtue's classes click here.

How Could This Happen?
For those familiar with the practices and "training" almost offered at the Rio Terrace Moravian Church, the words "shock" and "horror" quickly come to mind. How could this happen? How could a purportedly Christian church sign on to play host to a blatant introduction to the occult? In the end there is really only one possibility: a failure of leadership.

When was the last time a practitioner of the occult was scheduled to teach a workshop in your church? Probably never. Why is that? Because the leadership in your church fosters an environment that would never open up the possibility that occult oriented teaching would find a receptive audience. So what conditions would have to exist in order for someone like Elizabeth Manuel to agree to teach a class? Quite simply she would need to see evidence that her brand of spirituality would find an audience. Where would she find this evidence? By visiting or through the relationships she had built with those who attend the church. Again it comes back to leadership.

If Elizabeth Manuel believes her teaching would find acceptance in the church then someone at the church communicated that to her. Since Elizabeth couldn't schedule this event on her own and get it included in the church newsletter, someone in the church had to do it. And that someone would be enough of an insider that they would know the parameters of acceptance. And that is a scary thought.

A Message of Correction?
Seven months have passed since this information first came to light. So why is it being released now? Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one concerned Moravian said it was a difficult decision to finally break the story to Moravians.org.

"I heard about this months ago but it seemed to get buried awfully fast. It was easy to find this information and I thought people should know about this. I hope this snaps people to attention. I recognize that this is a natural by-product of conscious decisions Moravian leaders have made over the past 30 or more years. Our leadership has drifted and the denomination is being dragged down with them. Many of our leaders have walked away from the authority of Scripture and hold to a watered-down view of inspiration. In that environment anything becomes possible. Honestly, how can we offer this church correction? On what basis do we do that? Scripture? We openly belittle those who hold to a high view of Scripture, so on what authority do we speak? Am I surprised this happened? Not at all. I think we should expect more. The seeds that were planted a generation ago are bearing fruit. Is it really surprising that a Moravian Church would host an occult workshop? It shouldn't be.”

 

What Kind of Church Will We Be?
While it is clear that this kind of activity is openly condemned in the Bible and believers are clearly instructed to avoid all occult activities, we are faced with the question, "What kind of church will we be?"

As we draw near to Synod 2006 it is becoming clearer that it is decision time for the Moravian denomination. Will we reaffirm our commitment to Christ and the Scriptures that gave John Hus the courage to say, "Unless you show me from Scripture I will not recant" - or will we continue down a path that leads to a complete loss of all spiritual authority? ---