Letter from James Lewis

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your concern about the symposium. I do not accept as factual or true the statements which some are making about the content and the conclusions of the program “Meditation: Buddhist and Christian – Is there common ground?” which I moderated on November 3, 2009.

Neither I nor Professor Reasoner believe, nor intended to say or imply as a part of the symposium, that Christians and Buddhists can or should do meditation together. We hold, and sought to say the following:

1. Buddhists do not own meditation. Christians have been meditating for centuries.

2. Buddhists and Christians may have common techniques or methods including: seated comfortably to enable longer stretches of quiet; breathing techniques; focus on some phrase or word. (for us it would be an affirmation about Christ as Lord, or portions of the Lord’s Prayer).

3. But the aim, purpose, or goal of Buddhist meditation as conceived by Theravada doctrine (enlightenment) identified by the Monk-participant is absolutely incompatible with Christian aims or goals of meditation.

4. Christian goals in meditation involve communing with, relating and listening to the true and living God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. We believe in God. Theravada Buddhists do not.

5. Thus, these two goals are irreconcilable. No faithful Bible-believing, Christ-honoring Christian can do Buddhist meditation.

6. Hence, the monk, Bhante Sewallie, and Bethel profs (Reasoner and Lewis) are in agreement: neither can practice the other’s meditation when the goals are so incompatible.

The symposium, which my program Religious Studies organized and directed, is in its sixth season. We have, as in all past symposia, remained true to the biblical faith. We have followed defined principles in doing this and trust you would honor us for embracing them.

The two principles that guide the Religious Studies program at Bethel University are civility and commitment. Civility calls for us to deal with religious-others with sensitivity and respect. Commitment refers to our non-negotiable commitment to Jesus Christ and the biblical faith in its evangelical expression. Bottom line, civility and commitment go hand in hand here at Bethel. Commitment without civility is truth without love (see Ephesians 4:15). Civility without commitment is relativism which has no place among us. Civility is no substitute for commitment just as commitment is ineffectual without civility.

Also, please forgive us if we have not been as clear in stating our convictions as you think we should have been. It is sometimes difficult in an informal setting of conversation to say everything that one thinks and everything that one ought to say. I ask your understanding for myself and others. I would extend this same courtesy to you were you in my place.

But I also honor you for your concern that Bethel not descend into the kind of relativism that has eviscerated many religious colleges around us in their recent history. As an ordained minister of the Gospel, as well as a professor of religion, and as a former missionary to Vietnam who during that war risked his life to preach the Gospel, I believe I have proven my credentials. Still, no one can depend on the past since we all know those who have departed from the faith. That is not me, and it is not the colleagues with whom I work.

Please pray that this issue not interrupt the good work for Christ and his kingdom here.

Yours for the sake of the Gospel,

Jim Lewis, Ph.D.
Director and Professor, Religious Studies