Hi all, About this Taize thing, I'd like to start with a question: "What's the difference between a cult and a healthy Christian atmosphere?" I think they have some good things to say, but overall, I'd be very very hesitant to get involved. Some of my observations of their ostensive website (www.taize.fr - pick from 26 languages) are below: They speak of this "Brother Roger" as a sort of saintly central figure whose writings and letters are of some high importance for enlightening your inner being (his writings are important enough to be translated into 58 languages). There's no Bible verses anywhere on their webpage in plain sight. There are, however, several quotes from Brother Roger's writings. They make references to the Apochrypha (such as "See Baruch 5:1-9" from Roger's 2003 letter, which was translated into 58 languages). They require celibacy and life long commitment "without looking back." Below are some paragraphs that particularly caught my attention (copied directly from the website): NOTE: my thoughts are in {}. ------------------------------------------------------ Every week from early spring to late autumn, young adults from different continents arrive on the hill of Taize. They are searching for meaning in their lives, in communion with many others. By going to the wellsprings of trust in God, they set out on an inner pilgrimage that encourages them to build relationships of trust among human beings. A week in Taize is a way of realising the intimate relationship between an experience of communion with God in prayer and personal reflection on the one hand, and an experience of communion and solidarity among peoples on the other. -{Are they saying that there is something special about going to Taize that enlightens a Christian that can't be obtained elsewhere?} How to prepare a prayer "in the style of Taize". Learning the songs. Meditative singing. The value of silence. Icons in worship. Prayer intentions. 12 minute prayer in RealAudio. Short audio clips. -{Do special Taize prayers supposed to enlighten a Christian more than heart-felt sincere prayers not prayed in Taize?} Joyful trust in the Risen Lord lies at the heart of the spiritual life at Taize, expressed in a special way in the prayers and writings of Brother Roger, 88 this year. -{Are they claiming some special abillity that Roger has, i.e. is he some kind of Prophet?} Obviously, the 80 000 who came to Paris were not converted to Christ, but Taize offered them a way to find inner strength, to approach the Gospel. -{More emphasis on finding personal meaning than salvation?} I do not rely on my faith alone but on the faith of Christians of all times, those who have gone before us, from the time of Mary and the apostles to those of today. And day after day I prepare inwardly to put my trust in the Mystery of Faith." -{Rely on the faith of other people??} Will you, in order to be more available to serve with your brothers, and in order to give yourself in undivided love to Christ, remain in celibacy? I will. Will you, so that we may be of one heart and of one mind, and so that the unity of our common service may be fully achieved, adopt the orientations of the community expressed by the prior, bearing in mind that he is a poor servant within the community? I will. -{what sort of orientations? Utopic unity?} What interests me is a Christianity like that of Berdyaev... -{see 1 Cor 1:12-13} This link between a deep spiritual experience and a creative opening to the world is at the heart of the meetings at Taize, which have been centered for many years on the theme "inner life and human solidarity." -{There is something special about Taize!} Dostoyevsky did not call himself a "Christian novelist." But he is one of those who have taken an extraordinary step forward in human sensibility, in thought, and, I would add, in Christian theology. He has a huge number of readers at present. He is one of the "fathers" of modernity, quite as much as Freud, Nietzsche and, in the recent past, Marx. It is up to Christians to begin this creativity again and to continue with it in the world as it is, without lamenting the past. The world does not needs Christians who are whiners; it needs Christians who are creators! -{Up to Christians to nurture the creativity of Dostoyevsky, Frued and Nietzsche? Without looking back?} Taize is above all a place of prayer. Three times each day the bells summon young people to prayer from their tents and barracks... Taize is not a 'movement'. -{That's what all cults say too! it should be obvious from their information that they truly seek Christ. If they have to say that they are not a cult, they probably are one!!} ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------ Appended: Like my dad says, Christian Science ain't Christian and it ain't science! The CS people are some of the most difficult people to have a theological discussion with. I remember hearing of a Christian sitting next to one on an airplane and having a terrible time talking about the Gospel because for everything he pulled out of the Bible that seemed to address the problem with the CS beliefs, the CS person had some very complete and well rehersed answer that made his Christian belief sound wrong or incomplete. Surely, there are many cults that use the name of the Lord Jesus Christ on their webapges who 'may deceive, if possible, even the elect'. Infact, I heard of one website who condemned all homosexuals to hell and supported a violent homo beating/death situation -- in the name of Jesus Christ, of course (I'm NOT saying I support homo activity here!! I'm pointing out poor use of the name of Jesus). I get very nervous when "cults", "communities", CS etc. start esteeming one person's writings or teachings or theology - be they this Roger guy or Mary Baker, or Brigham Young.