A couple of months I ago, I posted an article written by Al Mohler about the dangers of Christians practicing yoga. This subject has not gone away and seems to be a controversial one in the Christian community. I just read this blog entry today from the Out of Ur blog recapping the controversy. This is an important topic, not just for those churches who have some sort of Yoga program but also, more broadly, for the sports ministry community. Below is an excerpt from the blog entry:
With the growing popularity of yoga among all people, including Christians, getting a better understanding of the issue is important for pastors responsible for giving spiritual guidance. What Mohler, Driscoll, and even Malhotra agree on is that the philosophical/religious origins of yoga are incompatible with Christian belief, AND if those elements of yoga are stripped away what remains (the stretches and breathing practices) cannot be rightly called “yoga.”
So what are we to do? Christianity has a long tradition of adapted pagan symbols and practices and filling them with biblical meaning. Even Christmas and the celebration of Christ’s birth near the winter solstice is an extra-biblical tradition rooted in the pagan rituals of Scandinavian and Germanic tribes. The Puritans were so disturbed by the Christmas holiday that they refused to acknowledge it.
