Posted: 03/26/08

Eckhart Tolle's New Earth

Kerby Anderson

March 31, 2008

            Eckhart Tolle is the latest New Age guru to make it big. Over two million people from 139 countries have participated with Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle in a live web-based seminar covering each chapter of his book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose.

            Even though Tolle's philosophy is incompatible with Christianity, I am amazed at how many Christians I talk to (even in evangelical churches) who are reading his book and applying his principles to their lives. The premise of his philosophy is simple. He says that all material things result from an impersonal, immaterial life force expressing itself in material form. And he says that we human beings are part of that expression.

            He goes on to say that we have evolved to the point where we have the potential to become aware of our oneness with the universal life force. In fact, the purpose of all mankind is to become aware that their Being is an expression of the One Life Force.

            Now really, do I need to explain any more before you can see that the very foundation of his philosophy contradicts biblical Christianity? What we are getting here is Eastern mysticism proclaimed with a German accent. Sure, there may be some truth mixed in with this error. And some of the observations and exercises in the book and seminar may be helpful to people with anxiety, anger, and depression. But at its very core, the teachings of Eckhart Tolle contradict biblical Christianity.

            He says we are capable of discovering our spiritual identity but are being blocked by our ego. The Bible teaches that we are created in the image of God but have a sin nature and are cut off from God because of our sin. Tolle denies the existence of sin and thus the death of Christ on the cross is unnecessary. By contrast, the Bible states that "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

            Eckhart Tolle may be popular, but his message is unbiblical. I'm Kerby Anderson, and that's my point of view.

By Kerby Anderson Click here for bio and archived articles