7.29 Can Christians do yoga or zen meditation?
The missionary Francis Xavier worked extremely hard and with great patience to explain the faith to people in Asia who had never heard of Jesus. He got to know the Hindu and Buddhist spirituality in which yoga and zen are rooted. But he saw that this is very different from the personal relationship Jesus wants to offer us. It made him work even harder to promote the Gospel.
Christians who wish to do the physical exercises of yoga or zen, will need to separate these completely from the religious spirituality that underlies them. It must be asked whether that is completely possible. It may be better to choose alternative physical exercises. Do you want to place Jesus at the centre of your meditative physical exercises?
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