What is the Walk to Emmaus / Emmaus Walk, and is it biblical?

Answer

The Walk to Emmaus (also known as the Emmaus Walk) is a Protestant adaptation of the Roman Catholic Cursillo movement. Cursillo originated in the 1940s in Spain and was introduced to America in the following decade. Within the United Methodist Church, Cursillo was referred to as The Upper Room Cursillo until 1981 when its name was changed to Emmaus. This three-day retreat involves singing, learning, praying, and engaging in small-group discussions centered around fifteen themes presented by Emmaus leaders. While Walk to Emmaus continues to be conducted under United Methodist guidance, it maintains a strong focus on ecumenism, receiving support from Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches.

The term Emmaus in Walk to Emmaus is derived from the account in Luke 24 where Jesus walks with two disciples on the road to Emmaus from Jerusalem on the day of His resurrection. The disciples later recount their encounter with the risen Christ as “our hearts burning within us while he talked with us” (verse 32). Walk to Emmaus retreats aim to create a similar encounter for their participants.

As per the official Walk to Emmaus website (emmaus.upperroom.org), Emmaus experiences are designed to be a period of “spiritual renewal and formation.” Participants are invited by a sponsor and must apply to take part. Throughout the weekend, participants convene in small groups and are urged to explore how they can embody the call to discipleship in their own households, congregations, and communities. Participants are encouraged to continue meeting with small groups and other members of the Emmaus community post-retreat for ongoing accountability, guidance, support, and motivation. Former participants are also encouraged to volunteer at upcoming Walk to Emmaus weekends.

The stated mission of Walk to Emmaus is “Empowering Leaders to be the hands and feet of Christ.” The objective of Emmaus is to assist Christians in living as disciples of Christ and becoming leaders in their respective spheres.

Be active members of His body, participating in His mission. The three-day experience of Emmaus is designed to “inspire, challenge, and equip the local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, communities, and places of work.”

While the information made public regarding the Walk to Emmaus is biblically focused, there is some concern regarding the secrecy surrounding the event. Participants are told not to disclose what takes place to emphasize the “special” or “sacred” nature of the time. The website does state that there will be “prayers and acts of anonymous service offered by the Emmaus community.” Perhaps the specifics of these acts are considered more meaningful if they are a surprise. Because biblical Christianity does not emphasize secret knowledge or events, the secrecy surrounding the Walk to Emmaus has led many Christians to choose not to participate.

Others have expressed concern over the emotional emphasis of Walk to Emmaus. Over the weekend, the combination of late nights, early mornings, and extended spiritual teaching could lead to people being pressured for decisions while tired or under stress. The fear is that decisions or changes that occur during Walk to Emmaus events may not be genuine or lasting. Furthermore, the overall emphasis on experience is viewed as inappropriate by many.

Another concern among some is the partaking of communion in a non-church context. While the Bible does not mandate communion to be taken within a local church, many church traditions do and therefore do not support this practice at Walk to Emmaus events.

In the Protestant adaptations of Cursillo, including Walk to Emmaus, there is likely much good that occurs. Christians gathering to pray, fellowship, and challenge each other to a deeper spiritual walk is biblical (2 Corinthians 13:11;1 Thessalonians 5:11;Hebrews 3:13). Much depends on th

The organizers of the specific events and the leaders and instructors who are physically there. Invitees to a Walk to Emmaus gathering should exercise discernment and thoroughly examine the organization and its leaders prior to registering.