Thanks to everyone who gave such great feedback on the Contemplative Gathering post. It has given me much to think about.

Several people asked whether it was intended for Christians or non-Christians. This is a critical question, because we risk going wrong in one of two ways:
1) Making people feel like Jesus is cool with everyone
2) Making people feel like total outsiders and creating an experience that is frustrating for them

I’m approaching this as though it were a matter of window-shopping on Christianity. It cannot be a “How can Jesus make me feel better today?” experience, because Jesus did not come to make people who ignore him feel better. He came to seek and save the lost by calling them to follow him, and that’s our task as well.

If people are window-shopping, then they will to some extent feel like outsiders, and they expect that. No one complains that the store should do something about the cold when they’re standing outside window-shopping. By the same token, it’s OK if people feel a little out of place as they’re exploring the faith from the outside.

But I think this will only work if we’re not watering things down, even a little bit. Translate, yes. Make accessible and convenient, yes. But it has to be Christian to the core, in both symbol and theology.