I finished reading Life of the Beloved by Henri (Just Me) Nouwen last night. I really enjoy books that only take a couple hours to read. Overall I was disappointed because Nouwen didn't come close to communicating to the secular world of his friend Fred. I was most impacted by Fred's desire to learn about spirituality in a way he and his secular friends could understand. I am asking of myself, "Can I communicate the story of God to the secular world as well as I can to those who share my beliefs, traditions, and vision?"
At this point in my life I don't have any "secular" friends. I meet and hang out with "secular" students on occasion. As result I fear I may end up like Nouwen (that wouldn't be all bad), insulated by the walls of the church and unable to communicate to the outside world. I've decided to disobey my high school youth pastor, who told me not to hang out with non-Christians, and find ways to get outside the church walls to be among the secular. Maybe in the process some of the secular space will be reclaimed as sacred.
didn't mr nouwen work with the unchurched at the living center he worked at for awhile??
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