How do we reach the contemplatives?
Today I spoke with several people who mentioned how much they hunger for a deeper experience of Christian spirituality. This is something I run into on a regular basis: practicing Christians who want to take their faith to a new level; non-Christians (or Christians alienated from the contemporary church) who are genuinely interested in Christ and the mystics but don’t know how to cope with the crazy/limiting/judgmental qualities they see so abundantly in ordinary Christian communities.
I am convinced that there are plenty of people, both Christian and non-Christian, who would love to learn about the mystics and who would find in the mystics guidance to improve their own spirituality. But if this is so, then why is it so hard to get people to attend a class, or buy a book, on Christian mysticism?
Books on mysticism go in and out of print like the flash of a strobelight. Classes on mystical spirituality often are sparsely attended. Even an organization as long-lived and well organized as Contemplative Outreach seems to have only minimal impact within the larger Christian community.
Why is this? I believe the hunger is out there. So why aren’t people finding out about the riches of the contemplative tradition? (more…)
