Thoughts on "A Generous Orthodoxy"

Overall, I liked McLaren's book. He comes from a similar background to mine (evangelical) and I feel I went on a similar journey of starting to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of various forms of Christianity. I still know relatively little about Eastern Orthodoxy, and this and other writings have sparked my interest.

The chapter I am still chewing on at the moment is entitled: Why I am Incarnational. Here's some quotes:

"I must add, htough, that I don't believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many (not all!) dircumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts. This will be hard, you say, and I agree. But frankly, it's not at all easy to be a follower of Jesus in many "Christian" religious contests, either." (p. 293)

"I am more and more convinced that Jesus didn't come merely to start another religion to compete in the marketplace of other religions. If anything, I believe he came to end standard competitive religion (which Paul called "the law") by fulfilling it; I believe he came to open up something beyond religion - a new possibility, a relam a domain, a terittory of the spirity that welcomes everyone but requires everyone (now including members of the Christian religion) to think again and become like little children." (p. 299)

I agree with McLaren when he points out that Christianity has often been confused with cultural baggage that is not inherent to it. But can you really be a Hindu follower of Christ? A Buddhist follower of Christ? At some point I would think that what it means to follow Jesus would run so counter to other beliefs that there would have to be a decision - this road or that. I wonder what people who have come out of Buddhist and Hindu backgrounds would say about the idea of staying in that religious context as Christ-followers.

What do you think?