The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society
by Henri Nouwen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Henri NouwenEdition: Paperback
Published: 1979-03-01
ISBN: 0385148038
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: Image
Book Reviews of The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society
Book Review: I didn't get it...
Summary: 2 Stars
Having read some of Nouwen's work before, I have come to appreciate him. And because I had heard so much about "The Wounded Healer," I was expecting a classic. I was sorely disappointed.
On one level, I was frustrated because the four chapters seemed to function in isolation from one another, rather than forming the parts of a cohesive whole. Having read his assessment of "nuclear man" in Chapter 1, that idea never really reappeared, and the rest of the book seemed to go in several completely different directions.
I was also disappointed by Nouwen's flowery and poetic language. Though this writing style no doubt connects with some folks, I was often left thinking something like, "That sounded nice, but I have no idea what he was saying!!" It's not a matter of the complexity of his ideas, but I just find his writing to be undecipherable.
Ultimately, Nouwen has some good stuff to say. The story of a young minister meeting with a sick man just before he died is poignant and provides us with a helpful and practical situation upon which to reflect. But I found his conclusions to be confusing or even evasive and do not feel particularly more informed to help others who are hurting.
Summary of The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society
The Wounded Healer is a hope-filled and profoundly simple book that speaks directly to those men and women who want to be of service in their church or community, but have found the traditional ways often threatening and ineffective. In this book, Henri Nouwen combines creative case studies of ministry with stories from diverse cultures and religious traditions in preparing a new model for ministry. Weaving keen cultural analysis with his psychological and religious insights, Nouwen has come up with a balanced and creative theology of service that begins with the realization of fundamental woundedness in human nature. Emphasizing that which is in humanity common to both minister and believer, this woundedness can serve as a source of strength and healing when counseling others. Nouwen proceeds to develop his approach to ministry with an analysis of sufferings -- a suffering world, a suffering generation, a suffering person, and a suffering minister. It is his contention that ministers are called to recognize the sufferings of their time in their own hearts and make that recognition the starting point of their service. For Nouwen, ministers must be willing to go beyond their professional role and leave themselves open as fellow human beings with the same wounds and suffering -- in the image of Christ. In other words, we heal from our own wounds. Filled with examples from everyday experience, The Wounded Healer is a thoughtful and insightful guide that will be welcomed by anyone engaged in the service of others.Inspirational Books
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