The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society

It Was Confusing At First But As I Sought Understanding It All Came Together....A Closer Walk With God This Book Gave Me.

The ability to heal even though a person has been wounded is an extraordinary message. Hence the appropriate title for this book. The author proposes that the spiritual counselor relate to their directee from their own personal experiences. He suggests that it is through reaching within oneself that those in this kind of service can truly be of help. Nouwen validates the experiences of many in this or allied professions; that we uncover our own pain and weaknesses as we attempt to guide others.This affirmation is valuable. In healing others, the counselor is healed. In being able to recognize and share our own pain, we can better serve. Nouwen offers a cultural backdrop to explain why this approach works. The time is the late 60's. Forty years later, some of his conclusions have not been borne out. A notable one in my opinion, is the story of Peter. Nouwen builds the case for "nuclear man" as a premise for his theories. I suggest that perhaps Peter was an enlightened man. Read the book and see if you come to the same or other conclusions. In any case, it will make you think.

This is the first time I ventured outside the evangelical / protestant circles, and I was amazed at the simplicity with which this author was able to present some pretty deep material. The part that spoke to me the most was 'if we can live our lives as authentically as Jesus lived his, then there are many ways to live like Christ'. This was a revelation, I no longer have to stand a street corners, etc. to live like Christ. The good author is gone now, but his many books are available for us all. A very good alternative the usual a,b,c ... 1,2,3 stuff I was used to.

Nouwen offers a deep challenge to those who would minister the Love of Christ in this world. Using his characteristically insightful prose Nouwen articulates the post-modern dilema (he calls post-modernity the dilema of "nuclear man"). From there he proceeds to challenge traditional models of ministry, preaching and healing. Nouwen, I would argue through his own expierence, teaches those who would minister to lead others towards the healing love of Christ. He creatively suggests that ministers should change hats, leading people to freedom by articulating empathetically their own woundedness. In essence he is both challenging and inviting the Church to be a fellow wounded traveler in and through the darkness of our wounded world. It is a brilliant work that rewards re-reading.

Henri Nouwen has been blessed with true vision of the human condition. Mr. Nouwen has also been gifted with the answers to solve the condition of "Nuclear Man" and isolation. Anyone who is a minister or healer of any kind should read this book. It is a "must read". I appreciated Mr. Nouwen's synopsis' at the end of each chapter. This truly helped me to "drive the point home". I thank Mr. Nouwen for writing this book. I am presently reading his "Return of the Prodigal Son" book. Another "must read" book if one is interested in reaching the center of man.Gratefully, Teri Lynn Schons

Nouwen, in this classic work, explains how in one's weakness, one can still participate in the healing of others. A major theme of most of his books, Nouwen stresses that only in one's brokenness before God and humankind can people really transform community. Admittedly, the philosophy of the wounded healer offered at the beginning and end of the book gets a little thick, but both portions offer excellent insights that make it a great read. The great benefit of the book is the clear examples offered in the middle of the text. Examples of people dealing with terminal patients and the like really clarifie the condition that Nouwen addresses. A must-read for people in the helping professions and anyone else looking to impact people!