"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.
