DESCRIPTION:

This course is about the spirituality of Henri Nouwen, with particular focus on his approach and his person. First of all, it is a synthesis of Nouwen's holistic approach to spiritual formation and soul care--one that integrates spirituality, psychology, ministry, and theology together in a seamless fashion. Secondly, it is an exploration of Nouwen's spirituality of imperfection which he embodied throughout his lived experience--where the journey toward perfection is through the realities of imperfection.

The course exposes us to Nouwen's integrative approach to the ministry of spiritual formation and soul care--one that goes against the expert-driven, individualistic, and overly specialized approach that is often one-dimensional, hierarchical, and highly institutionalized in focus.

A mixture of class lectures, student report/discussion, and small group interaction. The class will meet seven times for three hours and will participate in a two-hour public lecture (April 27) and an overnight, two-day retreat (April 28-29) to be led by the Henri Nouwen Society leaders from Canada (Class will not meet on May 11, May 18, and June 8). The total cost for the retreat is $80 and is payable upon registration.

Choose one biography: (DO NOT purchase any of the following until after the first class session.)

Jürgen Beumer. Henri Nouwen: A Restless Seeking for God. Crossroad, 1997.

Michael Ford. Wounded Prophet: A Portrait of Henri J. M. Nouwen. Doubleday, 1999.

Deirdre LaNoue. The Spiritual Legacy of Henri Nouwen. Continuum, 2000.

Michael O'Laughlin. God's Beloved: A Spiritual Biography of Henri Nouwen. Orbis, 2004.

Nouwen, Henri J. M. Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life. Any edition.

__________. The Living Reminder: Service and Prayer in Memory of Jesus Christ. Any edition.

Choose one journal: Genesee Diary, ¡Gracias!, The Road to Daybreak, or Sabbatical Journey. Any edition.

Nouwen Course Reader.

Excerpted Essay Materials on Nouwen (On Reserve in the library).

• Full attendance and participation in weekly class sessions including retreat and public lecture (20%).

• Thoughtful reading of the assigned textbooks and course materials (20%).

• One-page Reaction Paper based on the two-hour public lecture (5%).

• Eight-page Integration Paper focusing on spirituality's coinherence with either psychology, ministry, or theology (20%).

• Two-page Personal Essay addressing one's own spirituality of imperfection (10%).

• Three-page Interactive Journal Analysis (choose one from Nouwen's four journals - 10%).

• One-page Retreat Reflection Paper (5%)

• Group Report: A Portrait of Nouwen (based on any of his four biographies - 10%).

Meets MA in Theology requirement in Spirituality (SPIR).