During the 1980’s, Dutch-born Catholic priest Henri J. M. Nouwen captured the attention of spiritual seekers around the world with his thoughts on religion, which were rooted in psychology, social justice, and community. Nouwen is credited as one of the first writers to suggest that spirituality was important to more people than just clergy members and church officials, and his definition of being a Christian included growing in a relationship with God, taking responsibility for mistakes, and asking, “How can I live a fruitful life?” Editor-in-chief and publisher of Orbis Books Robert Ellsberg, who was a friend of Nouwen’s for 20 years, called him “one of the most influential, important spiritual writers of the 20th century,” and Gabrielle Earnshaw, founding Henri Nouwen archivist at Toronto’s University of Saint Michaels College, said the prolific author is just as relevant now as he was during his lifetime. “He talks about questions such as who is God, what is the meaning of life, how can I make a difference. They are still the questions we ask today,” Earnshaw told PW.
This September is the 20th anniversary of his death, and religion and spirituality publishers are marking the occasion by releasing rarely seen writings as well as new editions of his bestselling works. The books are aimed at a new generation of spiritual seekers. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming.
The Spiritual Life: Eight Essential Titles
This collection contains titles that are considered by many to be classic works by Nouwen, including Intimacy, A Letter of Consolation, Letters to Marc About Jesus, The Living Reminder, Making All Things New, Our Greatest Gift, Way of the Heart, and Gracias, which previously went out of print. The book showcases Nouwen’s ideas on a wide variety of topics such as depression, miracles, and sexuality. It is being marketed as a keepsake volume aimed at both Nouwen fans as well as his first time readers.
Henri Nouwen: His Life and Spirit
Director/screenwriter Burns offers an account of Nouwen’s life, from his childhood growing up in a wealthy Dutch family and teaching at the University of Notre Dame and Yale Divinity School, to his final work with mentally and physically handicapped people at L’Arche Daybreak community in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
The Return of the Prodigal Son: Henri J.M. Nouwen Anniversary Edition: A Special Two-in-One Volume, including Home Tonight
Nouwen’s most popular book, which has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide since its 1992 publication, is a reflection on Rembrandt’s painting and the gospel story that inspired it. Themes include homecoming, affirmation, and reconciliation, and the new edition comes with lectures that inspired The Return of the Prodigal Son as well as Home Tonight, the prequel and companion to it.
Love, Henri: Letters on the Spiritual Life
Showcasing over 200 unpublished letters written to friends and acquaintances around the world, this title looks deeper at the struggles Nouwen wrote about in his books, including loss, sickness, injustice, and coping with self-doubt. Nouwen’s personal correspondences point out the collective human experience, which he believed could bring people closer to God.
