To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitude
This article explored Henri Nouwen’s well-known concept, the wounded healer. After investigating its origins, Henri Nouwen’s use of the term was examined. The article proposed that Henri Nouwen was mainly influenced by Anton Boisen and Vincent van Gogh in his use of the concept of the wounded healer...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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AOSIS
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Verbum et Ecclesia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2839 |
| _version_ | 1827579653179572224 |
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| author | George W. Marchinkowski |
| author_facet | George W. Marchinkowski |
| author_sort | George W. Marchinkowski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article explored Henri Nouwen’s well-known concept, the wounded healer. After investigating its origins, Henri Nouwen’s use of the term was examined. The article proposed that Henri Nouwen was mainly influenced by Anton Boisen and Vincent van Gogh in his use of the concept of the wounded healer. Nouwen’s interest in these persons was considered to glean how they shaped his thoughts before focusing on he used a model of pastoral analysis, the living document model to autobiographically explore his own wounds, to access them, and to offer what he learned as a means of healing for his audiences. Nouwen recognised himself as wounded and became for his readers a wounded healer. Nolte and Dreyer’s view that the wounded healer concept was a welcome corrective to prevailing models of pastoral care, and De Jong’s view that the wounded healer is a pathway to self-actualisation were used as a bridge to Nouwen’s views on personal spiritual transformation. Finally, Nouwen’s thoughts on transformation involving a movement from loneliness to solitude were investigated, showing that the outcome was a move towards a considered and deeper interaction with the world.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article contributed to scholarship in Christian spirituality by considering the work of Henri J. M. Nouwen and the sources of his concept, the wounded healer. It also considered connections with and implications for pastoral psychology and practical theology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:05:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a2c25e72288463ebf3f4afa521d3ded |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1609-9982 2074-7705 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:05:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Verbum et Ecclesia |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a2c25e72288463ebf3f4afa521d3ded2023-12-19T08:29:52ZafrAOSISVerbum et Ecclesia1609-99822074-77052023-12-01441e1e810.4102/ve.v44i1.28391885To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitudeGeorge W. Marchinkowski0Department of Pastoral and Missional Theology, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of the Free State, BloemfonteinThis article explored Henri Nouwen’s well-known concept, the wounded healer. After investigating its origins, Henri Nouwen’s use of the term was examined. The article proposed that Henri Nouwen was mainly influenced by Anton Boisen and Vincent van Gogh in his use of the concept of the wounded healer. Nouwen’s interest in these persons was considered to glean how they shaped his thoughts before focusing on he used a model of pastoral analysis, the living document model to autobiographically explore his own wounds, to access them, and to offer what he learned as a means of healing for his audiences. Nouwen recognised himself as wounded and became for his readers a wounded healer. Nolte and Dreyer’s view that the wounded healer concept was a welcome corrective to prevailing models of pastoral care, and De Jong’s view that the wounded healer is a pathway to self-actualisation were used as a bridge to Nouwen’s views on personal spiritual transformation. Finally, Nouwen’s thoughts on transformation involving a movement from loneliness to solitude were investigated, showing that the outcome was a move towards a considered and deeper interaction with the world. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article contributed to scholarship in Christian spirituality by considering the work of Henri J. M. Nouwen and the sources of his concept, the wounded healer. It also considered connections with and implications for pastoral psychology and practical theology.https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2839anton boisenhenri nouwenspiritualityspiritual transformationvincent van goghwounded healer |
| spellingShingle | George W. Marchinkowski To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitude Verbum et Ecclesia anton boisen henri nouwen spirituality spiritual transformation vincent van gogh wounded healer |
| title | To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitude |
| title_full | To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitude |
| title_fullStr | To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitude |
| title_full_unstemmed | To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitude |
| title_short | To be wounded and yet heal. How two wounded healers helped Henri Nouwen find solitude |
| title_sort | to be wounded and yet heal how two wounded healers helped henri nouwen find solitude |
| topic | anton boisen henri nouwen spirituality spiritual transformation vincent van gogh wounded healer |
| url | https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/2839 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT georgewmarchinkowski tobewoundedandyethealhowtwowoundedhealershelpedhenrinouwenfindsolitude |