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Date(s)
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1956-1996 (Creation)
- Creator
- Nouwen, Henri J. M., 1932-1996
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Physical description
5.3 m of textual records
87 photographs
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Name of creator
Biographical history
Henri Nouwen was born in Nijkerk, The Netherlands to Maria (nee Ramselaar) and Laurent Nouwen on January 24, 1932, the eldest of four children. He was ordained to the Catholic priesthood on July 21, 1957 for the diocese of Utrecht. Immediately following his ordination, Nouwen began studying psychology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen completing a doctorandus degree cum laude in 1964 (February 3rd, 1964 in Psychology; primary subject: psychology of religion, secondary subjects: sociology, social geography).
Following his studies in psychology Nouwen became a Fellow in the program for Religion and Psychiatry at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas from 1964-1966. During this year he participated in Martin Luther King's civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Following his studies at the Menninger, Nouwen was invited to join the newly formed Faculty of Psychology at Notre Dame University where he taught for two years.
In 1968 he returned to the Netherlands to take positions as Staff member of the Amsterdam Joint Pastoral Institute and member of the faculty of the Catholic Theological Institute in Utrecht. From 1970-1971 Nouwen pursued an advanced degree in theology at the University of Nijmegen, focusing on the work on Anton T. Boisen. A doctorandus degree was received in 1971. After completing his theology degree he accepted a position in the Yale Divinity School. For ten years (1971-1981), he taught such courses as Christian Spirituality, Pastoral Care and Counselling, Life and Work of Thomas Merton, Ministry and Spirituality, Ministry of Vincent van Gogh and Ministry to the Elderly. He spent one semester in Rome teaching at the North American College in 1978 and became a fellow at the Ecumenical Institute at Collegeville, Minnesota.
In 1981 he resigned from his tenured position to work with the Maryknoll brothers in Peru as well as visiting Bolivia and Nicaragua. In addition to exploring his vocation in Latin America, Nouwen explored the possibility of joining several different Christian communities, with extended stays at the Abbey of the Genesee in 1979 and 1982. In 1983, following a speaking tour about Nicaragua, he accepted a Letz Lectureship at Harvard Divinity School, a position he held until his resignation in 1985. He went on to teach a summer course at Boston College and later to L'Arche Trosly-Breuil in France at the invitation of Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche (a network of more than 100 communities where people with developmental disabilities live in homes with assistants).
In 1986 he accepted the position of pastor as L'Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario. In addition to his duties as pastor, Nouwen co-taught with Daybreak members at Regis College, Toronto a course entitled "Communion, Community and Ministry" in 1994, the last course he would teach at a university.
In addition to teaching Nouwen was a prolific writer, authoring more than 40 books and hundreds of articles related to the Christian spiritual life including contemplative spirituality, prayer, the desert mothers and fathers, icons, ministry, theological education, peacemaking, prayer, death and the trapeze. A selection of his titles include The Wounded Healer, Reaching Out, Genesee Diary and The Return of the Prodigal Son. He was a sought-after speaker and travelled extensively to address participants at retreats, convocations, conferences and other public events.
Nouwen died on September 21, 1996 while visiting family in Holland.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Sub-series consists of draft manuscripts and typescripts of many of Nouwen's published and unpublished books and articles, including forewords, introductions and afterwords for other authors' books. The sub-series represents Nouwen's writing process, from miscellaneous notes and journal entries to galley and print proofs. Some articles contain subject matter later published in Nouwen's full-length books; links between them have been made where appropriate.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
The sub-series has been divided into sub-sub-series for each of Nouwen's book-length projects, as well as files.
The sub-sub-series are as follows:
- Book on Anton T. Boisen
- Intimacy
- With Open Hands
- Aging
- Out of Solitude
- Reaching Out
- Genesee Diary
- Man at the Watershed
- Clowning in Rome
- In Memoriam
- A Cry for Mercy
- Downward Mobility
- A Letter of Consolation
- Compassion
- Gracias! A Latin American Journal
- A Spirituality of Peacemaking
- Love in a Fearful Land: A Guatemalan Story
- Lifesigns
- Behold the Beauty of the Lord
- Letters to Marc about Jesus
- The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey
- Heart Speaks to Heart
- In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership
- Theology as Doxology
- L'Arche and the World
- A Spiritual Journey
- Mary, Mother of the Priests
- Taken, Blessed, Broken, Given
- The Life of the Beloved
- Show Me the Way: Readings for Each Day of Lent
- The Return of the Prodigal Son
- Circus Diary
- Ukrainian Diary: July 24-August 14, 1993
- Our Greatest Gift: A Meditation on Dying and Giving
- With Burning Hearts: A Meditation on the Eucharistic Life
- The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey through Anguish to Freedom
- Can You Drink the Cup?
- Ministry and Spirituality: Three Books in One
- Adam: God's Beloved
- Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith
- Sabbatical Journey: The Final Year
- Articles
Language of material
- Dutch
- English
- French
Script of material
Language and script note
Most of the material is in English. Some is in Dutch and some in French.
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Access to some material is restricted, as content is personal.
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Name access points
- Nouwen, Henri J. M., 1932-1996 (Subject)
- Arche Daybreak (Association) (Subject)
- Boisen, Anton T. (Anton Theophilus), 1876-1965 (Subject)
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Language of description
- English