Mere Spirituality: The Spiritual Life According to Henri Nouwen

Discover Henri Nouwen's authentic, spacious spirituality of being deeply beloved.

"When we are at one with our self, it becomes effortless for us to welcome and embrace the same self where God resides, the self that God loves with the fi rst love, preceding all human love. With Nouwen, we are able to carry our own beautiful, deeply loved self in our heart."
--from the Introduction

Henri Nouwen's compelling spirituality of the heart is at once simple and complex, accessible but deeply profound. For this beloved Catholic theologian, whose ecumenical writings continue to inspire Christians of all denominations and levels of involvement, spirituality is, at its most basic, simply "attention to the life of the spirit in us."

This insightful distillation of Nouwen's vast literary legacy invites our tender hearts to take courage and be still, creating space for God and our true selves. It is in this place of trust and solitude that we discover our belovedness and our capacity to love God and others.

A scholar and spiritual director intimately acquainted with Nouwen's understanding of the spiritual life, Wil Hernandez, PhD, Obl. OSB, offers an elegant synthesis of Nouwen's main themes, inspiring us to embrace the power and vulnerability of mere spirituality.

Wil Hernandez, PhD, Obl. OSB, is a passionate advocate for the work of spiritual formation in individuals and congregations, and he finds great joy in sharing Henri Nouwen's spiritual legacy. He teaches courses on the spirituality of Henri Nouwen at seminaries and universities throughout the U.S. and abroad as a spiritual director and international workshop and retreat leader. He is also author of a Henri Nouwen trilogy, which includes Henri Nouwen and Spiritual Polarities: A Life of Tension, and is founder and executive director of CenterQuest: An Ecumenical Hub for the Study and Practice of Christian Spirituality (www.CQCenterQuest.org).

For more information about Wil Hernandez's courses, retreats, seminars and workshops on Henri Nouwen, please visit www.nouwenlegacy.com or email Wil at wil@nouwenlegacy.com.

Ronald Rolheiser, popular ecumenical Catholic theologian and columnist, is author of The Holy Longing and Sacred Fire, among other books.