Life of the beloved : spiritual living in a secular world

by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Paper Book, 1992

Status

Available

Call number

BX2350.2.N672 1992

Publication

New York : Crossroad, 1992.

Physical description

119 p.; 20 cm

Barcode

3000001540

User reviews

LibraryThing member Bonni208
Nouwen is asked by his non-religious Jewish friend to write a book for him, versus his typical theological writings. This is Nouwen for those of us who want to have an informal conversation with him and not an academic one. This is a short read and one you shouldn't miss.
LibraryThing member rushans
A book that I consider a spiritual classic. The prologue frames the background leading to the publication of this unique little book. A close-knit friendship with a young friend who considers himself a “secular Jew” leads to a pressing request of the author to “…speak a word of hope to
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people who no longer (come) to churches or synagogues and for whom priests and rabbis (are) no longer the obvious counselors.” This book is the result of that request. In the book, Nouwen challenges us to to hear God’s voice that says, “You are my beloved son; you are my beloved daughter. I love you with an everlasting love. I have molded you together in the depths of the earth. I have knitted you in your mother’s womb. I’ve written your name in the palm of my hand and I hold you safe in the shade of my embrace. I hold you. You belong to Me and I belong to you. You are safe where I am. Don’t be afraid. Trust that you are the beloved. That is who you truly are.” That voice is not a very loud voice because it is an intimate voice. It comes from a very deep place. It is soft and gentle. Nouwen challenges us, in the book, to gradually hear that voice. We both have to hear that voice and to claim for ourselves that that voice speaks the truth, our truth. It tells us who we are. That is where the spiritual life starts — by claiming the voice that calls us the beloved.
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LibraryThing member thesmellofbooks
A thoughtful book on spiritual living for Christian and nonChristian alike.
LibraryThing member bsanner
Attempting to offer a spirituality that would be accessible to his non-Christian friends, Nouwen pens this personal letter fleshing out the theme of being, becoming, and living as the “beloved” of God. Nouwen identifies four movements (following the movements of the Eucharist) toward becoming
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who we truly are, the Beloved of God: taken, blessed, broken, and given. Although I am usually edified by Nouwen’s perspective, this work provides little. Rather, it offers an Oprah approach to the spiritual life – full of one-sided self-affirmation, devoid of content, watered-down - D.
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LibraryThing member jclyde
This is my second read of this book, which offers a healthy reminder to hold onto what is good.
LibraryThing member asambul
We discuss this book every week in the Bible Study meeting.
LibraryThing member SueinCyprus
This was originally written by Henri Nouwen for a secular Jewish friend of his. He wanted not to 'convert' him, but to help him understand how much God loved him, to sense that he was a beloved child in a broken world.

The writing is powerful and moving, using as themes for individual chapters the
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four words: Taken, Blessed, Broken and Given. Nouwen examines what these concepts have meant to him over the years, and how he has - very slowly - come to accept the love of God no matter what his circumstances.

It's honest and often moving, and reads very much like a letter to a friend, although at times I forgot that there was a specific audience. There's a prologue and epilogue which talk more about it, but the bulk of the book - barring a few specific comments about the friendship - are relevant to anyone.

It's a short book, but very thought-provoking, so I didn't want to read too much at one time. I read just a chapter (or less) per day for nearly two weeks. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member LudieGrace
I've heard people rave about this and other works by Nouwen many times, but I have to admit that I have never been able to get through this short little book. I'm not sure why, because he writes well. I guess I've always picked it up at times in my life when it wasn't what I needed to hear? But I
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would recommend it to someone craving reassurance of God's love for them; the book is intended to speak to both Christians and non-Christians.
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LibraryThing member CovenantPresMadison
Initially written for a Jewish friend, Life of the Beloved has become Henri Nouwen’s greatest legacy to Christians around the world. This sincere testimony of the power and invitation of Christ is indeed a great guide to a truly uplifting spiritual life in today’s world.
LibraryThing member jpsnow
We read this recently for a small group discussion. It’s excellent. Most people, myself included, found they had highlighted and noted extensively throughout this extended epistle to the young people Nouwen was trying to inspire.
LibraryThing member MarkLacy
I have to admit that while I enjoyed reading this, I could also identify to some degree with "Fred", who basically said this was so far beyond his experience and that of his friends that he couldn't really get that much out of it. I'm sure I got more out of it than Fred did. But, that doesn't mean
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I grasped - really grasped - what Nouwen was trying to convey, either. I also noted that Jesus, the Christ, did not come up in the book. Just God. Maybe this was deliberate, as Nouwen was writing this for a secular Jew and his friends. I don't know. But wouldn't it have been better to preach the Gospel as part of his explanation of the spiritual life?
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Original publication date

1992

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