Customer Reviews

Henri Nouwen: A Spirituality of Imperfection

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This is a wonderful book! Will Hernandez has done a great job of probing Nouwen's writings and thoughts, citing key Biblical references and giving insight into Christian Spirituality that has been so profoundly impacted by the deep faith and soul-struggle of Henri Nouwen. This text is a powerful integrative resource for those that are familiar with Nouwen's writings and personal journals. But Will Hernandez' labor of love will also be a inspiring introduction to the novice of the heart and soul of the "wounded healer." I highly recommend this book to anyone that has struggled to find meaning and hope in the imperfection of their own journey of faith.

This book will be an encouragement to those who have embarked on a
spiritual journey and have wrestled with integrating and bringing to life
the aspects of our inner, relational and spiritual lives in light of
unending longings, wounds and struggles. Through Wil Hernandez's clear
analysis and synthesis of Nouwen's spirituality, we can learn from the
dynamics of Nouwen's spirituality of imperfection, and continue with renewed
hope on our journey to know God.

Wil Hernandez provides us with a readable multifaceted look into the life
and ministry of Henri Nouwen who has been a spiritual guide par
excellence to so many of us. One cannot read a page from Nouwen without
sensing his depth. Wil's book illuminates the sources of this depth far
beyond what could be gleaned by those of us who have frequently returned
to Nouwen as a source of spiritual reading and guidance over many years.
As Wil so ably shows us, Nowen's love of God, self and others was
Biblically faithful, theologically nuanced and psychologically sound
which freed him, broken as he was, to engage others in the healing and
transforming ministry of Jesus. I highly recommend adding Henri
Nouwen: A Spirituality of Imperfection to your library if you have not
yet done so.

L. Paul Jensen, Orange, CA

Since reading "The Way of the Heart" in 1989, Nouwen's writings have been a source of refreshment, encouragement and direction to me in my spiritual and ministry journey. Wil Hernandez's comprehensive and deeply integrative work in "A Spirituality of Imperfection" has deepened my appreciation for Nouwen's unique impact in our generation. Whether you've walked with Nouwen for a while, or are new to his writings, I would encourage you to buy and read this book. It's breadth and readability is quite remarkable.

Alan Fadling, Mission Viejo, CA

Wil Hernandez's lucid text is a welcome and needed volume to the study of Christian spirituality. By building upon Henri Nouwen's "spirituality of imperfection" readers will find much hope and clarity for their own journey of faith. Hernandez offers a very engaging and erudite discussion of the travails of spiritual formation, encouraging all honest believers to bridge the gap between professed and expressed theology by cultivating an integrative authentic spirituality for the whole of life.

C. Lynn Gibson, DPhil, CFSP
Assistant Professor
Oxford Graduate School

I have been reading a number of works by Henri Nouwen over the past few years was absolutely delighted to read Wil Hernandez's book on Nouwen, "A Spirituality of Imperfection." It is no easy task to write holistically about a figure who has had such a wide and deep impact as Nouwen; yet, Wil H. has managed the task wonderfully. Grounded in research; yet, easy to understand, the book conveys a spiritual and theological maturity that will likely connect with a wide spectrum of people. The author's chosen theme of "imperfection" rings with precision (though this sounds ironic) in capturing the essence of Nouwen amidst all his apparent and real success. I was challenged intellectually and moved deeply at a number of points. If you are new to Henri Nouwen, or have been acquainted with him for some time, "A Spirituality of Imperfection" will be a welcome edition to your library. Cheers.

Before I was introduced to the legacy of Henri Nouwen, I had a sense of the power that God, in His infinite wisdom, possessed to turn humankind's imperfections into good for all of humanity. One need only turn to the Book of Psalms and the Book of Lamentations to see that God does not only handle our complaints, but He plugs our human suffering into the greater divine metanarrative of the Good News to redeem our suffering. The justice principle operating is that God can transcend human suffering and use all things for good. God wastes nothing. What I did not realize before reading "Henri Nouwen: A Spirituality of Imperfection," by Wil Hernandez, was what use "my" imperfections had for "me" in my pursuit of spiritual wholeness. Did God use the Fall account in Genesis to teach me about Redemption? Or rather, did God use the Creation and Fall narrative to teach me about the human condition? What does God want to teach me about my own imperfections other than the fact they are distressing, impervious and obstructive constructs of my present reality? Who am I, that I might become present to myself, to others and to God?

First, I am reduced so that His Spirit in me may be increased. I cannot look up at the sky until I have "looked down at the Cross." In seminary, my mind is ever evolving and growing. Yet, human intelligence continues to progress while the human spirit experiences a holocaust. Each day that goes by that I do not thank God for the blessing of my mortal and broken condition, I am truly cursed. So in my brokenness I see God's power and I weep. If I rationalize the brokenness, then what I am, as Nouwen stated, is "but the bitter fruit of the human choice to say `No' to [God's] love."

Second, I am in communion with God, especially when I suffer. Nouwen stated concretely that "there is no journey to God outside of the journey that Jesus made." Pain is my greatest teacher, but I am not always its most willing subject. A metal can only be refined by fire. The purification process produces a shiny, polished surface. When I suffer, I am letting the Holy Spirit fire burn in me so that ultimately I can reflect God's image through me. Praying does not remove the pain of suffering; yet suffering leads me to prayer, and prayer is my direct line to God.

Third, I am hope. Even in our awareness that darkness exists, we humans, like Nouwen, "never envision going through the worst" of it. Because I am choice, I hope. I hope I never have to know the pain of loss again. I hope I never fail my friends again. I hope I never fail God again. I hope my sons will never know the ravages of war. I hope my marriage lasts forever. I hope I die a happy old woman in my sleep. Is this what God meant by hope?

Finally, I am a story. It is an imperfect story, with imperfect people, imperfect lives and imperfect outcomes. I am the sum total of my imperfect memories. I experience because I once experienced. What are the people, places and things that contribute to my story? If my life is a journey, which way am I heading? Who will point the way?

I highly encourage you to read Hernandez' book, as you tap into Nouwen's spirituality of imperfection to discover what "your" imperfections mean to "you."