The Archival Legacy of Henri Nouwen

From 2000-2016, I was the founding archivist of the Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and Research Collection. To help promote the collection, I created a booklet to highlight the vast archival legacy that Nouwen left behind after his death. The booklet was published in 2011, and consists of a Prologue by spiritual writer Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, a visionary Epilogue by Sue Mosteller, CSJ, Nouwen’s Literary Executrix, high-gloss photographs of a sampling of the photographs, manuscripts, sermons, and other material preserved in the archives, and a summary of the projects undertaken by the Archives and plans for the future. The following is my Introduction. The booklet is available freely on the Internet Archives. Link below.

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), priest psychologist, brilliant educator and world-renowned author, is considered by many to be one of the most important thinkers on the spiritual life of the 20th century. At the opening of the Nouwen Archives in 2000, John Allan Loftus, SJ, stated “He is arguably one of the giants of contemporary spirituality” (National Post, 2000).

A writer of extraordinary capacity to reach a wide range of audiences, Nouwen’s work engages readers across the religious, cultural and political spectrum. In a survey conducted at Duke University and reported in The Christian Century in 2003, Nouwen emerged as the first choice of spiritual reading among both Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders. In 2000, Oprah Winfrey ran an extensive excerpt from Nouwen’s 1992 bestseller, The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming in her magazine, O. In her introduction to the excerpt, Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, stated that The Return of the Prodigal Son is the book that has had the largest impact on her life.

More than seven million copies of his books have been sold world-wide. They have been translated into 30 languages to date. Since his death in 1996, all but one of his thirty-nine books remain in print, including such popular titles as Creative Ministry (1971), The Wounded Healer (1972), Out of Solitude (1974), Reaching Out (1975), The Genesee Diary: Report from a Trappist Monastery (1976), Life of the Beloved (1992) and Here and Now: Living in the Spirit (1994).

In addition to writing, Nouwen had a distinguished career teaching in such areas as Christian spirituality, pastoral theology, and the psychology of religion. He was a compelling and committed advocate of disarmament, the poor, and contemplative non-violence The peace activist, John Dear, calls him a “true prophet of peace and justice.” (Remembering Henri , 46).

Above all, Henri Nouwen was a pastor who used his ministry to create space where people might find inner freedom and love. His approach to Christian leadership, grounded as it was in scriptural wisdom and deep faith, provides a model of tolerance and compassion for the 21st century. His legacy has an ever-increasing relevance for those seeking unity and peace in our fragmented world.

When Nouwen’s papers were donated to the University of St. Michael’s College in 2000, the Archives immediately became the international centre for Nouwen Studies. In the past decade, more than 800 researchers have made use of its vast holdings. This publication showcases the richness of the Archives and invites readers to discover for themselves the breadth and depth of material related to ministry, peace studies, pastoral theology, and psychology and the unique inter-disciplinary contribution Nouwen made to these field of study.

Click here for the complete booklet.