The Wounded Healer Chapter Summary

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SINGAPORE BIBLE COLLEGE Book Reflection: The Wounded Healer by Henri J. M. Nouwen Submitted to Esther Tan CO502 – Theory and Practice in Counseling by Shongzan Chanlila Khayi Mail Box # 120 SINGAPORE 21 August, 2013 The Wounded Healer by Henri J.M. Nouwen is one such book which is simple yet very insightful, solemn yet very challenging. He stirs up our interest as he deals with the biggest concern of our modern day leaders in our churches and society – the struggle with our weaknesses. And I believe his philosophy goes much deeper than what is actually written. I personally felt that this book is not only for Christian ministers or leaders but for everyone and anyone because, as mortal human beings, we live in a societal world where caring or helping each other is indispensable. I like the way Nouwen makes us see the four chapters of this book, as entering into four different doors, each representing the ‘problems of ministry in the modern world’ (Nouwen, 2010, p.3). I’ve categorized my reflections on this book into three particular headings. The Human Condition Nouwen starts the first chapter by portraying Peter, a young man going through the contemporary human condition, which is, the search of meaning to their life. As I reflect on Peter’s condition, he sounds exactly like a normal young adult of our generation. …show more content…

But I am enlightened by Nouwen as he writes that, it is precisely in this kind of hopeless generation that Christian leaders should be willing to make their life available to help people around them. Nouwen claims that, as contemporary Christian leaders, our first basic task is ‘to lead people out of the land of confusion into the land of hope.’ (Nouwen, 2010, p.44). And it makes sense to me that, in order to lead people into the new territory, we first have to have the courage to explore the new territory within