Discernment

Henri Nouwen, beloved author, priest and world-renowned counsellor and guide, understood the spiritual life as a journey of faith and transformation that is deepened by accountability, community and relationships. Although Henri counselled many people during his lifetime, his principles of discernment were never collected into a single volume. Now, in association with the Nouwen Legacy Trust, Michael Christensen – one of Nouwen’s long-time students – and Rebecca Laird have taken his coursework, journals and unpublished writings and created the definitive resource on spiritual discernment.Discernment is the final volume in a trilogy of Nouwen titles. Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Formation are also published by SPCK.‘For most people, the very word discernment implies something heady, private and maybe even elitist. Henri Nouwen, as always, makes seemingly complex things personal, practical, intelligent and very readable – all at the same time! This is a rich and helpful book.’Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward ‘An absolute gift to mind and soul.’ Phyllis Tickle, author of Emergence Christianity ‘Nouwen artfully explores how nature, our neighbours and our own hearts reveal God’s active presence all around us. Life-giving and beautiful, yet practical and wise, he invites all those who doubt, feel lost, wounded or broken to discover the beating heart of love at the centre of the world.’ Diana Butler Bass, author of Christianity After Religion

Nouwen artfully explores how nature, our neighbours and our own hearts reveal God's active presence all around us. Life-giving and beautiful, yet practical and wise, he invites all those who doubt, feel lost, wounded or broken to discover the beating heart of love at the centre of the world., For most people, the very word discernment implies something heady, private and maybe even elitist. Henri Nouwen, as always, makes seemingly complex things personal, practical, intelligent and very readable - all at the same time! This is a rich and helpful book., An absolute gift to mind and soul.

HENRI NOUWEN (1932-1996) is the author of Reaching Out, The Wounded Healer, and many other bestsellers. He was the senior pastor of L'Arche Daybreak in Toronto, Canada, a community where mentally disabled men and women and their assistants create a home together.Michael J. Christensen is Director of the Shalom Initiative for Prophetic Leadership and Community Development at Drew University, New Jersey. He studied with Henri Nouwen at Yale Divinity School.Rebecca Laird is Professor of Christian Ministry and Practice at Point Loma Nazarene University, California.