Henri Nouwen and The Way of The Heart - Introduction

Henri Nouwen ‘The Way of the Heart’ An Evaluation and Comparison with Scripture

PART ONE – Introduction

The copy of the book used for this evaluation is copyright 1981 and published by arrangement with The Seabury Press. ISBN 0 – 345 – 30530 – 2.  This book is divided into sections entitled: Acknowledgments, Prologue, Solitude, Silence, Prayer, Epilogue and Notes. Any emphasis shown in the quotes, or information shown in brackets, has been added. The 7 part essay that follows is for personal use only.

Henri Nouwen has been called one of the most significant spiritual leaders of our generation. A Roman Catholic priest, University of Notre Dame, Yale and Harvard professor, he abandoned his academic life to devote himself to caring for developmentally disabled persons. He is considered unassuming and charismatic, and is claimed to possess a unique and profound insight into the human condition. His writings have appealed greatly to our generation. His teachings themselves draw heavily on early Roman church practices. The Way of the Heart teaches a very old method of prayer called ‘contemplative’ or ‘meditative’.

To think while praying is entirely Biblical. Meditating on Scripture (thinking about it) is also entirely Biblical, and both are highly recommended. But that is not what ‘contemplative prayer’ is or what this book is teaching.

Contemplative prayer is taught in every major religion as the way to contact the spirit world. In the christian mystical tradition as well as Hindu, Jewish Kabbalah and New Age beliefs, the spirit sought is usually called ‘God’. One does not need to be a christian, or to know and believe in the Christ of the Bible in order to successfully pray in this manner. The mystical experiences are identical. The spirit contacted does respond as ‘God’, 'Jesus' or whichever name the petitioner is calling on.

The first requirement for contemplative prayer is physical separation, also termed solitude, or ‘fleeing from the world’ as Henri Nouwen calls it. Usually this isolation is a physical withdrawing to a quiet place, though it is also sometimes used as an emotional withdrawing from life’s distractions.

The counterpart to physical solitude is silence of the mind, a quiet non-thinking state. This is accomplished by allowing the mind to enter a meditative state through concentration and often repetition of a word or short phrase, sometimes called a mantra. This silence specifically means not using words to pray in the usual way, but to quiet the mind from its activity of thought. If distracting words or thoughts come up during this type of prayer, the advice is given to repeat the word or phrase until the mind quiets itself.

This quiet non-speaking and non-thinking time is meant to put the consciousness into an altered state where one can ‘hear’ the ‘voice of God’ or the ‘voice of the Spirit’, or to ‘see’ visions. Sometimes a sense of gentle light or warmth is experienced. Generally it takes about 20 minutes of this exercise to move into the altered state of consciousness, though a regular practitioner can move into it much quicker.

Fasting can sometimes help in this transition. Fasting, solitude and silence are all included in what are called ‘spiritual disciplines’. Spiritual disciplines lead one to focus on obtaining a false peace through ones’ own actions, rather than the true peace of knowing and trusting in Christ as our reconciliation with God, and living a life of humble and trusting obedience in response, which validates our faith and gives us assurance of salvation.

As believers, we long to draw near to God. But we often refuse to trust Him, to believe that even if we don’t feel His presence, He is there. Biblical self control involves a deliberate faith-filled trust in God’s provision and sovereignty over every situation in life, along with a steady obedience to His will.

"I am the LORD, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness;

I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.’ I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right.

(Isaiah 45: 18b-19)