Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World (1992)

This is my second read of this book, which offers a healthy reminder to hold onto what is good. ( )

Attempting to offer a spirituality that would be accessible to his non-Christian friends, Nouwen pens this personal letter fleshing out the theme of being, becoming, and living as the “beloved” of God. Nouwen identifies four movements (following the movements of the Eucharist) toward becoming who we truly are, the Beloved of God: taken, blessed, broken, and given. Although I am usually edified by Nouwen’s perspective, this work provides little. Rather, it offers an Oprah approach to the spiritual life – full of one-sided self-affirmation, devoid of content, watered-down - D. ( )

A thoughtful book on spiritual living for Christian and nonChristian alike. ( )

Nouwen is asked by his non-religious Jewish friend to write a book for him, versus his typical theological writings. This is Nouwen for those of us who want to have an informal conversation with him and not an academic one. This is a short read and one you shouldn't miss. ( )

A book that I consider a spiritual classic. The prologue frames the background leading to the publication of this unique little book. A close-knit friendship with a young friend who considers himself a “secular Jew” leads to a pressing request of the author to “…speak a word of hope to people who no longer (come) to churches or synagogues and for whom priests and rabbis (are) no longer the obvious counselors.” This book is the result of that request. In the book, Nouwen challenges us to to hear God’s voice that says, “You are my beloved son; you are my beloved daughter. I love you with an everlasting love. I have molded you together in the depths of the earth. I have knitted you in your mother’s womb. I’ve written your name in the palm of my hand and I hold you safe in the shade of my embrace. I hold you. You belong to Me and I belong to you. You are safe where I am. Don’t be afraid. Trust that you are the beloved. That is who you truly are.” That voice is not a very loud voice because it is an intimate voice. It comes from a very deep place. It is soft and gentle. Nouwen challenges us, in the book, to gradually hear that voice. We both have to hear that voice and to claim for ourselves that that voice speaks the truth, our truth. It tells us who we are. That is where the spiritual life starts — by claiming the voice that calls us the beloved. ( )