Identity area
Reference code
CA ON00389 F4-9-1-1615
Title
Date(s)
- June 1978 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
3 p. of textual records
Context area
Name of creator
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This item is a 3 page article by Henri Nouwen entitled ‘Contemplation and Ministry’ published in Sojourners, June 1978, pp. 9,11-12. Nouwen begins the article by asking what is the relationship between contemplation and ministry?. He answers by stating ‘The contemplative life is a life with a vision and life of ministry is the life in which this vision is revealed to others’. He speaks then of a spiritual discipline which leads to movement in life from opacity to transparency. Nouwen uses three examples to discuss this: Nature, Time and People. With regard to Nature Nouwen believes that we are no longer able to let nature minister to us; rather we use and abuse it. With regard to Time, Nouwen suggests that time has become almost an enemy rather than a present moment full of God; a kairos. He suggests that ‘the contemplative life is the life in which time slowly loses its opaqueness and becomes transparent’. With regard to People, Nouwen states ‘ contemplation as seeing what is really there has a very significant meaning in the context of interpersonal relationships…here we can begin to see the intimate connection between contemplation and ministry’. Nouwen concludes by discussing briefly two other important aspects of contemplative prayer for ministry: simplicity and obedience.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Original published article has been added to the file from accession 2010 17.
Original published article is found in Archives bound volumes: Sojourners, vol. 7, 1978.
Existence and location of copies
Preservation photocopy available in Articles by Nouwen Access Copy Box 1.
Related units of description
Publication note
Published in Sojourners 7, no. 6 (June 1978): 9-12.
This item is published in a revised form in: Nouwen, Henri, Clowning in Rome; Reflections on Solitude, Celibacy, Prayer and Contemplation, Doubleday, N. Y., 1979.