both are extremely popular. i’ve read some nouwen. his first name is usually spelled henri. anyway, both are highly respected. i order many books from both authors for my bookstore. i’ve not read any rupp yet, but we have lots of requests for her books.
henri is pretty touchy-feely, in the same genre as say jean vanier. they’re both involved in l’arche communities, and have lots of very practical, somewhat subjective advice on life and relationships, both with God and with man, to share. i’ve not found anything remotely objectionable in nouwen’s writings, and usually find them enlightening.
i would highly recommend peter kreeft and michael o’brien, if you’re looking for good catholic writing. o’brien is fiction, but very very well written, and full of wisdom. if you like fiction, i’d also recommend chesterton’s stuff (the father brown books are delightful) and graham greene’s ‘the power and the glory’. greene is a great writer, along with walker percy and flannery o’conner, but i take the last couple with a grain of salt. great writers, but sometimes a bit racy and/or controversial.
everyone i’ve mentioned is catholic.
happy reading!
