One of the most important medieval writers studied in historical and literary context. Julian of Norwich, the fourteenth/early fifteenth-century anchoress and mystic, is one of the most important and best-known figures of the Middle Ages. Her Revelations, intense visions of the divine, have been widely studied and read; the first known writings of an English woman, their influence extends over theology and literature. However, many aspects of both her life and thought remain enigmatic. This exciting new collection offers a comprehensive, accessible coverage of the key aspects of debate surrounding Julian. It places the author within a wide range of contemporary literary, social, historical and religious contexts, and also provides a wealth of new insightsinto manuscript traditions, perspectives on her writing and ways of interpreting it, building on the work of many of the most active and influential researchers within Julian studies, and including the fruits of the most recent,ground-breaking findings. It will therefore be a vital companion for all of Julian's readers in the twenty-first century. Dr Liz Herbert McAvoy is Senior Lecturer in Gender in English and Medieval Studies at Swansea University. Contributors: Denise M. Baker, Alexandra Barratt, Marleen Cre, Elisabeth Dutton,Vincent Gillespie, Cate Gunn, Ena Jenkins, E.A. Jones, Liz Herbert McAvoy, Laura Saetveit Miles, Kim M. Philips, Elizabeth Robertson,Sarah Salih, Annie Sutherland, Diane Watt, Barry Windeatt.

This book investigates the striking movement towards a discourse of 'bodily' language used to discuss the relationship between the human person and god which takes place in the twelfth century and after. It considers how this discourse reflects broader changes in the concept of the human and of God.
Focusing on the mystical writings of Bernard of Clairvaux and Hadewijch of Brabant, the author shows how each exploits the language of taste and touch to articulate the possibility of the mystical experience itself, the immediacy of union with God.
This is a comprehensive and clearly written work on the relations between the mystical, the bodily and religious language that have been at the centre of recent debates.

Many people believe in a Christian spirituality which actually relates to the modern world - in all of its division, hope, violence and interconnectedness. Others find belief in a God of any kind impossible. Our human future is uncertain in many ways and this is not a time for the churches to respond with easy answers. This Easter book is not about easy answers. The words of Jesus from the Cross are difficult and challenging. And yet the fact that they emerge from a situation of human agony gives them huge relevance for our times. And the God whom Jesus addresses from the Cross remains at the heart of humanity and continues to weep with us. Each contributor to the book shares what a particular word means to her or him. These various reflections will enable the reader to encounter the words of Jesus in new ways; to be spiritually refreshed in order to listen more tenderly to the cries and longings of our sisters and brothers around the world. Includes reflections by Jan Sutch Pickard, Ruth Burgess and others, and an introduction by Donald Eadie.

Environment * Spirituality * Personal growth * Virtue ethics Climate change, pollution and diminishing resources mean that the future will be difficult for life on earth. We face an environmental crisis. Clearly we need technological solutions to some of our problems, and appropriate political and social programmes. But to meet the challenge we must also change ourselves. We need the courage to face up to what is happening, the determination to work at the problems and the freedom to let go of the old ways of living which are causing such damage to the earth. And that is hard. The scale of the problem can feel overwhelming. We may be drained by fear or worn down by our seeming lack of progress. In this book David Osborne tells of a long pilgrimage on foot to the island of Iona, an ancient centre of Celtic Christianity. In telling the story he draws on the Bible, the Christian tradition and other sources of wisdom to suggest the qualities we need to develop in ourselves for the journey we face into the future. He points to some of the spiritual resources available to us and suggests ways to develop our spiritual lives in order to grow in compassion, faith, hope and wisdom, while tapping into the energy of the Creator to work for the healing of the creation. The book contains material for personal reflection and group discussion, pointers for further reading, and practical suggestions for a way of living in which we can make our own journey into the future with love. Using the thread of a long walk from Shropshire to Iona, David Osborne weaves together autobiography, spiritual reflection, and passionate concern for the future of the earth threatened by irreversible climate change. A rare resource for all those people struggling to keep faith and hope going in the face of what feel like insuperable odds. - Tim Gorringe, St Luke's Professor of Theology, Exeter University

A renewed interest in the spiritual, with an increasing number of people today wishing to incorporate the contemplative in their active lives, prompts the reissue of this classic work, a doctrine that is at once elevated and practical. The writings are meant to be studied from three distinct points of view: religious philosophy, material for the study of those states between mind and body such as ecstasy and trance, and for the sake of their mysticism. Drawn from the writings and teachings of Saint Augustine, Saint Gregory and Saint Bernard, the writings form a coordinated body of doctrine with what three great teachers of mystical theology in the Western Church have written concerning their own religious experience and the theories they based on it. In addition, the book discusses such important topics as speculative contemplation, what mysticism is, the characteristics of Western mysticism, the practical, and the contrasts between the contemplative and active lives. No student of mysticism can possibly afford to neglect a volume so full of valuable suggestions and real insight into spiritual conditions.

An examination of ways in which the writings of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe were affected by traditional and contemporary attitudes towards women. The writings of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe show an awareness of traditional and contemporary attitudes towards women, in particular medieval attitudes towards the female body. This study examines the extent to which they make use of such attitudes in their writing, and investigates the importance of the female body as a means of explaining their mystical experiences and the insight gained from them; in both writers, the female body is central to their writing, leading to a feminised language through which they achieve authority and create a space in which they can be heard, particularly in the context of their religious and mystical experiences. The three archetypal representations of woman in the middle ages, as mother, as whore and as "wise woman", are all clearly present in the writings of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe; in examining the ways in which both writers make use of these female categories, McAvoy establishes the extent of their success in resolving the tension between society's expectations of them and their own lived experiences as women and writers. LIZ HERBERT MCAVOY is Senior Lecturer in Gender in English and Medieval Literature, College of Arts and Humanities, Swansea University

The notion of the deification of the human person (theosis, theopoiesis, deificatio) was one of the most fundamental themes of Christian theology in its first centuries, especially in the Greek world. It is often assumed that this theme was exclusively developed in Eastern theology after the patristic period, and thus its presence in the theology of the Latin West is generally overlooked. The aim of this collection is to explore some Patristic articulations of the doctrine in both the East and West, but also to highlight its enduring presence in the Western tradition and its relevance for contemporary thought. The collection thus brings together a number of capita selecta that focus on the development of theosis through the ages until the Early Modern Period. It is unique, not only in emphasising the role of theosis in the West, but also in bringing to the fore a number of little-known authors and texts, and analysing their theology from a variety of fresh perspectives. Thus, mystical theology in the West is shown to have profound connections with similar concerns in the East and with the common patristic sources. By tying these traditions together, this volume brings new insight to one of mysticism's key concerns. As such, it will be of significant interest to scholars of religious studies, mysticism, theology and the history of religion.

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Studies in Contemporary Music and Culture

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Garland Medieval Casebooks

This volume explores the extraordinary life and work of Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th century abbess and prophet whose interests ranged from music to theology to zoology to medicine. These essays-written specifically for this volume-approach Hildegard from a variety of perspectives including gender theory, musicology, art history, the history of science, and comparative studies.

Ramon LLull (1232-1316) was born the son of a prosperous Catalan merchant and spent his youth pursuing worldly pursuits, until a series of powerful visions of Christ moved him to devote his life entirely to serving God. One of his lifelong ambitions was to write a book to counter the "errors of the infidels," to which end he studied Arabic and immersed himself in whatever arabic texts he could obtain. The Book of the Lover is one of the most celebrated works of medieval mystical literature offering a uniquely expressed and moving testimony to the soul's quest for union with God. The 365 paragraphs of "moral metaphors" intended for daily meditation, are written in the style of the Muslim sufis who offer words of love and brief exampla that inspire great devotion. Professor Johnston concisely explains the peculiarities of Llull's idiosyncratic theological and philosophical system and offers the most comprehensive assessment to date of his debt to the Islamic tradition of devotional discourse. In addition, brief notes help to guide the reader's appreciation of the spiritual insight that Llull sought to stimulate with his text. Contains original Latin and Catalan text, translation and commentary.

Ramon LLull (1232-1316) was born the son of a prosperous Catalan merchant and spent his youth pursuing worldly pursuits, until a series of powerful visions of Christ moved him to devote his life entirely to serving God. One of his lifelong ambitions was to write a book to counter the "errors of the infidels," to which end he studied Arabic and immersed himself in whatever arabic texts he could obtain. The Book of the Lover is one of the most celebrated works of medieval mystical literature offering a uniquely expressed and moving testimony to the soul's quest for union with God. The 365 paragraphs of "moral metaphors" intended for daily meditation, are written in the style of the Muslim sufis who offer words of love and brief exampla that inspire great devotion. Professor Johnston concisely explains the peculiarities of Llull's idiosyncratic theological and philosophical system and offers the most comprehensive assessment to date of his debt to the Islamic tradition of devotional discourse. In addition, brief notes help to guide the reader's appreciation of the spiritual insight that Llull sought to stimulate with his text. Contains original Latin and Catalan text, translation and commentary.

These poems come from the beauty of the glimpsed moment ... a precious jewel held for a short time amid the pain and sorrow of the world, then let go into the bigger picture ... The beauty is what we remember, what gives the moment its significance. It's the way it's always been: to reach the sea, to stand watching, waiting; to know that nothing can be unravelled to its core but is like reflecting where wild flowers gathered in a vase, framed by a shore cottage window make of themselves a sea-wide subject: the beauty of things together. A blackbird sings and the song echoes in fragments of memory. Joy Mead is a member of the Iona Community and the author of The One Loaf, Making Peace in Practice and Poetry, Where are the Altars?, Words and Wonderings and A Way of Knowing, all published by Wild Goose Publications. She has been involved in development education and justice and peace work and occasionally leads creative writing groups.

Francis of Assisi's reported reception of the stigmata on Mount La Verna in 1224 is often considered to be the first account of an individual receiving the five wounds of Christ. The thirteenth-century appearance of this miracle, however, is not as unexpected as it first seems. Interpretations of Galatians 6:17-I bear the stigmata of the Lord Jesus Christ in my body-had been circulating in biblical commentaries since late antiquity. These works explained stigmata as wounds that martyrs, like the apostle Paul, received in their attempt to spread Christianity in the face of resistance. By the seventh century, stigmata were described as marks of Christ that priests received invisibly at their ordination. In the eleventh century, monks and nuns were perceived as bearing the stigmata in so far as they lived a life of renunciation out of love for Christ. By the later Middle Ages, women (such as Catherine of Siena) were described as having stigmata more frequently than were men. With the religious upheavals of the sixteenth century, the way stigmata were defined reflected the diverse perceptions of Christianity held by Catholics and Protestants.

Powerful and moving readings, stories and poems for Easter. The accounts of scapegoating, of power and violence and hope found in the gospels will always be current and significant. The story of Jesus Christ and of those who surrounded him remains a defining narrative of our time. Using artistic and theological licence, Rachel Mann writes with the voices of the characters involved in the biblical accounts of passion and resurrection. Unafraid to explore the darkest aspects evoked by these events, she says: 'The intention of both the more humorous and the visceral stories is to play with abiding themes of death and new life in ways which - in church contexts at least - break unusual ground. Some readers may find some of the language crude and offensive. It is not my intention to offend or outrage, but - to indicate that there are places and experiences where blasphemy is prayer and prayer is blasphemy.'

The visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich are the world\'s greatest source of detail on the life of St. Mary Magdalen -- great sinner and penitent. Fully referenced to The Life of Jesus Christ (their source), these pages agree completely with Sacred Scripture, but also tell of Mary Magdalen\'s sinful life from age 9, her extravagant attire, her second repentence after falling back into sin, her exorcism by Our Lord, His defense of her against the self-righteous, her relationship with Martha and Lazarus, her external appearance, her role at Calvary and much more. Impr. 176 pgs, PB

Why were the secret teachings of the original Christians brutally suppressed by the Roman church?

Because they relate the myth of the Christian Goddess Sophia.

Because they portray Jesus and Mary Magdalene as mythic figures based on the Pagan dying and resurrecting Godman and the fallen and redeemed Goddess.

Because they show that the gospel story is a spiritual allegory encoding philosophy that leads to Gnosis – mystical enlightenment.

Because they undermine all external authority by revealing the Christ within.

Because they have the power to turn the world inside-out and transform life into an exploration of consciousness.

Drawing on the cutting edge of modern scholarship, this groundbreaking book from the authors of the international bestseller 'The Jesus Mysteries' decodes the secret teachings of the original Christians for the first time in almost two millenia.

God has healed in the past and wants to heal now. But though they pray in faith, go to healing meetings, and strive to have enough faith, many are not healed as they would wish to be. "When God Doesn't Heal Now" examines the myths about healing that are built on partial truths and looks at the profound relationship between prayer, healing, and the sovereignty of God. This guide offers a balanced look at teachings on healing, faith healers, and ways to bring biblical clarity to beliefs that often foster guilt, defeat, and despair when believers are not immediately healed. "When God Doesn't Heal Now" is an encouraging book which affirms the biblical truth that God is our healer.

Lossky's great work on Eastern Orthodoxy covers the whole range of its spirituality and theology. Combining careful theology with the warmth of the deep personal devotion of the author, 'The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church' is the best introduction to Orthodox teaching and theology available. It provides a reliable and informative presentation of the theological spirit of the Eastern Church. His account makes clear the profound theological differences underlying the practices of the East and West, and yet it is also an important contribution to ecumenism and to the life of Christian devotion. It brings together subjects that are more usually separated, asserting that there is no true mysticism that is not firmly rooted in theology, and no true theology that is not experienced, and therefore mystical. The tradition of the Eastern Church is presented as a mystical theology with doctrine and experience mutually conditioning each other.

Friedrich von Hugel's Mystical Element of Religion remains the authoritative study of the spirituality of Catherine of Genoa. First published in 1908, this seminal work develops the authoris major theory of the three basic elements of religion, institutional, intellectual and mystical. Von Hugel shows how Catherineis mysticism relates to her life and thought, making his comprehensive and masterly two-volume analysis a classic in the study of Western mysticism.

Female mysticism, usually nourished in contemplative surroundings, in Blannbekin's case drew its inspiration from urban life; Weithaus identifies her visions as "street mysticism". This early example of a spiritual diary incorporating the visions of a female mystic offers a glimpse of religious women's daily life and spiritual practices. Her visions comment on memorable events such as a popular bishop's visit to town during which people were trampled to death; the consequences of a rape committed by a priest; thefts of the Eucharist and the work of witches. Christ, for Blannbekin, is not only bridegroom, but also shopkeeper, apothecary, and axe-wielding soldier, and it was her vision of swallowing Christ's foreskin which led to her eventual censorship. Life and Revelations has only relatively recently been rediscovered by Austrian scholar Peter Dinzelbacher, and this translation is based on his critical edition. Ulrike Wiethaus is Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Appointments, Wake Forest University.

Birgitta's religious authority considered, with regard to her prophetic mission and her authenticity as a medium of divine revelation in 14c Europe. This book examines the religious authority of St Birgitta of Sweden, the charismatic moral reformer and controversial female visionary of the fourteenth century, emphasising both representations of her prophetic mission and debates about her authenticity as a medium of divine revelation. It illuminates Birgitta's view of herself as a prophet of moral reform by explaining how her Revelations depict her religious mission and place in salvation history, goingon to reconstruct interactions between Birgitta and her contemporaries, including the significance of her prophetic authority vis-a-vis the priestly authority of her male clerical associates. Finally, it analyses arguments aboutwomen's suitability for mediating the divine word in posthumous attacks and defences of her claims to prophesy. Through a close examination of Birgitta's lengthy Revelations, canonization documents, and texts by her posthumous defenders and detractors, this study demonstrates that members of her audience perceived her to be both a vibrant source of supernatural power and a dangerous transgressor of conventional boundaries. Informed by sociological studies of prophetic authority, it contributes to our knowledge of Birgitta herself as well as to our understanding of the dynamics of women's spiritual authority. Professor CLAIRE SAHLIN teaches at Texas Woman's University.

Julian of Norwich, an anchoress of the fourteenth century has captured the imagination of our time in a remarkable way. She shares with her readers the deepest and most intimate experiences of her life through her writings, which are sustained reflections on the visions which appeared to her during a severe illness. Yet of her life and her world we know virtually nothing, not even how she came to be an anchoress. This detailed study of Julian attempts not only to penetrate her theological ideas but also bring to life her world and her life as an anchoress. This is a book not only for those who have a scholarly interest in Julian, but for anyone drawn to Christian mysticism and the place of women within that tradition. In the new introduction to this edition, Grace Jantzen explores what it might mean to be an anchoress in postmodernity, and how reflections on Julian of Norwich and her desire for God can enable us to become the space of divine transformation.

An account of the life and achievements of St Birgitta of Sweden, one of the most charismatic figures in the late medieval mystical tradition, founder of the Bridgettine order. St Birgitta of Sweden was one of the most charismatic figures in the late medieval mystical tradition. In Rome she succeeded in commanding prelates and popes, and throughout the courts of Europe she engaged in political secular intrigues; she married and produced eight children, yet became the only woman in the fourteenth century to be canonised; and in an age where new monastic foundations were proscribed, she founded an order of her own devising, primarily for women. This first modern biography presents an account of her extraordinary life and achievements, placing the saint in the context of the society from which she emerged, and showing how her public voice and reforming zealwere informed by a private spirituality at all stages of her life. Particular attention is given to her most lasting achievement, the monastic foundation which bears her name and has produced a network of communities throughout Europe, active to the present day. BRIDGET MORRIS is senior lecturer in Scandinavian studies at the University of Hull.

"Julian of Norwich" was a fourteenth-century woman who at the age of thirty had a series of vivid visions centered on the crucified Christ, twenty years later while living as an anchoress in a church she is believed to have set out her visions in a text called the Showing of Love. The trend in modern scholarship is to place Julian in the category of mystic rather than visionary, a classification which defines her visions as deeply private, psychological events. This book instead sets Julian's thinking in the context of a visionary project which she used to instruct the Christian community.
Drawing on recent developments in philosophy which debate the objectivity and rationality of vision and perception, Kevin J. Magill gives full attention to the depth and richness of the visual language and modes of perception in the Showing of Love, doing justice to the major themes in Julian's teaching. In particular the book focuses on the ways in which Julian presented her vision to the Christian society around her, demonstrating the educative potential of interaction between the "isolated" anchoress and the wider community. Challenging Julian's identification as a mystic and solitary female writer this book argues that Julian engaged in a variety of educative methods - oral, visual, conversational, mnemonic, alliterative - that extend the usefulness of her text.