God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of Norwich

This article focuses on the 14th-century English visionary mystic and theological writer, Julian of Norwich. It suggests that the key to her mystical theology is that a true “knowledge” of God involves loving engagement with God rather than abstract intellectual enquiry. Julian’s reflections on God...

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Main Author: P. Sheldrake
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2022-06-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6448
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author P. Sheldrake
author_facet P. Sheldrake
author_sort P. Sheldrake
collection DOAJ
description This article focuses on the 14th-century English visionary mystic and theological writer, Julian of Norwich. It suggests that the key to her mystical theology is that a true “knowledge” of God involves loving engagement with God rather than abstract intellectual enquiry. Julian’s reflections on God’s nature, in relation both to her visions of the crucified Christ and to God-as-Trinity, include an exploration of the image of God as mother. Most importantly, Julian struggled for many years to understand the ultimate meaning and purpose of her visions and what God revealed to her through them for the sake of all her fellow Christians. After a long period of challenging reflection and constantly questioning God, Julian is finally led to understand that God’s relationship with humankind is based on love and, indeed, that God’s ultimate meaning is love and only love
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series Acta Theologica
spelling doaj-art-fbff2d4808bb4f5189a9e1e2997da0712025-02-11T09:34:17ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892022-06-0110.38140/at.vi.6448God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of NorwichP. Sheldrake0Oblate School of Theology, USA This article focuses on the 14th-century English visionary mystic and theological writer, Julian of Norwich. It suggests that the key to her mystical theology is that a true “knowledge” of God involves loving engagement with God rather than abstract intellectual enquiry. Julian’s reflections on God’s nature, in relation both to her visions of the crucified Christ and to God-as-Trinity, include an exploration of the image of God as mother. Most importantly, Julian struggled for many years to understand the ultimate meaning and purpose of her visions and what God revealed to her through them for the sake of all her fellow Christians. After a long period of challenging reflection and constantly questioning God, Julian is finally led to understand that God’s relationship with humankind is based on love and, indeed, that God’s ultimate meaning is love and only love https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6448Julian NorwichLoveMysticismTrinity
spellingShingle P. Sheldrake
God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of Norwich
Acta Theologica
Julian Norwich
Love
Mysticism
Trinity
title God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of Norwich
title_full God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of Norwich
title_fullStr God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of Norwich
title_full_unstemmed God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of Norwich
title_short God’s meaning is love: The mystical theology of Julian of Norwich
title_sort god s meaning is love the mystical theology of julian of norwich
topic Julian Norwich
Love
Mysticism
Trinity
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/6448
work_keys_str_mv AT psheldrake godsmeaningislovethemysticaltheologyofjulianofnorwich