One of the most important medieval writers studied in historical and literary context.

A noted scholar examines the work of the English mystic Julian of Norwich Julian of Norwich is the late fourteenth-century and early fifteenth-century English woman theologian. With her mystical writings, she has become one of the most popular and influential spiritual figures of our times. In Julian of Norwich: In God's Sight, the eminent scholar Philip Sheldrake offers a study of the theology that Julian expresses in her writings. The author examines what is known about Julian’s mystical experience or mystical consciousness, discusses what can be surmised about Julian’s likely identity and places her writings in historical, cultural and spiritual contexts. Julian of Norwich: In God's Sight is based on a faithful reading of Julian’s texts, especially the Long Text, as well as on her own declared theological-spiritual purpose. This compelling book: Presents a contextually-grounded and text-related study of the key elements of Julian’s theology Offers a scholarly work by a well-known expert in the field Unlocks an ever-richer understanding of Julian’s writings Includes an examination of the key texts attributed to Julian Written for students of theology and those interested in learning more about this popular mystic, Julian of Norwich: In God's Sight offers ascholarly review of Julian’s most important writings.

Julian of Norwich the best-known of the medieval mystics today. The text of her Revelation has circulated continually since the fifteenth century, but the twentieth century saw a massive expansion of her popularity. Theological or literary-historical studies of Julian may remark in passing on her popularity, but none have attempted a detailed study of her reception. This collection fills that gap: it outlines the full reception history from the extant manuscripts to the present day, looking at Julian in devotional cultures, in modernist poetry and present-day popular literature, and in her iconography in Norwich, both as a pilgrimage site and a tourist attraction.

"As a major fan and promoter of Julian of Norwich, whom I call 'my favorite mystic', it is genuinely exciting to find such a faithful but freeing translation of Julian's long-lost Showings. Now they are no longer lost—for anyone!" —Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation In this contemporary translation of one of the most beloved and influential mystical texts of all time, Julian of Norwich: The Showings brings the message and spirituality of this 14th-century mystic to 21st-century readers. Revelations of Divine Love, the first book published in English attributed to a woman, is also included. Julian of Norwich, a contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer, was an English anchoress in East Anglia. At the age of 30, suffering from a severe illness and believing she was on her deathbed, Julian had a series of intense visions of Jesus, which she recorded and then expanded on later in her life. In her visions, God was not angry and wrathful. Instead, the three properties of God were presented as life, love, and light, and all of His creation was good, including his servant, man. In Julian's version, man is not to blame for his sin; sin is something that he must experience and overcome in his spiritual journey with God. Her message for today's readers is simply this: She reveals the feminine face of the Divine and reminds us to see God there. All our failings are an opportunity to learn and grow; they should be honored, but not dwelled upon. God's love has nothing to do with love and retribution and everything to do with love and compassion. In spite of all appearances, all is well. This book contains some of the most profound spiritual writing ever written and remains a perennial favorite among Christians. This book was previously published as The Showings of Julian of Norwich. This new edition includes a foreword by Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upwards.

The long text of the Showings (translated by Father John-Julian) is accompanied by commentary written by Frederick S. Roden, a lay affiliate member of the Order of Julian of Norwich. This companion is reflective yet learned and is designed to draw the reader more fully into an understanding and experience of what Julian tells us she saw and heard. In the text and commentary we begin to comprehend the truth summarized at the end of the Showings: Love was His meaning.

For centuries readers have comfortably accepted Julian of Norwich as simply a mystic. In this astute book, Denys Turner offers a new interpretation of Julian and the significance of her work. Turner argues that this fourteenth-century thinker's sophisticated approach to theological questions places her legitimately within the pantheon of other great medieval theologians, including Thomas Aquinas, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Bonaventure.Julian wrote but one work in two versions, a Short Text recording the series of visions of Jesus Christ she experienced while suffering a near-fatal illness, and a much expanded Long Text exploring the theological meaning of the "showings" some twenty years later. Turner addresses the apparent conflict between the two sources of Julian's theology: on the one hand, her personal revelation of God's omnipotent love, and on the other, the Church's teachings on and her own witnessing of evil in the world that deserves punishment, even eternal punishment. Offering a fresh and elegant account of Julian's response to this conflict--one that reveals its nuances, systematic character, and originality--this book marks a new stage in the century-long rediscovery of one of the English language's greatest theological thinkers.

A fresh and contemporary translation of one of the best loved and influential mystical texts of all time, The Showings of Julian of Norwich brings the message and spirituality of this 14th century mystic to 21st century readers. Julian of Norwich, a contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer, was an English anchoress in East Anglia. At the age of 30, suffering from a severe illness and believing she was on her deathbed, Julian had a series of intense visions of Jesus, which she recorded and then expanded on later in her life. Her message for today's readers is simply this: She reveals the feminine face of the Divine and reminds us to see God there. All our failings are an opportunity to learn and grow; that they should be honored, but not dwelled upon. God's love has nothing to do with love and retribution and everything to do with love and compassion. In spite of all appearances, all is well.

A new reading of the Revelations in the context of late-medieval manuscript traditions.

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love grapples with the same fundamental question that has vexed philosophers and theologians since the advent of monotheistic religion, and continues as a barrier to belief for many today. Namely, if God is so good, how can natural disaster, genocide, trauma - and my present suffering - occur? Historically, there have been two apparently very different approaches to the problem: the pastoral, or practical, on the one hand and the systematic on the other. However, Richard Norton suggests that these two lines of thought may not be as separate as they seem, and may indeed be dependent on one another for their cohesion. Drawing on Julian's medieval experience of personal and population-wide suffering, alongside that of more recent theologians such as Dorothy Solle and Jurgen Moltmann, Norton constructs a compassionate model of theodicy that can be of use to both pastoral and systematic theologians. Throughout, he remains sensitive to the raw atrocity of evil, while preserving a vision of God as the one who ensures that all shall be well.

This is a comprehensive guide to a literary period characterized by great variety and imagination, and vividly alert to the social transformations overtaking society. Spanning almost two centuries, it introduces the reader to a diverse range of authors writing for a fast-developing readership of both men and women. Each chapter focuses on a group of genres primarily associated with a particular social class – from the Drama and Saints' Lives accessible to the illiterate, to the sophisticated Romances of Love savoured by the aristocracy and the Court. Lively historical narratives place each group of texts in their social, political and cultural contexts. Significant or typical texts are given more detailed analysis that includes critical issues and questions to guide the reader's own approach, and each section is supported by a detailed bibliography of further reading.