Mystery of God

The mystery of God’s existence has been a crucial element of many religious studies and traditions, through the centuries. The question of who, what, and where God is has been addressed by numerous theologians, religious and philosophers through the centuries. This essay looks at the writings of one these thinkers, Julian of Norwich and outlines and discusses some of her central ideas on the mystery of God. Julian of Norwich was a medieval mystic, who lived in Norwich, England between 1342 and 1416. Not much is known about her. She is thought to have been an anchoress, who lived a solitary life of prayer and meditation for many years in a cell in the grounds of St. Julian’s Church Norwich.[1] Julian lived in difficult times. Crusades, plagues, in particular the Black Death, poverty, high taxes and religious divisions and persecution were prevalent.[2] At the age of thirty, while suffering from a life threatening illness and believing she was on the point of death, she experienced intense ‘bodily and intellectual visions of the passion of Christ and the Trinity.’[3] On her recovery, she dedicated her life to prayer and contemplation of these visions and wrote ‘Revelations of Divine Love’ or ‘The Showings,’ her spiritual dairy, in which she revealed her sixteen mystical visions of Christ and his Passion. Many years later, she wrote a more detailed systematic and objective account of these revelations. This book as the title indicates is a presentation of her experience with the love of God, the firmness, depth and personal character of this love, its unselfish nature and willingness to suffer for loved ones are themes, which she stresses, while also reflecting on the mystery of the Trinity, sin, suffering and evil in the world. Julian wrote in English, the language of the ordinary people of her time, ensuring that divine love is accessible to everyone. In her writings, Julian shares with the reader how Jesus showed himself as a joyous Saviour, who looked with

Bibliography: Bancroft Ann, The Luminous Visions, Six Medieval Mystics and their teachings, (London, Great Britain, Unwin Paperbacks, 1982) Bradley Ritamary, Julian’s Way-A Practical Commentary on Julian of Norwich, (Glasgow, Scotland, Harper Collins Religious, 1986) Julian of Norwich, Showings ed. Colledge Edmund and Walshe James, (Mahweh, New Jersey, Paulist Press, 1978) Obbard, Elizabeth Ruth, Medieval Women Mystics, (Hyde Park, New York, New City Press 2007) Llewellyn Robert, Julian, Woman of our Day, (London, Gt. Britain, Darton, Longman and Todd, 1985) New Revised Standard Version of Bible [2] http:www.middle-ages.or.uk/Julianofnorwich assessed 9/01/2012 [3] Ann Bancroft, The Luminous Vision-six Medieval mystics and their teachings, (London, Unwin Paperbacks, 1989) p.46 [14] Elizabeth Ruth Obbard, Medieval Women Mystics,( Hyde Park, New York, New City Press 2007) p.123