"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 ContemplationIn 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.