By Claire Gilbert2023-05-16T16:09:00
It is 650 years since Revelations of Divine Love, the first book to be written in English by a woman, was published. As Claire Gilbert reflects on losing her mother as a child, battling cancer and living through the Covid-19 pandemic, she finds Julian’s writings are as relevant today as they were six centuries ago
I first read Revelations of Divine Love while studying for my theology degree. The 14th century mystic shone out as a bright, lively thinker among dry-as-dust theologians. Julian of Norwich didn’t try to organise God, but spoke simply and beautifully of what she had been shown, inviting her readers to open themselves to see also. I loved her instantly.
Years later, I wrote my doctoral thesis on Julian’s work in relation to the ecological crisis. And not long after that, in March 2019, I was diagnosed with myeloma, a cancer of the blood. Julian changed from being the subject of my academic study to being my spiritual guide through two and a half years of gruelling treatment.
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2023-08-10T11:58:00Z By Emma Hide
Corrie Ten Boom’s story of rescuing Jews during the Holocaust may be well known, but this new theatrical film portrays a relatable hero who still causes us all to ask questions about our response to suffering, says Emma Hide
2023-05-02T10:53:00Z By Emma Fowle
Julian of Norwich’s 15th-century classic, Revelations of Divine Love, is widely regarded as the earliest manuscript written in English by a woman. But beyond that text, little is known about the remarkable woman who lived as an anchoress (or hermit) bricked into a small cell on the ...
2023-02-01T12:00:00Z By Karen Murdarasi
In writing down her remarkable visions of God, Julian of Norwich became the first English female writer. As this year marks 650 years since Julian's classic work The Revelations of Divine Love was written, Karen Murdarasi looks at her life and legacy
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