Julian of Norwich: Ignored and Rediscovered
Faculty Sponsor
Karin Heller; kheller@whitworth.edu
Session Type
Traditional Paper Presentation
Research Project Abstract
This paper will analyze reasons for the lack of interest in the works of Julian of Norwich, especially during two key periods of a rediscovery of her book entitled Revelations of Divine Love (1395) in 1670 and 1843. Since the 19th century there has been an increase of analysis of her works, especially due to the rise of feminist theologies in the past 60 years. The language it was written in, English, contributes to the interest surrounding her work since scholarly work was written in Latin or French. Julian of Norwich also used the feminine to describe Jesus, an aspect of her writing that makes her attractive to feminist theologians and abhorrent to others. The thesis is: Due to the Protestant Reformation and the actions of King Henry VIII in 1534, and the seemingly subversive language, Julian of Norwich’s (1342- c.1416) book, Revelations of Divine Love (1395), was ignored for hundreds of years.
Session Number
RS10
Location
Weyerhaeuser 203
Abstract Number
RS10-d
Julian of Norwich: Ignored and Rediscovered
Weyerhaeuser 203
This paper will analyze reasons for the lack of interest in the works of Julian of Norwich, especially during two key periods of a rediscovery of her book entitled Revelations of Divine Love (1395) in 1670 and 1843. Since the 19th century there has been an increase of analysis of her works, especially due to the rise of feminist theologies in the past 60 years. The language it was written in, English, contributes to the interest surrounding her work since scholarly work was written in Latin or French. Julian of Norwich also used the feminine to describe Jesus, an aspect of her writing that makes her attractive to feminist theologians and abhorrent to others. The thesis is: Due to the Protestant Reformation and the actions of King Henry VIII in 1534, and the seemingly subversive language, Julian of Norwich’s (1342- c.1416) book, Revelations of Divine Love (1395), was ignored for hundreds of years.
