Revelations of Divine Love

Revelations of Divine Love, by Julian of Norwich (c. 1342 to after 1416), is a classic work of Christian spirituality from the late Middle Ages, as well as the first book written in English by a woman. Originally in Middle English, Julian's text has been translated numerous times into more modern forms of English, and its spiritual insights have attracted such admirers as T.S. Eliot and Pope Benedict XVI. 

Few details are known about the author's life. She was probably a laywoman living in the city of Norwich, a major cultural and religious center in late medieval England. In May 1373, while seriously ill and at the point of death, she received a series of revelations, or “showings,” of the Passion of Christ and of the Virgin Mary—revelations which Julian believed to come directly from God and to be intended for all Christians. Julian recovered from her illness and proceeded to commit the revelations to writing. 

She wrote two different versions of Revelations of Divine Love, referred to by scholars as the Short Text and the Long Text. The Short Text was probably written not long after the revelations themselves. Over many more years, Julian continued to ponder the meaning of the revelations. At last, about 20 years later, she expanded her original account into the Long Text, including incidents and parables that were part of her original visions. The passing of time had allowed her to understand more fully the meaning of the visions. This guide reflects the Long Text, translated into modern English by Elizabeth Spearing for Penguin Classics.

Later in her life, Julian became an anchorite—a person who retires to a fixed place for a life of religious seclusion, similar to a hermit—at St. Julian's Church in Norwich, from which she adopted the name by which she is known to us today. (Her original name has been lost to historical record.) She lived in a cell connected with the church, devoting her life to prayer and meditation, and acted as a spiritual adviser.

Laid out in 16 revelations of “showings,” Revelations of Divine Love deals with some of the most difficult theological questions in Christianity, including the problem of evil, predestination, salvation, and hell. Christ's Passion is revealed to her in all its intensity, yet through it, Julian receives assurance of God's infinite gentleness and mercy and his everlasting love for mankind. Julian also puts forth original theological ideas. She sees God as friendly, “familiar and courteous” (51), and incapable of anger. She describes Christ as our “mother” as well as our “brother,” and she describes God with feminine as well as masculine qualities. Human beings only find happiness by uniting themselves to God through Christ's Passion, trusting in the teachings of the Church and acknowledging their own littleness and insufficiency before God. Mary, the mother of Jesus, plays a key role in helping us approach her son with proper reverence and love.

The devil makes his presence felt strongly toward the end of Julian's visions and causes her considerable pain, but he is ultimately vanquished by the power of God's love in Christ's Passion, underlining Julian's central belief that no matter the sufferings we undergo in this life, God will “make all things well” (79) in the end.