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beccastarling's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
one of the most incredible books I have ever read. Thank you God for sending it to me.
lilitherary's review against another edition
maybe jesus ship art makes sense after all
justabean_reads's review
5.0
Read this slowly over Lent, and really appreciated it. Julian was such a powerful writer, and you can tell how much thought she put into the meaning of her visions. There's quite a lot of graphic Passion details, which I usually don't like, but her descriptions are so grounded and compassionate that it takes the edge off. I really empathised with her spiritual turmoil, and loved how she combined down-to-earth practicality with spiritual yearning. There's a comprehensive introduction and endnotes, which helped a lot with understanding the context of what Julian was saying (citing scripture quotes back, explaining the politics of the time, and why she was so clear about some points that didn't seem related to her visions: not wanting to be executed as a heretic is very motivating, apparently.)
That said, the theology is very dense, and I think I would benefit from both rereading it, possibly multiple times, and reading some interpretations.
That said, the theology is very dense, and I think I would benefit from both rereading it, possibly multiple times, and reading some interpretations.
casparb's review
4.0
I really felt Julian was something unique and deserving a reread when I can find that space. She embodies a force of warmth which rarely survives the centuries when we encounter a medieval text.
I found with her plenty that we find later - the Bataillan-Foucauldian limit experience, The Whole Kierkegaard deal. An awful lot of blood and the Wound ! Christ as mother is,, exuberant. Delicious. I adore Julian there thank very much and I think this ought to be more visible as a strain of thought today. Perhaps it's the historical mistreatment she's had by later textual people, publishers and so forth.
I'm aware this is very shallow but she can also absolutely whip out a phrase when she wants. Love a good epigram, she delivers, and in roaring language. even the fleeting description of a 'swollen quag of stinking mire' functions on a wonderfully evocative polemic level. Want more of that.
So I enjoy Julian on a level among the medieval that I would say is matched only by Augustine. Perhaps that's inaccurate sleepy brain. They both have drier patches but I think make up for it entirely with their soggy patches. what am I talking about
I found with her plenty that we find later - the Bataillan-Foucauldian limit experience, The Whole Kierkegaard deal. An awful lot of blood and the Wound ! Christ as mother is,, exuberant. Delicious. I adore Julian there thank very much and I think this ought to be more visible as a strain of thought today. Perhaps it's the historical mistreatment she's had by later textual people, publishers and so forth.
I'm aware this is very shallow but she can also absolutely whip out a phrase when she wants. Love a good epigram, she delivers, and in roaring language. even the fleeting description of a 'swollen quag of stinking mire' functions on a wonderfully evocative polemic level. Want more of that.
So I enjoy Julian on a level among the medieval that I would say is matched only by Augustine. Perhaps that's inaccurate sleepy brain. They both have drier patches but I think make up for it entirely with their soggy patches. what am I talking about
jdk_andes's review
5.0
I want to revisit this book when I am not reading it for class because it is so good, but I felt like I missed a lot since I was trying to get through it quickly. Julian's theology and view of Jesus is exactly what the modern Christian Church needs. Instead of hypocritical moralizing or justifying hatred, she emphasizes compassion, forgiveness, love, and personal relationships. Even though her writing style is somewhat circuitous and repetitive, the things she is saying are important.
[Read for Class]
[Read for Class]
erindarlyn's review
4.0
This book contains some beautifully expressed ideas about God written by a 14th century Christian mystic. I enjoyed reading it!
Two of my favorite excerpts:
“…it is the natural yearning of the soul touched by the Holy Ghost to say, ‘God, of your goodness, give me yourself; you are enough for me, and anything less that I could ask for would not do you full honour. And if I ask anything that is less, I shall always lack something, but in you alone I have everything.’”
“…for the goodness of God is the highest object of prayer and it reaches down to our lowest need. It quickens our soul and gives it life, and makes it grow in grace and virtue… it is the same grace which the soul seeks and always will seek until we truly know him who has enclosed us in himself; for he does not despise what he has made, nor does he disdain to serve us…through love of the soul which he has made in his own likeness; for as the body is clad in the cloth, and the flesh in the skin, and the bones in the flesh, and the heart in the chest, so are we, soul and body, clad in the goodness of God and enclosed in it…”
Two of my favorite excerpts:
“…it is the natural yearning of the soul touched by the Holy Ghost to say, ‘God, of your goodness, give me yourself; you are enough for me, and anything less that I could ask for would not do you full honour. And if I ask anything that is less, I shall always lack something, but in you alone I have everything.’”
“…for the goodness of God is the highest object of prayer and it reaches down to our lowest need. It quickens our soul and gives it life, and makes it grow in grace and virtue… it is the same grace which the soul seeks and always will seek until we truly know him who has enclosed us in himself; for he does not despise what he has made, nor does he disdain to serve us…through love of the soul which he has made in his own likeness; for as the body is clad in the cloth, and the flesh in the skin, and the bones in the flesh, and the heart in the chest, so are we, soul and body, clad in the goodness of God and enclosed in it…”
sambocky's review against another edition
5.0
Life-changing. Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love gave me a new perspective on the person of Christ and the love of God.
I adored this book. It took me some time to get through, but that was for two very good reasons: first, I wanted to savor it; second, I paused every few pages to record a line or two in my personal journal for later reference.
These reflections on a very holy woman's visions, though mystical by nature, are not so in the sense that they seem distant, unreal, or nonsensical. Surely any experience like Julian's could be called supernatural, as well it should, but her descriptions of the events and how God has revealed their interpretation to her over a lifetime of prayer and contemplation are accessible, humble, and fruitful. I haven't seen other translations, but I was pleased with this one's down-to-earth qualities that still preserved some unfamiliar and period-appropriate expressions and mannerisms. It brought her voice to life for me (without hampering my ability to absorb the information, as goodness knows the original Middle English would've taken me many more weeks to study).
I think, though, it would be fascinating to look at an original translation beside this one, now that I've had a chance to take in the lessons here in relatively familiar language.
One caveat: this translation features broken-up "readings," such that a reader could consume the book piece by piece over a rather long period of time. I wouldn't recommend reading just one of these bite-sized sections each day. So much of what Julian has to say happens slowly, over several pages, and so I think such a staggered approach might risk losing some sense of impact from her words.
If you are hoping to become more familiar with how deeply God loves you, how close Christ is to you at all times, and how the Holy Spirit works in your life, I absolutely urge you to give this a thorough and dedicated read. It's truly beautiful.
I adored this book. It took me some time to get through, but that was for two very good reasons: first, I wanted to savor it; second, I paused every few pages to record a line or two in my personal journal for later reference.
These reflections on a very holy woman's visions, though mystical by nature, are not so in the sense that they seem distant, unreal, or nonsensical. Surely any experience like Julian's could be called supernatural, as well it should, but her descriptions of the events and how God has revealed their interpretation to her over a lifetime of prayer and contemplation are accessible, humble, and fruitful. I haven't seen other translations, but I was pleased with this one's down-to-earth qualities that still preserved some unfamiliar and period-appropriate expressions and mannerisms. It brought her voice to life for me (without hampering my ability to absorb the information, as goodness knows the original Middle English would've taken me many more weeks to study).
I think, though, it would be fascinating to look at an original translation beside this one, now that I've had a chance to take in the lessons here in relatively familiar language.
One caveat: this translation features broken-up "readings," such that a reader could consume the book piece by piece over a rather long period of time. I wouldn't recommend reading just one of these bite-sized sections each day. So much of what Julian has to say happens slowly, over several pages, and so I think such a staggered approach might risk losing some sense of impact from her words.
If you are hoping to become more familiar with how deeply God loves you, how close Christ is to you at all times, and how the Holy Spirit works in your life, I absolutely urge you to give this a thorough and dedicated read. It's truly beautiful.