Medieval Women Mystics: Gertrude the Great, Angela of Foligno, Birgitta of Sweden, Julian of Norwich : Selected Spiritual Writings (Spirituality Through the Ages Series)

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully inspirational & unplifting
Review: Medieval Women Mystics: Gertrude the Great, Angela of Foligno, Birgitta of Sweden, Julian of Norwich: Selcted Spiritual Writings

Medieval Women Mystics is a wonderfully inspirational and uplifting book of spiritual writings by women who lived in the medieval era during the radically changing Christian reform. These writings were compiled and edited by a contemplative nun of the Carmelite Order, Sister Elizabeth Ruth Obbard.

In the introduction, Obbard introduces us to the medieval era and explains how the roles of women were changing and how their individual philosophy was mimicking the changes within society. Women were forming new religious orders, such as the beguines, and women saints were suddenly increasing in number. Women were stepping into new religious roles while the men were away on crusades. Many were adopting prophetic roles. As the age of romance and chivalry unfolded, women began to incorporate passion and romance into their Christianity, desiring to be the bride of the Lord. It was an era of widespread upheaval in the belief s of Christians.

Another important change that took place during this period was in education. Previously, education had been reserved for the elite, royalty or the wealthiest of the upper echelons of society. During medieval times, as women were elevated in their position in society, they were given the opportunity to learn to read and write. Many of them began to record their thoughts in written form. But while the men focused their writing on the theological aspect of spirituality, the women utilized all their senses, including their sexuality. This got their writings swept under the carpet and mostly ignored. It is only in the recent years, as the feminist movement has gained widespread support, that these writings are beginning to be taken seriously in the world of Christianity.

Obbard has arranged her book into four sections, one for each of the women included: Gertrude the Great, Angela of Foligno, Birgitta of Sweden, and Julian of Norwich. All four women lived between 1248 and 1420, but their lives were quite different in many respects. Each section begins with an introduction that tells about the woman, when she lived, how she lived, and what she believed. Then, Obbard provides many pages of their writings, covering the widest array of spiritual topics imaginable. My favorite was Gertrude the Great, who maintained that God was, in fact, a woman.

These writings will uplift your soul and warm your heart. They are the testimonies of four women that were thinking and acting ahead of their time. These women had a message to deliver to the world and had a gift for delivering it through the written word. Their writings are beautiful!