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Julian's Way: A Practical Commentary on Julian of Norwich

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As the publisher's cover-notes suggest, the merit of Sister Ritamary Bradley's study of Mother Julian's 'Showings' (or 'Revelations of Divine Love') is that - by "exploring Julian's long text by themes, instead of analysing it chapter by chapter, new perspectives and fresh insights are opened up for Julian studies, for students of mysticism, for women's studies and for spiritual directors, as well as for the general reader who is trying to find a guide for prayer and a context for healing. "

The ubiquitious presence of the so-called 'Julian meetings' - now a world-wide phenomenon, says a lot about the appeal of Mother Julian's spiritual counsel. As a Christian of the pre-reformation era, we might feel tempted to categorize Julian's outlook as 'dated' - or at least, expect it to be bounded by patriarchal assumptions that no longer wear well with us in our own age. However, drawing on orthodox patristic and biblical themes, Julian develops her idea of God and Christ as Mother, thus anticipating the contemporary tendency to stress the 'maternal' and 'feminine' aspect of the Godhead. Here, we must remember that Julian was doing her best to articulate what was shown to her via a mystical experience, or a series of such experiences - another matter from devising or formulating theology. Like other Christian mystics, for whom living experience of the divine 'word' was paramount, and the rational justification of it - secondary, part of the challenge involved with trying to understand Julian's showings, is that while never declared to be heterodox, certain elements present in the 'shewings' are, in some respects, hard to reconcile with the Church's more rigid definitions of 'original sin' (cf. St. Augustine)and divine 'wrath' etc. In Julian's experience, that kind of wrath has virtually been expunged from the image or presence of God. While Julian saw that 'sin' blinds us spiritually and thus effectively alienates us from God, she was inclined to stress our original unity with, rather than our alienation - from God. Rather Taoistically one might say, Julian saw that our awareness of 'sin' - is what helps to bring us back to the Godhead. This is not antinomianism, but the rightful state of affairs, if we are not to confound the Christian doctrine with that of Manicheism, which posited an absolute evil. In this respect, I dare say that the material appearing between pages 60-152 (How Does Julian Behold Reality?)will garner much attention.I have stressed these aspects, bcause they seemed of contemporary relevance. All too often, Christianity is presented as a guilt-ridden doctrine. As a late medieval Christian contemplative, Julian of Norwich evidently recognised the existence of sin. However, she endeavoured to understand it, declaring it to be 'behovable' - in God's scheme of things, and promised that "All shall be well" in the fulness of God. The small chapel dedicated to Mother Julian on the site where her recluses's cell used to be, in Norwich, has a tangible aura of spiritual peace and well-being. I feel that Sister Ritamary Bradley's study will aid a true appreciation of Mother Julian's 'Revelations of Divine Love.'