Julian of Norwich

Essay # 65248

Literature
Religion and Theology > Christianity
Women Studies > Historical Figures
Women Studies > Spirituality

Julian of Norwich

An examination of Julian of Norwich's book "Revelations of Divine Love", paying particular attention to the parable of the "Lord and the Servant".

1,607 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2004 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how in "Revelations of Divine Love", Julian of Norwich attempts to define God's relationship with man through a series of showings brought to her by God. These visions do not reveal the mystery of God or unify mortal understanding with divine omnipotence, but illustrate the purpose of God's love for man and its significance in both the spiritual and sensory being. In particular, it shows how through the parable of the "Lord and the Servant", Julian examines the bond of man and Christ in association with God, indicating a duality of nature within the Servant.

From the Paper:

"Though the establishment of the servant as Adam in the first half of the parable leads Julian to discover his likeness to Christ, it is the constant of the Lord as God which displays his true affection for man. With the variations of the servant representing all humanity as Adam, and then Christ because of his location, each of these symbols is directed in connection to God who remains unchanged and unmoved throughout the parable. This stationary position in both states of the servant provides the relation of God in all that is made. His love encompasses all things eternally in concurrent harmony, never deserting or abandoning one for another. God is then assumed by his infinite existence to be all, within all everlasting. "