[FROM THE ARCHIVE: 9/16/21]
Being aware how rarely the divine feminine and Mother Earth and feminine values are invoked in the current presidential goings-on in Milwaukee, we are trying to bring some needed spiritual dimensions to the political scene. Here we speak of Wisdom (who, like Mother Earth and our powers of birthing is feminine). Julian of Norwich is our guide.
Julian of Norwich lived through the worst pandemic in European history, the bubonic plague of the 14th century. Unlike many of her contemporaries (and ours), she did not curse the darkness or create scapegoats of Jews or “heretics” or “others.” She instead grounded her view of the world and of Christ in the “goodness of creation” where she encountered a God who is “the goodness in all things.”
She also developed a profound theology of the divine feminine and the “motherhood of God” and even the “motherhood of Christ.” She states that “the deep wisdom of the Trinity is our Mother.” Notice how she is linking together Wisdom, Divinity (understood in its richness and diversity as Trinity), Motherhood, the feminine. Julian was very familiar with the wisdom tradition of the Hebrew Bible (scholars agree that Jesus came from the wisdom tradition also), a tradition that is both cosmic and practical, nature-based and committed to creativity as the work of the creating Spirit.
Preexistent wisdom is celebrated in Israel on numerous occasions. In the book of Job the question is asked, “Where does wisdom come from?” (Job 28:12 20) and in Baruch wisdom is celebrated as the divine attribute by which God governs the world (Bar. 3:9-4:4). She is personified in Proverbs:
Wisdom calls aloud in the streets,
she raises her voice in the public squares;
she calls out at the street corners,
She delivers her message at the city gates. (Prv. 1:20f)
Notice: She is not elitist. She is not ensconced in the ivory tower at the academy but in the streets and public squares and at the street corners and the city gates. She is eager to speak truth and justice to all, especially the oppressed. Like a mother who cares.
Adapted from Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, pp. 124, 83f.
See also: Matthew Fox, Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic—and Beyond, pp. 20-33, 45-58.
Banner Image: “Mother Earth” JNTBGRI – Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute in India. Wikimedia Commons.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you believe that the world at large is governed by Wisdom? And that she is available to all but that humans have to struggle to find it and live it and that a patriarchal consciousness often banishes it? What can we do about that?
Recommended Reading
The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
“This book is a classic.” Thomas Berry, author of The Great Work and The Dream of the Earth.
Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic–and Beyond
Julian of Norwich lived through the dreadful bubonic plague that killed close to 50% of Europeans. Being an anchoress, she ‘sheltered in place’ and developed a deep wisdom that she shared in her book, Showings, which was the first book in English by a woman. A theologian way ahead of her time, Julian develops a feminist understanding of God as mother at the heart of nature’s goodness. Fox shares her teachings in this powerful and timely and inspiring book.
“What an utterly magnificent book. The work of Julian of Norwich, lovingly supported by the genius of Matthew Fox, is a roadmap into the heart of the eco-spiritual truth that all life breathes together.” –Caroline Myss
Now also available as an audiobook HERE.
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5 thoughts on “Julian of Norwich Celebrating Divine Wisdom and the Feminine”
YES! YES! As answers to your first two societally and globally important questions. The Spirit of Divine LOVE & WISDOM is Always Present within and among Us available to All, but the negative, destructive, and unconscious influences of spiritually unbalanced patriarchy have affected humanity and society on an ongoing basis for a long historical time with all its negative consequences of human suffering, injustices, and death. The perennial spiritual answer to these ongoing societal problems has always been for Souls to take responsibility with Faith, for their inner and outer daily spiritual journeys and evolution, with-in the Divine Spirit of LOVE~WISDOM~CREATIVITY~DIVERSE ONENESS in Our compassionate relations with one another, with Beautiful Sacred Mother Earth and all Her living creatures & graceful abundance, and with-in Our evolving Cosmos~Omniverse (witch includes the Subtle~Spiritual Realms) ….
The Hebrew scriptures tell us that divine wisdom (Sophia in Greek, feminine) was with God in the very beginning. Teilhard saw the “fire,” the spark of the divine in all things, even rocks, and most evident in the consciousness of the human. So now we must govern with God to bring all of creation to fruition, that is to the Omega Point, the complete Christ. When humanity “began” (in Genesis) God gave us the care of the earth so we are partners with God to direct the happenings of creation according to God’s designs. We must govern well; if we govern poorly, we hamper or detract from God’s plan and desire that we all flourish (the Kingdom).
I wish the world were governed by Wisdom. I believe that among the many wise people–educators, theologians, scientists, activists, artists, and all the rest–we know how to solve most of the world’s problems. The problem is not that someone or some group among us doesn’t have the answer. The problem is that our politicians and therefore our leaders are seldom willing to let those in the know help them solve the problems we face. [Granted, this is far truer of one political party than the other.]
I believe wisdom is their for all, but we must seek it in good faith. I so agree with Michele’s comment.
As I see it most politicians do not have the goal of what is good for the country and ALL it citizens and Mother Earth but for their own fame and fortune. We as wise and well informed voters must carefully choose the ones who represent our principals and work diligently for the common good and a just peace. May we be open to holy Wisdom to guide us.