Karoline’s Reviews > The Shewings of Julian of Norwich > Status Update

Somewhat accidentally reading five first-person spiritual narratives at the same time, written across a millennium and a half

Which is just fascinating. Augustine to Julian to Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Tennyson and the Psalms behind them all . . . watching the baton pass from hand to hand, altering and transforming and turning corners and picking up new passengers is amazing.

Song of Songs is very much running underneath these reflections! I might not have noticed if I hadn't read Bernard first. So far I'm loving the reverent Christology, the profoundly felt confidence in the believers's union with Christ, the awe-filled considerations of the Trinity, and the counsel on suffering well. I get skittish around the mystics, but these 30ish chapters are generally quite grounded!

When I saw the many translations of the Shewings, I assumed they were written in medieval Latin. No, they were written in English. 🤦‍♀️ Middle English, but for anyone who can read Shakespeare, ME will click fast enough. Anyway. I shall read this English book in untranslated English, thanks.