Abstract
Human beings are fundamentally beings towards death. While no one can argue with this fact, opinions diverge on how we ought to cope. Many cower in fear when death draws near, others fade into a pale apathy. Some dig their heels into the sands of tradition, drawing hard lines on social and political norms. We are told to accumulate money, friends, power, and good deeds to ameliorate the terror of annihilation. Yet, religious traditions abound in accounts of humans who have broken free, cast aside the fear of their demise after a purported encounter with the Divine. One such figure is the mystic and author Julian of Norwich. In this paper, I present Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love as an empowering death meditation. I argue that Julian’s encounter with death opened her eyes to a new way of living, one that relativizes the present social order. By showing that Julian’s death meditation has a vivid social message, I demonstrate that hope-oriented death meditations can be a powerful tool to promote human flourishing. Rather than terrifying, depressing, or pacifying, Revelations of Divine Love is a death meditation that offers readers a glimpse of the subversive hope offered by Christianity.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2023 Special Focus—Religion in the Public Sphere: From the Ancient Years to the Post-Modern Era
KEYWORDS
Death, Medieval, Mystic, Female, Pastoral
