Title: Joy to the Father, Bliss to the Son: Unity and the Motherhood Theology of Julian of Norwich
Abstract: This article explores the deeply Trinitarian nature of the motherhood theology in Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love. In her primary theological metaphor, Julian describes Christ our true mother, the model of perfect, nurturing, sustaining love; our earthly mothers are analogous to this pre-existing divine reality. As our true mother, Christ has a unique soteriological capacity, reconciling humanity both to the Godhead and to each other. Through this primary metaphor, in combination with her Marian theology, Julian portrays the female body a legitimate locus of incarnation and divinization. Julian denies neither the maleness of the historical Jesus, nor the concept of God the Father; her motherhood theology complements these models, taking a biological relationship to its theological conclusion. The result is a profoundly holistic concept of the Triune God, of creation, and of human relationship. Julian's motherhood theology is a rich contribution to Trinitarian theology, offering profound insights for human beings both cherished recipients of God's love and capable of profound union with God and each other. In her Revelations of Divine Love, Julian of Norwich uses motherhood one of her primary theological metaphors. But what exactly is Julian saying when she describes the motherhood of God, and especially Christ our true mother?1 Is it merely an analogy used to characterize God's nature: God is like a mother in God's compassionate and loving actions towards humanity? Can female physicality be ascribed to God? In fact, Julian is affirming both. Julian reveals that God's nature is inherently motherly: God acts towards humanity mother because God is mother. And while Julian does not deny the maleness of the historical Jesus, she affirms the female body a locus for incarnation and divinization through ascribing female physicality to Christ our mother and through her Marian theology. In Julian's motherhood theology, motherhood has twofold significance, simultaneously initiating human participation in the life of the Trinity, and enabling the Kingdom of God to be birthed into the world through human action in the church. Ultimately, Julian uses the image of God the Mother not to replace that of God the Father, but to complement and complete it. Biologically, having a father implies having a mother, and vice versa. I argue that Julian is taking this natural law to its theological conclusion. In doing so, she creates a profoundly holistic concept of God. While her motherhood theology serves to complete the Father/Mother duality of God, it is specifically through motherhood that humanity is drawn into relationship with the Triune God and brought to its own wholeness. It is important to note that Julian is not the first person in Christendom to imagine God mother. In fact, Julian's descriptions of a feminine and maternal God are part of a long tradition of Christian orthodoxy.2 In the Old Testament, the prophets often portray God a loving and merciful mother, who cares for, nourishes, caresses, and comforts her children.3 Much Julian will describe Christ mother going through labor (p. 141), Isaiah describes God's enduring labor pains to bring forth new life.4 At times, the Psalms closely associate femininity and God, drawing explicit comparisons between the female body and the Creator.5 In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of himself as a mother-hen longing to gather her chicks under her wings.6 Female and maternal images for God continue throughout the Patristic period-Ambrose of Milan speaks of God the Father having breasts and a womb7-as well throughout the medieval period. Anselm particularly addresses the image of Christ mother,8 while Bernard of Clairvaux and William of St. Thierry are among the many men and women who speak of nursing from the breasts of Christ,9 noting Jesus' maternal capability to offer his own body food. However, Julian is unique among her predecessors and contemporaries in the significance she gives to the image of mother God. …
Publication Year: 2007
Publication Date: 2007-10-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 3
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