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God Our Mother: The Feminine Cosmology of Julian of Norwich and Hildegard of Bingen

God Our Mother: The Feminine Cosmology of Julian of Norwich and Hildegard of Bingen

Hudson, Jennifer

Medieval Forum Vol.1 (2002)

Abstract: This paper explores the feminist implications of Julian of Norwich’s and Hildegard of Bingen’s feminine cosmic visions. Both women revolutionize the imago Dei into one bearing feminine characteristics, maintain that the feminine aspects of divinity become the door to an intense union between God and humanity, and present images of a gender-balanced deity. Although Julian’s vision seems to place women and the feminine within a more positive context than Hildegard’s, both women extend their visions beyond misogynous and androcentric ideologies, thus shaping an image of divinity that affirms, heals, and unites women. Insofar as Julian and Hildegard arrive at portraits of a non-binary divinity and cosmos, these women’s visions could be considered feminist.

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