This week in Christian history: ‘Father of Orthodoxy’ dies, Methodists vote to allow female clergy

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, May 02, 2021

Medieval mystic receives 15 visions – May 8, 1373

Julian of Norwich, a Medieval mystic who reportedly had 15 visions over several hours in 1373. | Christianity.com

This week marks the anniversary of when Julian of Norwich, a medieval woman and hermit who authored the book Revelations of Divine Love, reportedly experienced several visions.

According to her writings, Julian reportedly being shown 15 visions between the hours of 4 a.m. to 9 a.m., and then a final vision the following evening meant to explain the first 15.

“Were Julian's revelations from God? She upheld key doctrines such as the Trinity, emphasized the key virtue — love — and recognized salvation as coming through Christ alone,” according to Christianity.com.

“On the other hand, she shocked contemporaries by speaking of Christ as mother. Puzzled by sin and hell, she denied God's wrath and concluded that ‘everything will be all right,’ that all souls will eventually be saved. There are other difficulties in her showings.”

“However, her writing represents the flowering of English Medieval mysticism.”