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Julian of Norwich
Julian of Norwich (c. 1343–c. 1416). Born around November 8, 1343, likely in Norwich, England, Julian of Norwich was an English mystic, anchoress, and one of the earliest known female Christian authors. Little is known of her early life, including her birth name, but she may have been from a well-to-do family, possibly educated at a convent. At around 30, during a severe illness in May 1373, she experienced 16 visions or “shewings” of Christ’s Passion, which she later recorded as Revelations of Divine Love, the first book in English known to be written by a woman. Choosing a life of seclusion, she became an anchoress at St. Julian’s Church in Norwich, from which she derived her name, living in a cell to pray and counsel visitors. Her writings, blending profound theology with accessible prose, emphasize God’s love, the motherhood of Christ, and optimism despite sin, famously noting that “all shall be well.” Julian’s work, preserved in short and long texts, influenced medieval spirituality and later readers, though she remained obscure until the 20th century. Unmarried, with no recorded family, she likely died around 1416 in Norwich. She said, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”
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Julian of Norwich preaches about questioning God's goodness in the face of sin and suffering, expressing fear and sorrow over the damage caused by sin. In response, the Lord gently reassures her that Adam's sin was the greatest harm ever done, but the glorious reparation through Christ's sacrifice surpasses it in value for humanity's salvation. By emphasizing the magnitude of God's redemption, Julian learns that if God could rectify the worst harm, He is more than capable of restoring everything else that is less severe.
The Sin of Adam
In this showing I remained watching generally, sorrowful and mourning, saying thus to our Lord in my meaning with full great fear: "Ah! Good Lord, how can all be well considering the great damage that has come by sin to Thy creatures?" (And here I desired, as much as I dared, to have some more open explanation with which I could be put at ease in this matter.) To this our blessed Lord answered most gently, and with most loving expression, and showed that Adam's sin was the most harm that ever was done, or ever shall be done, until the world's end (and also He showed that this is openly acknowledged in all the Holy Church on earth). Furthermore, He taught that I should observe the glorious reparation, for making this reparation is more pleasing to the blessed Godhead and more valuable for man's salvation, without comparison, than ever was the sin of Adam harmful. Then means our blessed Lord thus in this teaching: that we would take heed to this: "For since I had made well the worst harm, then it is my will that thou knowest from that, that I shall make well everything that is less bad."
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Julian of Norwich (c. 1343–c. 1416). Born around November 8, 1343, likely in Norwich, England, Julian of Norwich was an English mystic, anchoress, and one of the earliest known female Christian authors. Little is known of her early life, including her birth name, but she may have been from a well-to-do family, possibly educated at a convent. At around 30, during a severe illness in May 1373, she experienced 16 visions or “shewings” of Christ’s Passion, which she later recorded as Revelations of Divine Love, the first book in English known to be written by a woman. Choosing a life of seclusion, she became an anchoress at St. Julian’s Church in Norwich, from which she derived her name, living in a cell to pray and counsel visitors. Her writings, blending profound theology with accessible prose, emphasize God’s love, the motherhood of Christ, and optimism despite sin, famously noting that “all shall be well.” Julian’s work, preserved in short and long texts, influenced medieval spirituality and later readers, though she remained obscure until the 20th century. Unmarried, with no recorded family, she likely died around 1416 in Norwich. She said, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”