An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich - (Explorer's Guides) by Veronica Mary Rolf (Paperback)

About the Book

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love is truly an astounding work: an inspiring example of Christian mysticism, a unique contribution to Christian theology, the first book in English known to have been written by a woman. Veronica Mary Rolf guides us as we read, examining its fourteenth-century context and illuminating our understanding of this enduring work.

Book Synopsis

IVP Readers' Choice Award
Publishers Weekly Starred Review

"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love is truly an astounding work: an inspired example of Christian mysticism, a unique contribution to Christian theology, the first book in English known to have been written by a woman.

But it can also be a daunting work. Veronica Mary Rolf, who has been studying Julian's text for decades, serves as a trustworthy guide for readers willing to take up and read Julian's work.

Rolf not only sets Julian's life and text in its fourteenth-century context, but she also sheds light on each of Julian's sixteen revelations. She then digs deeper into Julian's theological themes, including her innovative mystical theology of the "motherhood of God," and she offers a chapter on developing a retreat based on Julian's work. Throughout, Rolf takes a deeply contemplative approach to Julian, illuminating our understanding of this extraordinary woman, her enduring work, and the revelation that "all shall be well."

Books in the Explorer's Guide series are accessible guidebooks for those studying the great Christian texts and theologians from church history, helping readers explore the context in which these texts were written and navigate the rich yet complex terrain of Christian theology.

Review Quotes

"Author and scholar Veronica Mary Rolf delights in her subject, Julian of Norwich, the medieval mystic who was an anchoress enclosed for 25 years. Rolf's just published book, An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich, brings us into the world of a woman who counsels us not just to love God, but 'to clothe ourselves in the love of God.'"

--Liz Dossa, Catholic San Francisco, July 12, 2018

"Julian of Norwich is an underappreciated gem--she belongs alongside Augustine and Aquinas as one of the greatest of Christian spiritual guides. Thanks to Veronica Mary Rolf, the life and teachings of this great mystic are more accessible than ever. An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich offers a clear and insightful introduction to Julian, one of the treasures of our faith."

--Carl McColman, author of Befriending Silence and Answering the Contemplative Call

"Those of us who have been living with Julian's writings for a number of decades have good cause to be deeply grateful for the work of Veronica Mary Rolf. . . . An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich contextualizes Revelations of Divine Love succinctly yet by no means superficially. The author has a happy gift of knowing her readers' questions before they are asked; she is a trustworthy and profoundly reliable guide. She illuminates God's revelations to Julian and then digs more deeply into Julian's central themes. Her book closes with a chapter on developing a retreat centered on Julian's writings."

--Luke Penkett, Magistra, 24.2, Summer 2018

About the Author

Veronica Mary Rolf is an independent scholar of medieval studies, educated at Columbia University; an academic lecturer; a professional playwright; and a master teacher of dramatic arts in New York, London, Buenos Aires, and Berkeley. She is the author of the award-winning Julian's Gospel: Illuminating the Life and Revelations of Julian of Norwich.