Historical and existential dimensions of mystical text: hermeneutics of the flowing light of godhead by Mechthild of Magdeburg
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21847/1728-9343.2014.2(128).24805Keywords:
existential, existent, hermeneutics, religious consciousness, mysticismAbstract
Medieval mysticism results from creative correlation of existential and historical determinants of religious mind. In this article we focus on such correlation found in the text by Mechthild of Magdeburg. Much of what we know of the life of Mechthild of Magdeburg comes solely from her book, The Flowing Light of the Godhead. No one is certain of the exact year of her birth as well as of her death. She was probably born in the vicinity ofMagdeburg. Mechthild may have probably come from an aristocratic family due to her manner of writing as well as her familiarity with the customs of the royal court, which makes one think that one was referring to a lady of the court. She was twelve when she began to receive mystical experiences in the form of divine 'greetings' and visions. This may certainly have affected her as she was growing up but she did not withdraw from others. Though she now and ever after looked beyond the world, she never became austere or withdrawn from her fellows. She saw 'all things in God and God in all things.' As a Béguine, she was known for her active compassion and love for the suffering poor. She ran away from home and fled toMagdeburgat the age of twenty-three in order to become a Béguine. Mechthild makes mention of a friend she knew there but chose to avoid lest my renunciation of the world and my love of God might be interfered with. I am intrigued as to who this friend was. Why would their friendship interfere with her renunciation of the world and love of God?
Mechthild's The Flowing Light has often been considered an important example of minnemystik or love mysticism. Based on her direct and unashamed use of erotic descriptions, Mechthild may have preferred to see her role in this love relationship as God's eager bride in the love-bed. Images of the erotic encounter with God like embracing, kissing, wounding hearts, exchanging hearts, and lying together on the bed of love are contained in The Flowing Light. This is why the mysticism of the Béguines is also referred to as "bridal" or "nuptial" mysticism. Mechthild's erotic experience of God is filtered not through the biblical text but through her presentation of the 'book of experience.' the Béguines drew more from the contemporary situation in their use of language and imagery to develop the image of the soul as the bride of Christ. They were speaking more clearly of the feminine experience.
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