Although the early Church leaders agreed that “God becomes human [in Jesus] so humans can become divine” ( Athanasius ), it wasn't just the theological ideas of the Beguine movement that sprouted among the laity in Europe, that threatened the powerful and the political at the Vatican in the Early Middle Ages–it was the love and devotion the common people had for them and that these women devoted to God and not them, that was the problem.

Today, theologian Dr Wendy Farley explains who these women were, what they believe, how the Church quashed their grassroots movement of devotion to God, and why there is such a renewed interest in their stories and spirituality today. We will focus on the lives and ideas of Julian of Norwich, Mechthild de Magdeburg, and Marguerite Porete – who was burned at the stake.

We will also discuss the consequences of Protestantism happening during modernity, the challenges of institutional power, prayer in terms of "the silence between the words" (apophatic), the nature of contemplative spiritual practice itself in Christianity and across other religious traditions, and more.

Strap yourself in. This is a meaty episode full of history and intriguing stories about the very long contemplative history of the Christian tradition, and plenty to think about.

Thank you for listening.

For full and detailed show notes (with book links) go to patreon.com/sparkmymuse

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