Mysticism in the Zusterboeken (Sister Books): Evidence for the Mysticism of the Modern Devotion in the Vernacular Writings of the Sisters of the Common Life

The late-medieval reform movement of Modern Devotion has heretofore been understood as overwhelmingly moralistic rather than mystical. This perspective must be reassessed, based on numerous findings of mystical themes within the vernacular texts of the Sisters of the Common Life (the women who, along with lay men, comprised one branch of the movement). Themes such as _gelatenheid_ (Cf. Eckhart), _godformicheid_ (Cf. Ruusbroec), and _neiging_ (Cf. William of St. Thierry), as well as accounts of overwhelming fiery devotion (such as that of Sister Gese Brandes), all demonstrate that medieval mysticism provided an important foundation and nourishment for the Modern Devotion. This paper employs recent theoretical work on women’s spirituality and on mysticism within the Christian tradition to examine how Sisters of the Common Life received, incorporated, and refashioned the theological resources of medieval Christian mysticism, particularly as is evidenced in the vernacular texts authored for, about, and by the Sisters themselves.