“Love is our lord’s meaning”: Spiritual formation in Julian of Norwich and Desmond Tutu

Abstract

This article journeys to a medieval century, to a remote figure, and to distant historical events that might mirror Desmond Tutu’s (1931–2021) context—possibly shed light on his spirituality. It is suggested that Desmond Tutu’s devotion and vision may invoke a unique Christian who remains influential among Anglicans/Episcopalians: Julian of Norwich (c. 1342/3–c. 1416). A child during a plague, an adult during civil strife, and a schooled theologian during her final years, Julian exhibited an embodied spiritual discipline echoing, perhaps, the “prayer and work” of Desmond Tutu. The Revelations to Julian began with the torment of crucifixion and ended with the disclosure of their purpose as “love” ( Rev. 86: 14). How Julian engaged with the God of these “shewings” might recall two “prisoners of hope” who, in their own challenging contexts, believed that ultimately “alle shalle be wele” ( Vis. 13: 61; Rev. 27: 28).