Talk:Medieval women's Christian mysticism

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Name change?

Medieval women's mysticism is an important topic worthy of coverage, but I wonder if the name of this article makes sense. 'Medieval Women Mysticism' seems ungrammatical to me. Would perhaps a name like 'Medieval Women's Mysticism' or 'Women in Medieval Mysticism' make more sense? Arianna the First (talk) 22:11, 19 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I agree. Biscuittin (talk) 23:09, 28 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

First Impressions

Overall, the article was very well written and organized; both in terms of contents and chronology: from the rising popularity of female mystics upon their own confessors and the populace, up until when suspicious male Church hierarchs suppress female mysticism, sometimes even violently like when against Porete and the popular, charitable Beguines.

I think a better, & clearer etymology had been given in the main page on mysticism, from Ancient Greek muo (I conceal) and mustikos; but I respect the authority you've cited.

On the stigmata, did Church hierarchs -right from the start- appreciate the stigmata as signs of divine sanction & favor? Or did Church hierarchs ever suspect that these mystics were actually frauds who pierced their own hands and feet?

"By the end of the Middle Ages the physical deterioration of the woman mystic's body was considered proof of her sanctity." Not always. Catherine of Siena was ordered by her confessor Raymond to stop mortifying herself and eat healthily.

My second question: How did the female mystics impact popular Christianity in their time? From my reading I can only see that female mystics announced their visions in writings, which Church hierarchs simply judged whether orthodox and heretical and then would correspondingly supprt the orthodox mystics and suppress the heretical mystics. Only one example of mystics' dealings with the mass was provided: the Beguines who fasted, whipped themselves, held vigils, and carried out charitable activity towards the sick and the poor. Yet still how did the Beguines' & other mystics' teachings & activities influence how the populace practiced Christianity?

That said, I would like to see more examples on how female mystics "inspired Christian leaders who synthesized Christian tradition and proposed new models for the Christian community."

Seemed like I did not enough justice to this article in my first review, the article's writers mentioned that female mystics were indeed seen as prophets or even living saints by the populace. These are good examples of how female mystics' teachings influence the mass' Christian perception.

Erminwin (talk) 05:17, 21 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]