Nobility and Annihilation in Marguerite Porete's Mirror of Simple Souls (S U N Y Series in Western Esoteric Traditions)

This first book-length study of Marguerite Porete’s important mystical text, The Mirror of Simple Souls, examines Porete’s esoteric and optimistic doctrine of annihilation--the complete transformative union of the soul into God--in its philosophical and historical contexts. Porete was burned at the stake as a relapsed heretic in 1310. Her theological treatise survived the flames, but it circulated anonymously or under male pseudonyms until 1946, and her message endures as testament to a distinctive form of medieval spirituality. Robinson begins by focusing on traditional speculations regarding the origin, nature, limitations, and destiny of humankind. She then examines Porete’s work in its more immediate historical and literary contexts, focusing on the ways in which Porete conceptualizes and expresses her radical doctrine of annihilation through contemporary metaphors of lineage and nobility. "This study of Marguerite Porete's important mystical text, The Mirror of Simple Souls, examines Porete's esoteric and optimistic doctrine of annihilation - the complete transformative union of the soul into God - in its philosophical and historical contexts. Porete was burned at the stake as a relapsed heretic in 1310. Her theological treatise survived the flames, but it circulated anonymously or under male pseudonyms until 1946, and her message endures as testament to a distinctive form of medieval spirituality.". "Robinson begins by focusing on traditional speculations regarding the origin, nature, limitations, and destiny of humankind. She then examines Porete's work in its more immediate historical and literary contexts, focusing on the ways in which Porete conceptualizes and expresses her radical doctrine of annihilation through contemporary metaphors of lineage and nobility."--BOOK JACKET. "This study of Marguerite Porete's important mystical text, The Mirror of Simple Souls, examines Porete's esoteric and optimistic doctrine of annihilation - the complete transformative union of the soul into God - in its philosophical and historical contexts. Porete was burned at the stake as a relapsed heretic in 1310. Her theological treatise survived the flames, but it circulated anonymously or under male pseudonyms until 1946, and her message endures as testament to a distinctive form of medieval spirituality." "Robinson begins by focusing on traditional speculations regarding the origin, nature, limitations, and destiny of humankind. She then examines Porete's work in its more immediate historical and literary contexts, focusing on the ways in which Porete conceptualizes and expresses her radical doctrine of annihilation through contemporary metaphors of lineage and nobility." --Book Jacket Annotation Porete was burned as a heretic in 1310. Her treatise survived through being ascribed to a male writer; it was reattributed to her in 1946 and this is the first full-length study. Porete preached that by embracing a state on non-willing, non-knowing, and non-having, the believer would come to know God. Robinson (religious studies, U. of North Carolina, Charlotte) discusses the history of certain basic concepts in Porete's theology, particularly the notion of nobility and annihilation; she describes what we know about Porete's life and possible influences. The bulk of the text is devoted to an analysis of her doctrine and its roots and departure from traditional theology. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR