Divinisation and Union in Love in Hadewijch of Antwerp Bridal Mysticism

Paniel Osberto Reyes Cárdenas

doi:10.24310/metyper.33.2025.20481

Authors

Paniel Osberto Reyes Cárdenas Oblate School of Theology, USA / The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4430-0991

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24310/metyper.33.2025.20481

Keywords:

Hadewijch of Antwerp, Beguines, bridal mysticism, annihilation, Trinity, Incarnation

Abstract

This article explores Hadewijch of Antwerp's understanding of divinisation and union in love, highlighting its connection to the Western medieval tradition while emphasising her unique contributions. While not explicitly using the term "divinisation," Hadewijch's ecstatic visions and yearning for the Beloved reveal a profound spiritual journey towards union with God. Central to her theology and metaphysics is the concept of Minne (Love), a complex and transformative force encompassing longing, communion, and even suffering. Through the interplay of ghebruken (divine union) and ghebreken(longing and absence), Hadewijch charts a path of spiritual growth culminating in Bridal Mysticism. This union involves annihilation, a symbolic dissolution of the self in divine love, leading to a deeper communion with God. Hadewijch's understanding of God emphasises the Trinity and the Incarnation, ultimately highlighting a relational knowledge of God through love. Her work, therefore, offers a unique perspective on divinisation and union, rooted in the transformative power of love and the yearning for divine communion and a rich ontological understanding of human relatedness.

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