Kutsallık ve Heretiklik Arasında Bağımsız Mistik Kadınlar: Beguineler

Abstract

The position of women in Christianity has been controversial from the early period. Although there were many examples of women's activities in religious life during that period, women were excluded from the church hierarchy in the later period. However, unlike institutional Christianity, women were more prominent in mystical Christianity, and they influenced society with some their visions and extraordinary experiences. One of the mystical women's movements that attracted attention in the Middle Ages is the Beguines consisting of independent mystic, secular women. They appeared for the first time in the 12th century in the Low Countries, consisting of a region comprising modern-day Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and also parts of eastern Germany and northern France. On the one hand, they were respected in society as mystical women, and on the other hand, they were kept in view by the Church as they were independent secular mystics. The article deals with the historical conditions and social dynamics in the emergence of the Beguines. It also evaluated the mystical lifestyle of the Beguines, their differences from other mystical groups, and how they are perceived by the Church. It is aimed that the article will contribute to the researches in different fields, in terms of shedding light on the history of Christian mysticism and the relations between the Church, mystics and women.

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