Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor of the Church: A Spiritual Reader

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a Benedictine abbess, composer, and mystic. She is known by many today because of her music, but her creativity was born of mystical experiences which found their expression in a variety of ways. The book, Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader, is a reader which includes selections from her songs, theological texts, drama, liturgical music, and letters. Each section is introduced by the translator and editor, Carmen Acevedo Butcher, who also provides an introduction to this German woman who challenged the Church while producing in an astonishing range of artistic outlets.Her songs can be especially moving, and Butcher says we may take that as a sign of being written in happy times. "But there were no such periods for this nun. She lived from illness to illness, conflict to conflict, responsibility to responsibility, and perhaps that is why we feel close to her, because, despite Hildegard's many accomplishments, her life was clearly filled with the daily grind we all experience; and she through it."One example, her song "The Most Sanguine Moment" (Note: she did not give them titles -- this is from the translator):When the Creator actually spilledHis blood on the elements,earth, air, water, and firescreamed,collapsed with grief,shook from sadness.Now, Father, with this giftanoint our weaknesses.Her letters show a very human side, and she never hesitated to direct people (including royalty and Popes) as she thought best. Her drama seems unusual to our modern ears, but is worth reading as it is the earliest known morality play ever recorded.It is in the theological works where her mystic self, as seen in visions, is most clear. She has tremendous visions which she describes in detail, and then explains. Giant people, piles of excrement, and speaking fire, water, earth, and air, are all part of what she sees. At times, her visions seem grand for the simple lessons, but at times they make us rethink our most basic beliefs. In explaining how one vision teaches us about the soul's power, she says, "A person's physical body is bigger than their literal heart, just as the soul is stronger than the body. This is what I mean: A person's heart lies hidden within their body, just as the physical body is surrounded by and hidden in the soul's powers, which cover the entire globe. Your body is in your soul, not your soul in your body."In both her visions and her life, she was willing to turn things upside down to help profess God's word. Although she battled with Church leaders, she was greatly respected and is now recognized as a Saint. In 2012, Pope Benedict the XVI recognized her as a Doctor of the Church, meaning one to study as well as imitate.As such, this book is a great introduction as it provides a wide selection of her work, and just enough background to give it some context.

I love everything about Hildegard von Bingen. She was a mystic, a writer, an herbalist, a dietitian, an illustrator, a playwright, a composer, a musician, a performer, and by the way as an Abbess, she successfully ran a Benedictine convent (and built a second convent). It is AMAZING to me that her 12th-century "superiors" in the Church accepted the theological soundness of her visions, and let her get away with (and BE) all that, ESPECIALLY permitting her to go on a preaching tour(!!) in her sixties no less (in spite of Paul's admonition that "women should keep silent in church")!So this book is a gift, most especially Dr. Butcher's eloquent and multi-leveled translations of Hildegard's songs, plays, letters and mystical writings. Dr. Butcher obvioulsy loves and admires Hildegard as much as I do! I plan to reread this book often, recommend it to other fans of Hildegard, and mark it up even more.One of Pope Benedict's last actions before he bailed was to canonize Hildegard and to declare her a Doctor of the Church, which places her in company with Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena, John of the Cross, Terese of Liseaux, Thomas Aquinas and Augustine, among others.

The visions of St. Hildegard of Bingen is very deep and cryptic even with the accompanying interpretation of her visions, one can still get lost and loose their way.This book however of Carmen, guides the reader through thread of clarity, as it weaves through the visions in the books and then between the books themselves.It is as if Carmen has visually and internally experienced the visions themself by participating in the eyes and mind of Hidegard. The reader will grasp the essential message and vicariously try to recreate in his or her mind the vision described. And this with renewed and eager eyes to relate this to our times, there is something to be learned, there is a value out of the learning and applying the wisdom of this saint.Carmen contributes to the treasure of what words well presented to make us " know ourselves, merits we can live of out of our lives and celebrate in the divine works waiting to be accomplished in the one who has known and understood.

I had never heard of St. Hildegard until I listened to a podcast about her. The podcast recommended this book, and it did not disappoint. I read through it slowly, taking in every word so I could get to know her. The letters, songs, and plays she wrote, along with her visions helped me to get acquainted with the newest Doctor of the Church. This book left me wanting to get to know her more. Definitely a book to read and take slowly.

St. Hildegard of Bingen, declared a Doctor of the Church not long ago by Pope Benedict XVI, was a medieval German abbess and renaissance woman whose writings range from science and music to theatrical productions and mystical theology. This paperback volume, translated into modern English by Carmen Acevedo Butcher, offers a satisfying range of selections from Hildegard's opus. Particularly fascinating is the "Play of the Virtues," a medieval theater piece that Hildegard wrote for her cloistered Benedictine nuns to perform. Hildegard is an impressive religious and historical figure who is going through a bit of a renaissance right now (even getting a German movie, "Vision," which attempts to tell her story without quite capturing it) as a Catholic proto-feminist. Her writings are significant and edifying to read.

I've been reading a lot of books on saints, but this one stands our because of the great love the author shows for St. Hildegard. Butcher brings poetry and a mystical quality to the biography, which is fitting as Hildegard was a mystic and a poet as well as an abbess. Most of the book is dedicated to St. Hildegard's writings translated into English. Butcher puts the same effort in translating the saint's works as she does in the narrative. Good reading all around.

One of the problems in producing an introduction to Hildergard is the sheer scale of her oeuvre, and so we can end up with an introduction that reflects the interests of the editor, and the ethos of the publisher. The subtitle ‘a spiritual reader’ reflects to a large extent both these interests: to the former, an interest in the Benedictine Tradition of which Hildergard is not seen particularly as an exemplar, but more of a unique representative; to the publisher, an example of a smallish Christian publishing house whose name Paraclete Press is suggestive of their ethos. The combination of the two result in a devotional as opposed to an academic orientation.I must admit however, that at first reading it was not quite what I expected – given the subtitle a spiritual reader, for it does cover Hildergard’s oeuvre – except obviously for the music – compensated by a discovery in the bibliography at the end. It includes for example her Play on the virtues, and obvious selections from Scivias and The Book of Comfort, and some selected pieces from her other writings, including the letters. The sub-title implies material for personal reflection, and while a whole page is not devoted to just one piece – as it is with some examples of devotional material, it is a relatively large font for the text and double spacing has been used. It begins with a very readable account of her life, and each selection within it has its own introduction.In a sense, Butcher has remained with the known, and that is fine, producing a clear and friendly introduction to Hildergard.