1001Philosophers

Hadewijch of Antwerp c. 1200 – c. 1260

Hadewijch of Antwerp (c. 1200 – c. 1260) was a Flemish philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Christian Philosophy.

Hadewijch of Antwerp was a thirteenth-century Flemish Beguine mystic and philosopher, leader of a small community of beguines in the Low Countries, and the author of one of the most original and demanding bodies of mystical philosophical writing in any medieval vernacular. Her Letters, Visions, and Songs in Middle Dutch articulate a philosophy of love in which the soul, in radical exposure to the divine beloved, comes to know itself only by surrendering itself, and in which the highest knowledge is achieved not by ascetic withdrawal but by entering wholly into the suffering and the joy of love. Her work shaped the later Flemish mystical tradition of Ruusbroec.

Key facts

Nationality
Flemish
Era
Medieval
Movements
Christian Philosophy

Selected quotes

  • Attributed to Hadewijch of Antwerp:

    “Love alone gives the knowledge that love is.”

  • Attributed to Hadewijch of Antwerp:

    “She who lives without love does not yet know what it is to live.”

  • Attributed to Hadewijch of Antwerp:

    “The soul is at home in love when it has learned to be a stranger to everything else.”

  • Attributed to Hadewijch of Antwerp:

    “Where God is the lover, the soul can hide nothing from God or from itself.”

  • Attributed to Hadewijch of Antwerp:

    “Pain rightly borne is the very door through which love enters.”

Frequently asked about Hadewijch of Antwerp

When did Hadewijch of Antwerp live?
Hadewijch of Antwerp was born in c. 1200 and died in c. 1260.
Where was Hadewijch of Antwerp from?
Hadewijch of Antwerp was a Flemish philosopher of the Medieval era.
What philosophical movements is Hadewijch of Antwerp associated with?
Hadewijch of Antwerp was associated with Christian Philosophy.
What was Hadewijch of Antwerp known for?
Hadewijch of Antwerp was a thirteenth-century Flemish Beguine mystic and philosopher, leader of a small community of beguines in the Low Countries, and the author of one of the most original and demanding bodies of mystical philosophical writing in any medieval vernacular.
How many quotes are attributed to Hadewijch of Antwerp?
There are 5 attributed quotations from Hadewijch of Antwerp in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.