Hildegard begins recording the visions of Scivias
About this date: 1141 is the visionary commission recalled in the prologue; the work is completed around 1151.
Hildegard sets down a sequence of visions and interpretations concerning creation, redemption, the Church, and Christian life. Scivias presents theology through images and scriptural exposition.
Historical context
The work emerges from a women's monastic community and a network of clerical readers. Its first-person prologue explains why Hildegard understood writing as an obligation.
Key points
- The prologue recalls a command to write in 1141.
- Vision and interpretation are distinct parts of the work.
- The text connects cosmic imagery with the life of the Church.
People
- Hildegard of Bingen
- Volmar
Sources and further reading
- Scivias: opening declaration and selected vision
Primary-text excerpt with a brief editorial chronology.