Behind the Devotion: Our Translations
To preserve the complete theological accuracy and reverence of this 35-week journey, this chapel resource relies on the finest historical and academic foundations. As you dive into these deep meditations, here is how our texts and visual art were intentionally brought to life for our prayer community:
Our Sacred Translations: The direct quotes from St. Hildegard featured throughout these meditations are drawn from the premiere English translations of her works. We extend our deepest gratitude to the definitive translations of Scivias by Mother Columba Hart and Jane Bishop, as well as the meticulous translation work of scholar Bruce Hozeski for his English translation of The Book of the Rewards of Life (Liber Vitae Meritorum). Their dedication ensures that St. Hildegard’s authentic, prophetic voice echoes clearly in the prayerful meditations you will experience on our website. In addition, we relied on Jean-Baptiste Pitra’s Analecta Sacra Spicilegio Solesmense Parata, Vol. 8, for cross-referencing the English translation of Liber Vitae Meritorum with the Latin.
For Further Reading and Research
The following resources are recommended for readers who want to go deeper into St. Hildegard’s life, theology, and the traditions that shaped her:
Primary Sources
Hildegard of Bingen. Liber Vitae Meritorum (The Book of the Rewards of Life). Trans. Bruce W. Hozeski. New York: Garland, 1994. [The English translation used in this project’s meditation series.]
Hildegard of Bingen. Scivias. Trans. Columba Hart and Jane Bishop. New York: Paulist Press, 1990. [Her first major visionary work — essential companion reading.]
Augustine of Hippo. Confessions. Trans. Henry Chadwick. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. [The foundational Augustinian text Saint Hildegard’s formation was built on. Available free online at New Advent: www.newadvent.org/fathers/1101.htm]
Augustine of Hippo. The City of God. Trans. Henry Bettenson. London: Penguin, 2003. [The architectural vision of the two cities that underlies LVM’s five-Part structure. Available free online at New Advent: www.newadvent.org/fathers/1201.htm]
Scholarly Studies on Saint Hildegard
Newman, Barbara. Sister of Wisdom: St. Hildegard’s Theology of the Feminine. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1987. [The standard English-language scholarly study of Hildegard’s theology, including her concept of viriditas (greenness) and her cosmology.]
Flanagan, Sabina. Hildegard of Bingen: A Visionary Life. London: Routledge, 1989. [Accessible biographical and theological introduction — good starting point for readers new to Hildegard scholarship.]
Leclercq, Jean, OSB. The Love of Learning and the Desire for God: A Study of Monastic Culture. Trans. Catharine Misrahi. New York: Fordham University Press, 1961. [The definitive study of how Benedictine monastic formation shapes the theological imagination — explains the tradition that formed Hildegard.]
On Augustinian Theology and the Two Cities
Mathewes, Charles T. A Theology of Public Life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. [Accessible contemporary engagement with Augustine’s two-cities framework and its implications for how we live in the world.]
Wills, Garry. Saint Augustine. New York: Penguin, 1999. [A readable, accessible introduction to Augustine’s life and thought for general readers.]
On Catholic Mystical Theology
Tanquerey, Adolphe. The Spiritual Life: A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology. Trans. Herman Branderis. Tournai: Desclée, 1930. [The classic systematic treatment of the stages of the spiritual life in the Catholic tradition—places Hildegard’s mysticism in its broader context.]
Underhill, Evelyn. Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness. London: Methuen, 1911. [Classic accessible introduction to the mystical tradition broadly. Available free online at Project Gutenberg.]
On the Benedictine Tradition
Benedict of Nursia. The Rule of Saint Benedict. Trans. Timothy Fry, OSB. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1981. [The founding document of the tradition that formed Hildegard — Chapter 73 explicitly recommends Augustine’s Confessions.]
de Waal, Esther. Seeking God: The Way of Saint Benedict. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1984. [Warm, accessible introduction to Benedictine spirituality for lay readers.]