Bernard of Clairvaux’s Metaphorical Theology and Its Implications of Reform:the cases of Mechtild of Hackeborn and Martin Luther

In this article, I focus on Bernard of Clairvaux's metaphorical theology with its notable gender-crossing language, its impiications of reform and how it impacted on later reform theologians such as Mechtild of Hackeborn and Martin Luther. Mechtild, one of the famous Helfta nuns, was the teacher of Gerturde the Great, later titled "doctor o the church", and the author of multiple texts describing God's self-communication through the mouth of a woman. Like Bernard, Mechtild was reproduced or cited after her death and throuughthe 16th century reformation, e.g. there were 9 copies of her 'Book on special grace' in 1503-1536 alone. In the writings of the reformer, Martin Luther, we find not only more than 500 references to Bernard, but also several references to a certain Mechtild - fascinated and inspired by both's theology of love and grace expressed in inclusive language.