Antoinette Bourignon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antoinette Bourignon
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Antoinette Bourignon
13 January 1616 |
| Died | 30 October 1680 (aged 64) |
Antoinette Bourignon de la Porte (born January 13, 1616 – died October 30, 1680) was a French-Flemish woman who had strong spiritual beliefs. She thought she was chosen by God to help bring back what she saw as true Christianity. She became a leader for many people who shared her ideas. Her group spread across different countries like the Dutch Republic and Scotland.
Early Life
Antoinette was born in 1616 in Lille, France. Her family was wealthy and Catholic. When she was born, she had a severe cleft lip and palate. This made her family wonder if she would survive. Luckily, surgery fixed the problem. From a very young age, Antoinette was very interested in religion. She even talked to her parents about religious topics when she was only five years old.
Her Journey and Beliefs
In 1636, Antoinette ran away from a marriage her father had planned for her. She was brought back home, but later left again. She wanted to create a new community based on special messages she believed God had given her. This was the first of many times she tried to start such a group.
Antoinette wanted to join a strict religious group called the Discalced Carmelites. In 1653, she used money she inherited to open an orphanage for girls. However, in 1662, she had to leave Ghent and Mechelen. This happened after officials investigated the orphanage because one of the girls died there. Bourignon claimed she was in direct contact with God. She also accused some of the girls of being involved with evil.
Antoinette did not like the fancy style of the Catholic Church. She wanted to create a community of people she believed were "true Christians." She felt that only these true Christians would be saved. She believed God had told her to gather these people. In Mechelen, she gained her first follower, Christiaan de Cort. He had big plans to start a new community on Nordstrand, an island off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein.
In 1667, Antoinette moved to Amsterdam with De Cort to find more supporters. There, she met other important thinkers like Jean de Labadie and Anna Maria van Schurman. She also started publishing her writings.
Her strong religious views and unusual ideas made some people criticize her. But they also attracted many followers. Many people were surprised because she was a woman leading a group that included many men. These followers included merchants, doctors, artists, and scholars. Even famous people like Robert Boyle had her writings translated into English. Another supporter was Jan Swammerdam, a well-known scientist.
In 1671, Antoinette inherited part of the island of Nordstrand. She moved there with some followers and started a shared community. She set up a printing press to publish her ideas. She even called herself the "new Eve". However, the local government took her printing press. She then moved to Husum, an area known for its religious freedom.
In Husum, she set up another printing press. She and her followers sold her writings at markets. In 1675, Jan Swammerdam visited her community. He had even burned some of his scientific notes on her advice. The community eventually struggled. The printing press was taken again by the government. Bourignon was accused of witchcraft. She quickly left for Hamburg.
Her stay in Hamburg was short because local religious leaders opposed her. She then moved to East-Friesland. There, she tried to open a hospital. But by this time, she was losing many of her supporters. She decided to return to Amsterdam. On her way, she became sick and died in Franeker, Friesland, on October 30, 1680.
Her Legacy
After Antoinette's death, most of her followers left. However, a small group stayed. They edited and shared her writings that had not been published yet. In 1686, all her collected works were published in 19 books. Today, many of her original writings are kept at the University of Amsterdam library.
In the early 1700s, her ideas became popular again in Scotland. This led to several religious groups speaking out against her teachings.
Her Writings
Antoinette Bourignon's writings, which include her life story, visions, and ideas, were put together by her follower, Pierre Poiret. They were published in 19 volumes between 1679 and 1686. Poiret also published her life story in two volumes in 1683.
Some of her works were translated into English, including:
- An Abridgment of the Light of the World (published in London, 1786)
- A Treatise of Solid Virtue (published in 1699)
- The Restoration of the Gospel Spirit (published in 1707)
See Also
In Spanish: Antonieta Bourignon para niños
