Jane Lead facts for kids

Jane Lead (born Jane Ward; March 1624 – August 19, 1704) was a special kind of Christian thinker called a mystic from Norfolk, England. She wrote down her spiritual visions in many books. These writings were very important for starting a group in London called the Philadelphian Society. Her ideas also shaped what this group believed.

Jane Lead's Early Life

Jane Ward was born in March 1624. She was the youngest of twelve children in a rich family. Her father, Hamond Ward, was a wealthy gentleman. Her mother was Mary Calthorpe. Jane grew up in a comfortable home.

When she was fifteen, something amazing happened during a Christmas party. She felt a deep sadness. Then, she believed she heard an angel whisper to her. The whisper told her, "Stop this, I have another Dance to lead you in; for this is Vanity." This meant she should stop focusing on worldly things.

Even though she made a promise, her life seemed normal for a while. In 1644, Jane Ward married William Lead, a merchant. They had a happy marriage for 27 years and had four daughters. They lived in Kings Lynn for many years.

But in 1671, William died. Jane was left very sad and without money in London. This difficult time led to a big change in her life.

It was then that she had her first important vision. She saw the "Virgin Sophia," who is described in the Bible as the Feminine Aspect of God's wisdom. Sophia promised to show Jane the secrets of the universe. Jane Lead then felt like a 'Bride of Christ'. She started writing down all her visions, just like another famous mystic, Hildegard of Bingen, had done before her. She ended up writing many books about her spiritual experiences.

The Philadelphian Society and Jane Lead's Beliefs

In 1663, Jane Lead met John Pordage. He was a Church of England priest. In 1668, Jane joined a small spiritual group led by Pordage. She stayed with this group after her husband died in 1670. This is when she started writing her spiritual journal, which was later published as A Fountain of Gardens.

After her husband's death, Jane Lead was very poor. So, in 1674, she moved in with Pordage's family. She stayed there until he died in 1681. After Pordage's death, Jane Lead became the leader of the group. In 1694, the group became known as the Philadelphian Society.

Jane Lead's writings and visions were the main ideas for this group. They didn't want to be called a "church." They preferred the term "society." Members could also stay in their own churches. The Philadelphians believed that God is present in all things. They also thought that the Holy Spirit lives in everyone's soul. They believed people could become wise and understanding by living a good life and seeking truth through God's wisdom, which they called Sophia.

The Philadelphian Society grew until the early 1700s. After Jane Lead died in 1704, the number of members slowly went down. The group was briefly active again in 1706. Then, it became less known. However, its ideas spread to Europe and America.

Jane Lead's spiritual ideas influenced many later thinkers. These include groups like the Moravians and writers like Emanuel Swedenborg and William Blake. Even though the Philadelphian Society is no longer active, Jane Lead's writings still inspire Christian mystics and others who explore spiritual ideas.

Jane Lead's spiritual ideas were similar to those of Jakob Böhme. He was a German mystic whose writings influenced John Pordage. Like other female Christian mystics, such as Julian of Norwich and Hildegard von Bingen, Jane Lead's spirituality had a strong feminine side. The Sophia, or God's Wisdom, was a very important part of her writings.

Her books explored many Christian mysteries. These included the nature of Christ, how people can return to God, the existence of Sophia, and the Apocalypse. She also wrote about the possibility of Ascension. Her work has been compared to ideas found in Kabbalah, Gnosticism, and Alchemy. This is because she believed God is in everything and that the Holy Spirit is in every soul.

Around 1694, she started believing in Christian universalism. This means she didn't believe in endless punishment after death. She thought that any punishment after death was meant to help people learn and become better, not just to punish them forever.

Works

Jane Lead wrote many books about her visions and spiritual experiences. Her most famous work was A Fountain of Gardens, which was her personal spiritual journal.

See also

• Jakob Böhme
• Christian mystics
• Christian mysticism
• Esoteric Christianity
• Behmenism
• Sophia (wisdom)
• English Dissenters