The Kingdom of the Lovers of God

work by Ruysbroeck

Also known as: “Van den Rike der Ghelieven”

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June 30, 2026

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The Kingdom of the Lovers of God (Van den Rike der Ghelieven) is a significant work by the Flemish mystic Jan van Ruysbroeck. Written around 1343 at the Augustinian abbey of Groenendaal, it is a systematic compendium of his teachings and beliefs.1

Ruysbroeck's mystical thought, influenced by Hadewijch, views the soul's relationship with God as akin to that of a lover and beloved. This contrasts with the more introspective style of Meister Eckhart. While Ruysbroeck's writings were initially for his Augustinian contemporaries, they gained wider influence through Latin translations and foreshadowed the devotio moderna movement. His masterpiece, The Spiritual Espousals, further develops his theological concepts and guides the soul's journey toward God.1

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Jan van Ruysbroeck
…den Rike der Ghelieven (The Kingdom of the Lovers of God). Ruysbroeck derived much from the mystic Hadewijch, who had viewed the relationship of the soul to God as similar to that between the lover and the beloved. Ruysbroeck’s systematic compendium of teaching and belief, however, contrasted with the…
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…den Rike der Ghelieven (The Kingdom of the Lovers of God). Ruysbroeck derived much from the mystic Hadewijch, who had viewed the relationship of the soul to God as similar to that between the lover and the beloved. Ruysbroeck’s systematic compendium of teaching and belief, however, contrasted with the…
Read More