Medieval Christianity: Mendicant Friars

"The author finds the roots of the Mendicants in the evangelical movements of the twelfth century and in the ideas of the apostolic life which shaped the religious experience of their founders. Yet, while fully acknowledging the creative dynamism of St. Francis and St. Dominic, he shows how much the movement also owed to the popes. It was their steady protection and patronage that turned the armies of holy beggars into a well-trained pastoral force of preachers and confessors, working alongside the secular clergy." [Back cover].

The friars represented a remarkable innovation in medieval religious life. Founded in the early 13th century, the Franciscans and Dominicans seemed a perfect solution to the Church's troubles in confronting rapid changes in society. They attracted enthusiastic support, especially from the papacy, to which they answered directly. In their first 200 years, membership grew at an astonishing rate, and they became counsellors to princes and kings, receiving an endless stream of donations and gifts. Yet there were those who believed the adulation was misguided or even dangerous, and who saw in the friars' actions only hypocrisy, deceit, greed and even signs of the end of the world. From the mid-13th century, writings appeared denouncing and mocking the friars and calling for their abolition. Their French and English opponents were among the most vocal. From harsh theological criticism and outrage at the Inquisition to vulgar tales and bathroom humor, this thoroughly documented work is suitable for the newcomer, as well as for readers who readers who are familiar with the subject but might like to investigate specific topics in more detail.

It is especially characteristic of the eleventh and twelfth centuries that a wide variety of new movements in religious and ascetic life grew and flourished;yet it was not until the early thirteenth century that Orders of Friars appeared-organised bodies of religious men dedicated to working and preaching among ordinary folk,who lived on alms and directly served the Holy See.The purpose of this book is to help students,and all those seriously interested in this great movement of the human spirit,to understand why this was so;why the movements of the twelfth century remained much more enclosed and monastic,or turned to heresy; how much the new Orders owed to the earlier movements and to what extent they arose from the personal inspiration of Francis and Dominic.To understand-and puzzle out for themselves: for it is the essence of this series that the documents should introduce the reader direct to the problem;and his topic,for which the sources,though varied,are not too copious is peculiarly well suited to this treatment.-Back cover.

"Cohen argues that it was in the thirteenth century that a fundamental shift occurred in the Christian perception of both Judaism and Jews in Western Europe,and he attributes this change to the activities of the newly-formed mendicant orders-the Dominicans and Franciscans.In order to make this case as effectively as he does,the author has to approach his problem from two different perspectives-that of the historian of the medieval church,and that of the Jewish historian.Each of these approaches has its own scholarly literature,its own emphases,its own particular blind spots.It is the principal quality of this book that it focuses a steady,clear light on those dark corners,and will make sense to a variety of readers...Cohen's views will be taken seriously.indeed,the calm and sensible tone of this book may help stimulate a new scholarly debate."-American Jewish History.

"This work surveys the history, lifestyle and impact of the friars in Ireland from the arrival of the Dominicans in 1224 to the Henrican campaign to dissolve the religious houses in 1540. It constitutes the first attempt to examine the mendicant phenomenon as a whole rather than focusing on individual orders and friaries. The first three chapters give a chronological overview of the arrival and initial expansion of the friars in the thirteenth century, through the upheavals of the fourteenth century and the emergence of vigorous reform parties within each order in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. The second section consists of seven chapters that examine discrete aspects of mendicant lifestyle and ministry. These include analyses of the friars' relationships with their patrons, benefactors and critics. The mendicant lifestyle forms the subject of one chapter, as does the friars' efficacy as preachers, confessors and counsellors. Particular attention is devoted to the educational and formation structures within each order, as well as to devotional and liturgical activities. The art and architecture of the friaries is examined in another chapter. The volume concludes with an epilogue detailing the developments and upheavals in Irish mendicant life during the tumultuous decade between 1530 and 1540"--Page 4 of cover.

The new religious orders of the 12th and 13th centuries were established as international orders, yet they were dependent on local conditions and power structures. This book examines the tensions that arose from this and how they evolved.

For those interested in the battles between the seculars and the mendicants in the thirteenth century this is a primary text.For those who want to get to know a different facet of the personality of St.Bonaventure who wrote peaceful biblical commentaries and elevated spiritual tractates this polemical text will satisfy your desires.For members of the Franciscan Family who read Bonaventure's books for inspiration and knowledge of things Franciscan this text will bestow rich rewards,especially as Bonaventure challenges all such readers to take the goal of evangelical perfection with utmost seriousness.Bonaventure will also challenge them to pursue evangelical poverty in imitation of Christ and the Apostles.Bonaventure's style and mode of argumentation may be unfamiliar to us,but attentive and patient reading will provide many gems of inspiration.-Introduction.

This study throws new light on both the history of the crusades and the mendicant orders in the thirteenth century. It describes the way in which the Franciscan and Dominican orders became involved in preaching the cross and examines their contribution to the crusading movement of the thirteenth century. The availability of a large number of trained preachers from the Franciscan and Dominican orders allowed the papacy to use them in order to provide the crusades with a well-organized and efficient propaganda back-up throughout Europe unknown before the thirteenth century. The book explains how the propaganda campaigns were organized and how the recruitment of crusaders took place. It shows that the mendicant friars became the most important group of crusade propagandists recruiting crusaders for virtually all thirteenth-century crusades. The book also shows that the friars were involved in providing finance for the crusades as part of their propaganda effort, despite their vows of absolute poverty. It also challenges the traditional pacifist view of the founder saints of the two orders by showing them to be supporters of the crusades themselves.