Medieval Christianity: The Franciscans

The projected lenght of this volume placed some parameters on both its depth,and its breadth.This book is clearly not intended to be a scholarly history;such would demand a truly massive volume,and given the specialization in the various periods and cultures treated,it would have to be a team effort,not the work of one person.Secondly,I could not in such a short compass do justice to the history of the whole Franciscan movement-that is,of the three Franciscan orders:the Friars Minor,the poor Clares and the Third Order in both its Regular and Secular branches-without producing simply an outline of an eight-hundred-year- story,rather than a narrative.So,as the title of this book implies,I have recounted only the history of the "First" Franciscan Order,the Friars Minor or Lesser Brothers in their various branches.The task of synthesizing that history into a brief volume such as this has proved challenging enough!-Introduction.

The Franciscans : Who are they? How did they start? How have they grown? What do they do? What do they believe? Where are they today? These are some of the questions this book will try to answer. And in answering those questions it will sketch a family portrait, that of the Franciscans, a picture of a family with its own memories, its own character, its own stories. Some of these stories are familiar to many; other stories, even some of the best, remain unknown. And one good reason for writing a book like this one is to tell those stories to a new audience who may find in them a reason to give thanks, or be surprised, or even smile.

Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved saints.His commitment to God's will,his yearning to embrace poverty,and his attentiveness to the Spirit's presence in his life continue to inspire Christians and non-Christians alike."The Franciscan Tradition' highlights some of the most influential people in Franciscan history.Using the writings of men and women from the First,Second,and Third Orders,this volume shows the breadth and depth of the Franciscan way of life.Presented here are saints and martyrs,contemplatives and preachers,theologians and reformers.They heeded God's call,found hope in Francis' mission,and now provide wisdom for those who seek to follow God.-Back cover.

Property Rights in the Late Medieval Discussion on Franciscan Poverty contributes to our understanding of the history of the concept of individual natural rights by tracing the controversies surrounding the Franciscan ideal of absolute poverty from the 1250s to the 1320s. Virpi Makinen, Th.D., analyzes the complex legal, moral, and theological arguments for and against the Franciscan ideal of giving up all rights over property - an ideal that the Franciscans argued was in perfect imitation of Christ and the Apostles. Makinen pays particular attention to the concepts of rights, especially to the distinctions between dominion (dominium), right (ius) and factual use (usus facti). She discusses the arguments made by both the defenders of the Franciscan claim of apostolic poverty (Bonaventure of Bagnoregio and Bonagratio of Bergamo) and the attackers, most of whom were secular clerics (such as William of Saint-Amour, Gerard of Abbeville, Henry of Ghent, and Godfrey of Fontaines). Makinen then analyzes the support the Order received from the papacy, and how this support was underminded by Pope John XXII's vehement attack on the Franciscans in the 1320s. The book shows how the debate concerning Franciscan poverty gave rise to a new language of rights,which paved the way to the idea of individual natural rights.

"Examines writings by three early modern Spanish Franciscans in Mexico. Alfonso de Castro, an inquisitional theorist, offers a defense of Indian education. Alonso Cabello, convicted of Erasmianism by the Mexican Inquisition, discusses Christ's humanity in a Nativity sermon. Diego Muñoz, an inquisitional deputy, investigates witchcraft in Celaya"--Provided by publisher.

In the essays contained in this volume,the authors attempt to lead the readers on a carefully-documented tour.Each author is a guide who brings to the tour as best he or she can a wealth of data and background information.Each reader is on a search: a search for the way in which these early Franciscan understood and lived the Word of God made flesh in both creation and incarnation.This search is not an end in itself,but rather each reader is also looking for ways to make these foundational Franciscan insights and perceptions a meaningful,even essential part of today's quest for the meaning of creation and incarnation.-Preface.

Provides an interpretation of the medieval theological controversy over the poverty of Christ, popularized by Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose", important for intellectual, political, and legal history. This book focuses on the early fourteenth-century cardinal, Bertrand de la Tour.

"Presents the full English text of the 'History of the Seven Tribulations' by Angelo Clareno. Includes an Introduction that summarizes Clareno's life, use of sources, writing style, and historical impact"--Provided by publisher.