St Francis and the New Orders

Jacques Le Goff on Saint Francis Of Assisi – by Levi King

Hi all. The information below provides a basic overview of the first reading for week 9 by Jacques Le Goff. Together with some questions, I hope you can gain a better understanding of the changing world in which Francis of Assisi established his own belief system.

Growing Urbanization:

Land is the basis of life:

• Land clearances = more cultivation
• The ox is replaced by the horse
• Crop rotations emerge. (Triennial – Three per year)
• Increased number of mills
• Increased population
• ‘Holiness’ becomes a town-related practice (Bishop holding power over a town)
• Towns are places of exchange
• Economic and social inequality are now based on possessions and property, not birth and family
• ‘Bankers’ are taking care of money, not monasteries

Question: How do you think the Church benefitted from this rise of urbanization?

The Church struggles:

• Social and economic standing:
• Put simply, the Church holds feudal secular domination
• The Problem:
• To quote Le Goff. There soon became a “struggle against the incontinence of the clergy”
• Large separations between the clergy and the laity:
• The church begins to put measures on marriage and cohabitation

• The Result:
• The Gregorian reform:
• A reform of the church which was attempting to adapt to outside events
• It established new religious orders, the canonical movement and acceptance of diversity
• Held a large emphasis on manual labour
• Changes in laity:
• Barriers between the laity and the clergy remained, and the laity increased their religious authority
• For example – Arnold of Brescia (1140s) preached of the corrupt life of the clergy
• Church cannot control the flock
• A new “intellectual environment” is established no longer based solely on religion, but scholasticism
• Real opposition to Christianity emerges: Catharism (an actual religion)

Question: Why do you think that the Church turned to the more firm doctrines of sin and sacrament during this time of change?

Francis of Assisi:

• Background:
• Born at the rise of urbanization
• The turbulent social structures above had been established by the time of Francis’ birth
• His religious life:
• The period of Francis’ life saw the laity spark strong opposition to the Church
• Francis was similarly disgruntled by the Church’s supremacy
• Instead of acting in opposition to the clergy, he maintained the practices of “a feeling of poverty,” remaining faithful to the Church “out of humility”
• Ultimately, it seems, he searched for equality between the Church and the laity

Question: What are the limitations to Francis of Assisi’s ‘dream’ the Le Goff brings to light?

Medieval Civilisation – by Chelsea Dullard

The Inquisition:

During the 12^th century, any heretical beliefs or activities had been regarded as treason against society. This view was endorsed and approved by the church and it's figureheads, who originally held faith that accused heretics could once again become diligent and devoted Christians. However, eventually it was conceded that a line of formal inquisition and interrogation must be taken in order to control the rise of dissent within the church. The following procedure usually occurred during an inquisition...

• Suspected heretics could be accused of heresy and the wilful rejection of the church's influence by a church official, or by a member of the laity.
• Following the initial accusation, the inquisitor would then summon the clergy and the public, where a sermon would be delivered. Then, the inquisitor would call for any heretics to denounce themselves. If someone voluntarily denounced themselves, they were granted indulgence by the church, so long as they wished to return to the fold of Christianity. Reformed heretics were then required to take an oath which affirmed their faith, and intentions to pursue heretics. They were also required to serve penance, and had all possessions taken from them.
• If an accused heretic who refused to renounce their faith, or who returned once again to their heretical behaviour were generally burnt at the stake.

The Mendicant Orders:

A Mendicant is a person owned no property and practised begging to provide for their daily needs. A series of new orders emerged, who subscribed to a life of apostolic piety, and who believed that a person could attain salvation whilst living amongst the people, rather than confined to isolation. The Franciscans were the first of these revolutionary orders to emerge....

The Franciscans:

After seeking consolation in Christianity, Francis Bernardone felt that he had been called to serve God. He felt that to do so, and in order to live out a life which mirrored that of Christ, he had to insist on poverty. As such, Francis' followers were not allowed property, and were required to subsist through manual labour and by begging. The Franciscans also lived among the people, tending the needs of the poor, and preaching the word of God. In doing this, they appealed to many Christians desires to live a life similar to Jesus', one of poverty and of compassion. However, the Franciscan method of worship was initially regarded as a form of heresy, and the Pope was quite reluctant to grant the group his approval. Eventually though, he approved the group, and they were able to continue their interpretation of Christianity.

The Dominicans:

The Dominicans were another Christian group who endeavoured to live a life of apostlic piety and poverty. The Dominicans however, differed from the Franciscan's in that they embraced and encouraged education and learning. They also governed their group in a much more modernistic way, the group employed democracy to elect and monitor the actions of their leaders. The Franciscans and Dominicans had a very similar approach to evangelising the European population, preaching and living the word of God.

New Forms of Spirituality:

The establishment of Christian groups such as the Franciscans and the Dominicans embody the  transition which occurred in terms of the way people regarded Christ. Prior to these groups influence, Jesus had been portrayed as a stern judge, however, during the 12^th and 13^th centuries, the human aspects of Jesus were emphasised. This in turn developed a more inclusive and kindlier church.

The Life of St Francis – by Bronwyn Brough

In Celano’s account of Francis’ life, with what values does he imbue the figure of Francis? Discuss with examples from the text.

From Celano’s account of Francis, we are led to believe that he is a changed man after his ‘conversion to God’s work’ from a man who lived ‘riotously among his relations and acquaintances’ to one who was ‘contemptuous for money’ and desired ‘wisdom’ and ‘prudence’.

After hearing the gospel story of Christ sending out the disciples, Francis’ passion was changed from just the physical rebuilding of churches, into a desire to build ‘the church’ through preaching and calling people to repentance.

He attired himself as the disciples would have, but also took it a step further and made his tunic to the shape of a cross, to beat off temptations, rough to discourage ‘sins of the flesh’ and poor so that no one would ‘covet it’.

Francis was portrayed as ‘reverent’ and ‘diligent’, trying hard to do all that the gospel had said.

Some of the main values of the Franciscan order were: Contemplation, Humility, and the desire to imitate Christ.

Celano describes the way in which Francis lives out these values.

Contemplation: We are told that they were continuously praying and praising God: They would try many methods to prevent them from falling asleep during prayer, often painful and damaging. He practiced mortification of the flesh: “not because the body was considered evil- it too was created by God-‘, but because it would distract one from ‘higher pursuits’.

Humility and Patience: They sought out bodily persecution rather than being exalted by the world

Desire to imitate Christ: while not an exact imitation of what Christ did; Francis desired to suffer martyrdom at the hands of the Moslems. This may have been come from the idea of Christ dying for the world, and thus he may have felt that if Christ died in this way, so must he if he were to really imitate Christ.

Francis also appeared to value obedience to God, and through his obedience he was granted authority over animals (p230, 3^rd paragraph from the bottom)

Francis was also consistent in his disdain for wealth; thus he was regarded well by his enemies and was able to preach to the sultan.

From Celano’s stories, how do you understand Francis’ relationship with the natural world?

Francis highly regarded all of God’s creation, including the human body (despite the mortification inflicted upon his own body), -I think this is apparently a new idea to the Christian community at the time?-

Celano tells of many occasions where Francis has an almost unnatural relationship with animals and nature.

It seems that Francis’ view on nature is that everything is created by God, and is thus good. When he is talking to the birds, he expresses his views on how God, their creator, ‘protects and governs’ them. His view on their song and behaviour is that it is an act of worship and reverence to their creator.

Francis appears to see God’s authority over the natural world and from Celano’s account uses that authority in his interaction with many animals; as seen in his telling the swallows to be still and quiet while he preached the word of God.

Celano seems to think that it is through Francis’ obedience to god, that he is granted this gift of authority from God, in being able to command nature. He is described as being able to perform miracles such as healing, even just through being able to touch an object, and that ‘power’ is retained within the object afterwards (such as his clothes, the reins of a horse he had ridden, bread he had blessed, even hay in a manger he had blessed). Whether we believe this is possible or not is irrelevant, what is important is that they believed it then and that is something that influences their lives and reactions to Francis and through him, God.