St. Francis of Assisi and Nature: Tradition and Innovation in Western Christian Attitudes toward the EnvironmentOxford University Press, 1988 M12 8 - 224 pages One of the best-loved saints of all time, Francis of Assisi is often depicted today as a kind of proto-hippie or early environmentalist. This book, the most comprehensive study in English of Francis's view of nature in the context of medieval tradition, debunks modern anachronistic interpretations, arguing convincingly that Francis's ideas can only be understood in their 13th-century context. Through close analysis of Francis's writings, particularly the Canticle of the Sun, Sorrell shows that many of Francis's beliefs concerning the proper relation of humanity to the natural world have their antecedents in scripture and the medieval monastic orders, while other ideas and practices--his nature mysticism, his concept of familial relationships with created things, and his extension of chivalric conceptions to interactions with creatures--are entirely his own. Sorrell insists, however, that only by seeing Francis in terms of the Western traditions from which he arose can we appreciate the true originality of this extraordinary figure and the relevance of his thought to modern religious and environmental concerns. |
Contents
3 | |
9 | |
2 Traditional Elements in Francis Interpretation of Creation | 39 |
The Sermon to the Birds | 55 |
4 Francis Special Regard for Creation | 69 |
5 Tradition and Its Impact on the Canticle | 98 |
6 The Controversy over the Canticles Meaning | 115 |
Francis Ideal Vision of Creation | 125 |
Reality and Legacy | 138 |
Francis and Catharism | 147 |
Analysis of the Early Franciscan Sources | 149 |
The Sermon to the Birds in the Early Sources | 152 |
Notes | 159 |
185 | |
195 | |
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St. Francis of Assisi and Nature: Tradition and Innovation in Western ... Roger D. Sorrell No preview available - 1988 |
Common terms and phrases
Actus Actus-Fioretti anecdotes animals apostolic appreciation ascetic attitude toward creation beauty beliefs Benedicite Bernard Biblical birds blessing Bonaventure Brother Fire Canticle Canticle's Canticum Cathar Celano and Bonaventure chapter chivalric Cistercian conception context creatures divine E.A. Armstrong earlier early Franciscan earth elements emotional Englebert 1972 eremetic Esser evangelical example Exhortation expressions Fioretti flowers Francis of Assisi frate friars Glacken God's Guthlac Habig hagiographers harmony hermits History holy human humankind Ibid incident innovative interpretation Italian Joachim of Fiore La Verna Latin Laudato Legend of Perugia liturgical London medieval Middle Ages modern monks mystical experience natural environment natural world nature mysticism Neoplatonic original Oxford paradise passages poem poetry preaching Psalm reactions relationship religious respect Saint Francis seen Sermon Severus Sister Sister Moon spiritual stories T.H. White things Thomas of Celano trans troubadour Vicinelli view of creation vision Vita Vita Prima York