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Simplicity, Spirituality, Service: The Timeless Wisdom of Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure
“Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure inspire us to re-enchant and heal our spiritual practices and religious institutions and to reclaim our vocation as God’s companions in healing the world.”
Francis was inspired by the simple goal of living a gospel life in the footprints of Jesus. Clare took that vision into a deep, contemplative spirituality. A few decades later, Bonaventure explored the theological structure of Francis’s ideal and put the simplicity and spirituality of Francis and Clare in the service of the Franciscan order, the church, and the world. Their timeless wisdom and unique contributions can guide Christians today in finding ways to be, in the words of Francis’s first biographer, “always new, always fresh, always beginning again.”
As he did in Walking with Francis of Assisi , Bruce Epperly shows us how the lives of three saints from the thirteenth century offer wisdom, insight, and practical solutions to our challenges in the twenty-first century. Many of those challenges they never could have imagined; others would be very healing divisions among people, caring for God’s creation in a time of climate change, renewing the church’s gospel commitment to the poor and vulnerable, valuing the human person in an increasingly technological society, recognizing the presence of God in an expanding universe.
Faithfulness to Franciscan spirituality involves inviting other companions to join us on the journey. Epperly brings Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure in dialogue with figures such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Pope Francis, Joshua Heschel, Leonardo Boff, Albert Schweitzer, Dorothy Day. Some of these were influenced by Francis; all of them witness to the need for a world formed, sustained, and sanctified by God’s love.
Francis was inspired by the simple goal of living a gospel life in the footprints of Jesus. Clare took that vision into a deep, contemplative spirituality. A few decades later, Bonaventure explored the theological structure of Francis’s ideal and put the simplicity and spirituality of Francis and Clare in the service of the Franciscan order, the church, and the world. Their timeless wisdom and unique contributions can guide Christians today in finding ways to be, in the words of Francis’s first biographer, “always new, always fresh, always beginning again.”
As he did in Walking with Francis of Assisi , Bruce Epperly shows us how the lives of three saints from the thirteenth century offer wisdom, insight, and practical solutions to our challenges in the twenty-first century. Many of those challenges they never could have imagined; others would be very healing divisions among people, caring for God’s creation in a time of climate change, renewing the church’s gospel commitment to the poor and vulnerable, valuing the human person in an increasingly technological society, recognizing the presence of God in an expanding universe.
Faithfulness to Franciscan spirituality involves inviting other companions to join us on the journey. Epperly brings Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure in dialogue with figures such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Pope Francis, Joshua Heschel, Leonardo Boff, Albert Schweitzer, Dorothy Day. Some of these were influenced by Francis; all of them witness to the need for a world formed, sustained, and sanctified by God’s love.
188 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2023
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December 27, 2023
St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare are figures who are almost mythical in their persona. Their life stories exude an almost ethereal sensibility. Yet, they are real people, whose life stories and legacy continue to influence the lives of not only Roman Catholics but Christians of all stripes and beyond. We sing their hymns and recite their prayers, even if not all the prayers and hymns attributed to them go back to them. When Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a Jesuit Archbishop from Argentina was elected Pope, taking the name of Francis, many of us assumed that he had chosen to identify himself with the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier. But we were wrong. the newly elected Pope had chosen to identify himself with Francis of Assisi. Time has demonstrated that he does embody the spirit of Francis of Assisi. So, what wisdom might we gain from Francis as well as his colleague and friend Clare of Assisi, as well as the Franciscan theologian and biographer of Francis, St. Bonaventure? That is a question that Bruce Epperly seeks to answer in "Simplicity, Spirituality, Service."
Epperly is the author of many books, many of which focus on spirituality. He finds in Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure people who share with him a common sense of purpose. The focus of the book is really on Francis and to a lesser degree Clare, while Bonaventure makes occasional appearances. In his preface, he was asked by the publishers of his earlier book Walking with Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism to write a sequel. While he struggled to find a path forward, he got spiritual inspiration to write about finding new vocations and beginning new lives.
That theme of beginning again is picked up right away in Chapter 1, "Beginning Again" which introduces us to the callings of Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure. We are reminded that they gave up lives of privilege to take up lives of radical simplicity. For Francis, the call of God spoke of repairing the church. A dozen years younger, Clare embraced the path of simplicity set forth by Francis, and together they invited others to join them. Bonaventure for his part discovered that he could combine this call to simplicity with high-level theological work. But, this is not a history lesson. It is an invitation to discover in these three persons guides to our own spiritual transformation.
Having introduced us to the three figures whose stories provide the focus of the book, in Chapter 2, "The Ever-New God," Epperly offers a vision of God that reflects both Francis' understanding of God and Bruce's own process perspectives. He sees in these three an embrace of panentheism, such that "God in all things and all things in God." It is Bonaventure who most clearly articulated the view Bruce wants us to hear. That is Good is "the One whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere." (p. 16). Bruce finds in Francis an exponent of relational spirituality, such that we make a difference to God, even as God makes a difference in our lives.
If the first chapter introduces us to the three primary figures of the book and Chapter 2 speaks of a new vision of God, the third chapter invites us to Take "a fresh path with Jesus." It's here that he brings Jesus into the conversation. He begins by pointing us to Albert Schweizer's calling to follow Jesus by becoming a medical missionary in Africa. Epperly wants us to know that Francis was thoroughly inspired by the life of Jesus. He sought to embody Jesus' lifestyle as closely as he could. Francis and Clare looked at the cross as a sign that they too should take up the sacrificial life. In the course of the chapter, we encounter the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer, inviting us to follow the way of Jesus.
In Chapter 4 Epperly speaks of "Growing in Wisdom and Stature," something that Jesus accomplished. Again, Francis found encouragement in Jesus' life, especially Jesus' rebellious streak. Most importantly, Epperly draws on the three figures to speak of growing in wisdom, something are all called to do. If Chapter 4 speaks of growing in Wisdom, Chapter 5 speaks of growing through prayer. Here prayer is linked with a spirituality of the senses. In the course of the chapter Epperly introduces us to various forms of prayer that can broaden the spiritual life.
Francis heard God invite him to repair the church. So, whereas the prior chapters focus on the personal spiritual life and transformation, in chapter 6, Bruce speaks of "Fresh Church." Here we encounter Francis and Clare serving as "quiet challengers of the Church." They embodied a prophetic spirit rooted in mysticism. He writes that "Though beatified and declared saints shortly after their deaths, during their lives, they were a source of irritation and concern among powerful prelates, and their simplicity was an implicit critique of institutional religion." (p. 101). Remember that their order was approved by one of the most powerful Popes of the medieval age, Innocent III. Nevertheless, they called for the church to embrace simplicity and spiritual democracy.
As we turn to Chapter 7 the discussion turns to creation itself. Francis is known for his embrace of nature. Consider that Pope Francis' important encyclical on caring for the planet took inspiration from St. Francis' "Canticle of Creatures." Thus for him, "To follow Jesus means to love God's creatures, great and small" (p. 126). It is a calling that has found resistance in some parts of the populace, but it is an important calling, to care for nature. But Francis and Clare not only invite us to participate in the healing of creation, they invite us to "Create Peace" (Chapter 9). While the famous Prayer of St. Francis is likely a 20th-century creation, it embodies the spirit of Francis. We can imagine him praying "Let me be an instrument of your Peace." With that in mind he invites us to consider ways of being at peace with the church and with others, reminding us that in an age of crusades, Francis reached out to the Sultan in Egypt and engaged in interfaith dialogue. He didn't convert the Sultan but gained his respect. But as you might expect Francis sought peace not just with humans but with the earth itself along with its creatures. He even draws upon the story of how Francis converted the wolf that terrorized a village. But there is more. He speaks of making peace with aging and death.
Having invited us to follow this pathway set for us by Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure, Epperly closes in Chapter 9 by restating the calling to embrace a life that is "always new, always fresh, always beginning again." The message here is "The path of simplicity and solidarity is part of a greater path, the holy adventure of God, beckoning us to journey forward to God's shalom" (p. 166).
Bruce Epperly is a lively writer. Even if you don't embrace Process Theology, he has a way of bringing insights drawn from Process, but without getting bogged down in philosophical debates. Whatever your background, I think you will find wisdom for life in these chapters.
Epperly is the author of many books, many of which focus on spirituality. He finds in Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure people who share with him a common sense of purpose. The focus of the book is really on Francis and to a lesser degree Clare, while Bonaventure makes occasional appearances. In his preface, he was asked by the publishers of his earlier book Walking with Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism to write a sequel. While he struggled to find a path forward, he got spiritual inspiration to write about finding new vocations and beginning new lives.
That theme of beginning again is picked up right away in Chapter 1, "Beginning Again" which introduces us to the callings of Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure. We are reminded that they gave up lives of privilege to take up lives of radical simplicity. For Francis, the call of God spoke of repairing the church. A dozen years younger, Clare embraced the path of simplicity set forth by Francis, and together they invited others to join them. Bonaventure for his part discovered that he could combine this call to simplicity with high-level theological work. But, this is not a history lesson. It is an invitation to discover in these three persons guides to our own spiritual transformation.
Having introduced us to the three figures whose stories provide the focus of the book, in Chapter 2, "The Ever-New God," Epperly offers a vision of God that reflects both Francis' understanding of God and Bruce's own process perspectives. He sees in these three an embrace of panentheism, such that "God in all things and all things in God." It is Bonaventure who most clearly articulated the view Bruce wants us to hear. That is Good is "the One whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere." (p. 16). Bruce finds in Francis an exponent of relational spirituality, such that we make a difference to God, even as God makes a difference in our lives.
If the first chapter introduces us to the three primary figures of the book and Chapter 2 speaks of a new vision of God, the third chapter invites us to Take "a fresh path with Jesus." It's here that he brings Jesus into the conversation. He begins by pointing us to Albert Schweizer's calling to follow Jesus by becoming a medical missionary in Africa. Epperly wants us to know that Francis was thoroughly inspired by the life of Jesus. He sought to embody Jesus' lifestyle as closely as he could. Francis and Clare looked at the cross as a sign that they too should take up the sacrificial life. In the course of the chapter, we encounter the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer, inviting us to follow the way of Jesus.
In Chapter 4 Epperly speaks of "Growing in Wisdom and Stature," something that Jesus accomplished. Again, Francis found encouragement in Jesus' life, especially Jesus' rebellious streak. Most importantly, Epperly draws on the three figures to speak of growing in wisdom, something are all called to do. If Chapter 4 speaks of growing in Wisdom, Chapter 5 speaks of growing through prayer. Here prayer is linked with a spirituality of the senses. In the course of the chapter Epperly introduces us to various forms of prayer that can broaden the spiritual life.
Francis heard God invite him to repair the church. So, whereas the prior chapters focus on the personal spiritual life and transformation, in chapter 6, Bruce speaks of "Fresh Church." Here we encounter Francis and Clare serving as "quiet challengers of the Church." They embodied a prophetic spirit rooted in mysticism. He writes that "Though beatified and declared saints shortly after their deaths, during their lives, they were a source of irritation and concern among powerful prelates, and their simplicity was an implicit critique of institutional religion." (p. 101). Remember that their order was approved by one of the most powerful Popes of the medieval age, Innocent III. Nevertheless, they called for the church to embrace simplicity and spiritual democracy.
As we turn to Chapter 7 the discussion turns to creation itself. Francis is known for his embrace of nature. Consider that Pope Francis' important encyclical on caring for the planet took inspiration from St. Francis' "Canticle of Creatures." Thus for him, "To follow Jesus means to love God's creatures, great and small" (p. 126). It is a calling that has found resistance in some parts of the populace, but it is an important calling, to care for nature. But Francis and Clare not only invite us to participate in the healing of creation, they invite us to "Create Peace" (Chapter 9). While the famous Prayer of St. Francis is likely a 20th-century creation, it embodies the spirit of Francis. We can imagine him praying "Let me be an instrument of your Peace." With that in mind he invites us to consider ways of being at peace with the church and with others, reminding us that in an age of crusades, Francis reached out to the Sultan in Egypt and engaged in interfaith dialogue. He didn't convert the Sultan but gained his respect. But as you might expect Francis sought peace not just with humans but with the earth itself along with its creatures. He even draws upon the story of how Francis converted the wolf that terrorized a village. But there is more. He speaks of making peace with aging and death.
Having invited us to follow this pathway set for us by Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure, Epperly closes in Chapter 9 by restating the calling to embrace a life that is "always new, always fresh, always beginning again." The message here is "The path of simplicity and solidarity is part of a greater path, the holy adventure of God, beckoning us to journey forward to God's shalom" (p. 166).
Bruce Epperly is a lively writer. Even if you don't embrace Process Theology, he has a way of bringing insights drawn from Process, but without getting bogged down in philosophical debates. Whatever your background, I think you will find wisdom for life in these chapters.
January 29, 2025
I'd actually rate this 3.5 stars. There were many passages that I highlighted and probably with adequate time to sit down and reflect at the end of each chapter, I might rate this higher. While the ideas are compelling, belonging to a more independent church as the author does makes his ideas more achievable. I don't think you can implement things easily in a more traditional church. I do agree with many of the insights of the authors as to where the problems are in our world today, but with the recent election results, it appears that simplicity and attentiveness to the environment and respect for others are not on the agenda of most Americans. I will go back and ponder the passages that touched me and perhaps outline a more practical route for me to take in my life.
October 17, 2024
Un buen libro sobre la espiritualidad franciscana. Aunque muy liviano en la manera que aborda a San Buenaventura. Dentro de todo es buen libro aunque muy básico.
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