Breviloquium

by Bonaventure

One of the works of Bonaventure that demonstrates his skill in "the divine art of synthesis" and is considered "the capstone of his academic careet." This is Bonaventure's comprehensive presentation of Christian doctrine in a form suitable for instructional purposes. It can be used by anyone with an interest in the writings of the Seraphic Doctor.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Medieval, Spirituality, Religion, History

1110 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Bonaventure (b. 1221 as John of Fidanza) was an Italian medieval scholastic theologian and philosopher, the eighth Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor. He was a Cardinal Bishop of Albano. He was canonized on 14 April 1482 by Pope Sixtus IV and declared a Doctor of the Church in the year 1588 by Pope Sixtus V. He is known as the "Seraphic Doctor" (Latin: "Doctor Seraphicus"). Many writings believed in the Middle Ages to be his are now collected under the name Pseudo-Bonaventura.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonaventure wrote the Breviloquium in 1257, the same year that he was elected Minister General of the rather tumultuous Franciscan order. In that light, it's maybe most helpful to see this work as a sort of textbook, designed for young friars who were entering the order (and the university) without a large background of theological training. It's a surprisingly readable introduction to medieval theology, and it's based upon a deductive method of inquiry (Bonaventure starts with assumptions of the faith and derives conclusions from there) rather than the more traditionally scholastic method of induction.

Bonaventure's theology, broadly speaking, it structured around an 'exitus redditus' formula, which is Latin way of saying that his theology is conceptualized around the idea of Creation processing outwards from God and - even after the introduction of original sin - Creation then striving back towards God. His seven sections focus on God (particularly God as Trinity), Creation, Original Sin, Christ, Grace, and the Last Judgment. He's a lot like Anselm in much of his thought, with a healthy dose of Peter Lombard tossed in.

Along with Aquinas, Bonaventure is one of the Big Medieval Theologians and is certainly worth a read. I think on the whole I like his The Journey of the Mind to God a bit better, though.

[Florent · Rating 5 out of 5]

St. Bonaventure is one of the great Doctors of the Catholic Church. This catechism is shorter and easier to read than modern catechisms.
The theology of creation is presented as a core doctrine.
St. Bonaventure is underrated since he is more a theologian than a philosopher. This is the baseline of a more liberal line of Catholicism.

[Caius Hallett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather systematic and concise summary of Medieval theology from the greatest General of the order of Friars minor