Description:

CFIT/WTU Series, Volume 4

Over the centuries in word and deed, Franciscan scholars and practitioners have demonstrated a clear and faithful understanding of what it means to live as followers of Christ in a defined ecclesia. Francis of Assisi was eminently clear about his attitude toward the Church, understood both as community and institution.

Today, as in the time of Francis, moral failures and overt incompetence in the Church create credibility gaps between the people and those entrusted with authority. Is there a Franciscan way of approaching this pain and brokenness? What lies beneath the fidelity of St. Francis to the Church and its authorities? How can Christians today look with compassion on this suffering body and hear, as Francis heard, a voice directing us to rebuild my church? In this volume of essays we hear a word of hope as the authors reflect with us on these very same questions for our times.

In 2001, the English Speaking Conference of the orders of Friars Minor (ESC), in collaboration with Franciscan theological schools of the English-speaking world, committed itself to promoting the renewal of Franciscan theological and intellectual formation among the members of the Franciscan family. This promotion as a twofold purpose: to help members understand the beauty and wealth of the Franciscan intellectual tradition and to extend to the whole Franciscan family and to society the intellectual heritage of the Franciscan school so that it can support effective evangelization. This series of publications aims to carry forward this purpose. It is hoped that, with hope, joy and enthusiasm, Franciscans can once again look at their intellectual history, make it part of their lives, and prepare to become better proclaimers of the Word to the world.

Click here to view a sample chapter.