A Mended and Broken Heart: The Life and Love of Francis of by Wendy Murray

By Wendy Murray

A few reflections:

(1) That Francis used to be a fine looking guy, as advised by way of the author,was infrequently the case. we now have modern photos of Francis displaying in a different way besides descriptions of his contemporaries corresponding to Thomas of Celano;

(2) That Francis used to be a womanizer, back instructed by way of the writer, is uncertain. there is not any proof in any respect of this. In thirteenth Century Assisi, this type of small city, it'll were prohibitied except the writer is suggesting Francis visited homes of prostitution. there's no list of this in any respect. the writer is placing her twenty first Century inklings into the thirteenth Century;

(3) there is not any indication in any respect that Francis had any romantic feelings
toward Claire of Assisi. background is totally silent in this factor. the writer is true pertaining to Francis' and his love of Arthurian legends.
As an issue of heritage, the belief of chivalric love prohibited sexual touch. woman Poverty was once simply that - a component of his mystical lifestyles. And certainly the age distinction is suspect - Francis was once nearly 30 while he switched over to the paranormal existence - Claire turning 14 - 15;

(4) sure, Francis did visit warfare. the writer says he was once a "warrior."
Such a note indicates a way of life which could not often painting the Francis of Assisi of historic checklist. convinced, he went to conflict yet we don't have any thought of what he did. He may have killed or he might have been nursing the wounded in his first conflict. we do not be aware of. We do recognize he used to be attempting to satisfy his father's aspirations whilst he armored as much as pass at the Cursades. This enterprise, we all know, used to be interrupted via a paranormal occasion for Francis. He became again and have become a knight of his Lord - the magical Christ who finally spoke to him at Daniano. used to be he then a "failed knight?" as prompt through the writer. Francis notion in a different way. the matter right here seems to be the author's loss of spiritual intuition which might make such occasions incomprehensible. If whatever may be stated approximately Francis at this juncture is that he didn't stay as much as his father's needs - a failed son instead of a failed knight. the connection among Francis and his father is a gold mine that merits mental scrutiny - to ensure a Freudian may come to another end than a Jungian.

(5)The writer contends that he created friendship with the Muslims. hugely exagerated. Francis was once a medieval guy and probably notion as so much medieval Christians the assumption of the hugely influential Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the 1st preacher of the Crusades a century previous. Bernard acknowledged "to kill a Muslim isn't really to devote homocide." Francis faced the Sultan throughout the Crusades. at the moment he justified the killing going as being important till the Muslims approved the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On his go back from the Crusades he not just didn't hold forth opposed to the Crusades yet his Order, the Franciscans, have been ordered by way of the Pope to evangelise the Crusades. during this skill, they went from city to city to elevate males, funds and fabric for the Crusades. Had it now not been for the Franciscans the Crusades couldn't have occurred in that century. No objections from the founder here;

There are many reliable books on Saint Francis. this isn't one in all them. the writer lacks the spirit of the age, the spiritual intuition which may understand what the actors are dealing with. i'm sorry to assert this isn't reliable background. it really is sloppy background reflecting the sentiments of the current into the previous. Of the prospective 5 stars I remove 3 for wish of background yet supply it one famous person for the canopy and one big name for the paper it's written on. Why punish the blameless no matter if inanimate?