Francis, Clare and the Ecumenical Spirit of Assisi (original) (raw)
Related papers
Nicholas of Cusa, Francis of Assisi, and interreligious dialogue
Academia Letters, 2021
Tom Izbicki and I co-wrote an article titled "Nicholas of Cusa and the Ottoman Threat to Christendom." It argues that Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464) had a long-time interest in the possibility of dialogue with Muslims, as demonstrated in his irenic De pace fidei (1453), but over the years gradually moved away from dialogue toward supporting a crusade against the Ottoman Turks. His harsh polemical Cribratio Alkorani (1461) and some of his sermons can be considered the literary expressions of this change of mind. We submitted our manuscript to Medieval Encounters, and the peer review process resulted in acceptance (forthcoming soon), but with an objection to our use of the term "interreligious dialogue"[1] because the term is a modern one and did not exist in 15th century Europe nor in Cusanus' lexicon, nor is the phenomenon (interreligious dialogue) older than its name. While this was reviewer 2, reviewer 1 suggested a bibliographical improvement and recommended using a few additional publications, inter alia, a recent study by Kate Waggoner Karchner.[2] This study concludes that, following Riccoldo da Montecroce's Contra legem Sarracenorum, Cusanus' Cribratio attempted to create an interreligious dialogue-the term is at the core of her paper. Accordingly, while Cusanus supported the crusade planned by Pope Pius II, "he focused his efforts and his writings much more intently on finding a dialogic way for Christians to approach Islam than on promoting crusades directly. Both churchmen [Pope Pius II and Cardinal Cusanus], seem to have seen dialogue as a more productive approach to Islam…"[3] The reviewers' contradictory remarks created a confusing situation: on the one hand, we faced a demand to rule out "interreligious dialogue" as anachronistic; on the other hand, we were recommended to rely on, or at least use, a study that has "interreligious dialogue" at its heart. What to do in such a case? First, let us clear up "interreligious dialogue."
The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 2018
If one day Muslim Americans will be forced to register their identities, then that is the day this proud Jew will register as a Muslim" (Khomami and Sidahmed 2016)-Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) "When we were at last together he railed against injustice, particularly injustice against the lowly. He told me he had made a vow-at age seventy-six-that if a certain Algerian who is wanted by both the French police and the Algerian terrorists comes to the Muslim-Christian pilgrimage in Brittany later this month and is arrested, he will enter prison with him" (emphasis added). 1-Herbert Mason on Louis Massignon (1988, 102) "Many times in our private conversations, Massingnon told me how great was his debt to St. Francis of Assisi, whom he considered not only one of the most 'compassionate' men in the history of civilization, but also the first Western Christian to preach, by example, as well as by words, the principle of non-violence, as opposed to the warlike ideology of the Crusades …. to preach the principle that only with love should we confront those who appear to be our enemies."-Giulio Bassetti-Sani, OFM (1974, 33) Louis Massignon (1883-1962) was one of the most important European scholars of Islam in the 20 th century (Hourani 1991a; Hopwood 2003). He has been described by a leading scholar of Shi'ite Islam as "perhaps the greatest academic scholar of Islam that the [Western] world has ever produced" (Nasr 1987, 254; Bill and Williams 2002, 88). He was professor of sociology of Islam, who took a special interest in Islamic mysticism, at the Collège de France, and also was the most important Catholic scholar of Islam in the 20 th century (O'Mahony 2008). His views on Islam were largely responsible for the Catholic Church's more positive approach to Islam and Muslim-Christian dialogue after the Second Vatican Council (O'Mahony 2007). Moreover, Massignon was not only an important figure in the modern history of Islamic Studies in the West, or a seminar figure in the Catholic Church's approach to Islam. His "agenda as an Orientalist were part of the Catholic revival in France in the first half of the twentieth century" (Irwin 2007, 225). Perhaps, he was "the only Islamic scholar who was a central figure in the intellectual life The author would like to greatly thank Anthony O'Mahony, and the anonymous reviews for their comments. 1 Massingnon's is referring to the legend of the "Seven Sleepers of Ephesus" found in the Qur'an and ancient Christian sources. This tradition is commemorated at ancient Christian site in Brittany, France associated today with a Muslim-Christian pilgrimage founded by Massignon for reconciliation between Jews, Christians and Muslims shortly after armed struggle in Algeria started in the 1950's (section 4). Herbert Mason, formerly University Professor of History and Religion, Boston University, was a lifelong friend of Massignon's, and translated into English Massignon's La Passion d' al-Hallaj / The Passion of al-Hallaj (Massignon 1982).
Jaláludʼdín Rúmí and St. Francisof Assisi: Brothers Beyond the Book
The discussions in this paper are based on three works of Rūmī and three works of Saint Francis. They are as follows: Jaláludʼdín Rúmí • Explaining the state of the self-conceited and those ungrateful for the blessing of the existence of prophets and saints • The story about the competition between the Greeks and the Chinese in the art of painting and portraiture • Discourse 30 Saint Francis of Assisi • The Praises of Wisdom, Simplicity, Poverty, Humility, Charity and Obedience and True and Perfect Joy • Monastic Conferences of St. Frances “Conference XV Of those who Apply themselves to Learning.” • Similitude V: That the Servant of God should Refer all Praise and Honour to Him.
The Downside Review, 2018
St. Francis of Assisi’s dramatic meeting with the Sultan Malek el-Kamel in Damietta, Egypt, during the Fifth Crusade (1213–1221) has become an important part of the contemporary context for Muslim–Christian relations, Middle East politics and international relations. It is well-known among Catholics and medieval historians, but it was Pope John Paul II who coined the term ‘the spirit of Assisi’ which has given this event its prominence and relevance. However, this has been questioned – it is based on limited and contradictory evidence, and why do we need such historical models of positive Muslim–Christian relations? This article, in response to these objections, argues that critical theory, the Frankfurt School and social constructivism as they are developed in the theory of international relations offer a helpful perspective to examine Francis’ encounter with the Sultan, and this shows more clearly why this early Muslim–Christian encounter is relevant for contemporary international...