History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 236 - None for Me, Thanks - Franciscan Poverty
Aug 9, 2015
Exploring the tension between Franciscan poverty and institutionalization, the effectiveness of the vow of poverty, the Franciscans' understanding of poverty, and the significance of poverty in Franciscan life.
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Franciscan Poverty Versus Church Wealth
- Francis of Assisi launched a radical mendicant movement that rejected ownership while the established church held vast wealth.
- This tension created a practical and ideological problem as the order grew and accumulated buildings and donations.
Academic Rivalry Sparks Critique
- Alexander of Hales joining the Franciscans while holding a Paris theology chair sparked secular resentment among university masters.
- William of Saint-Amour and others attacked mendicant influence in university posts and criticized their poverty vow.
Ownership vs Use Legal Strategy
- Mendicants relied on a legal distinction between ownership and use to justify possessing buildings, books, and food.
- That doctrine made their claims dependent on papal recognition and vulnerable if the papacy turned against them.