Francis of Assisi and the Feminine - Franciscan Institute Publications

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FOREWORD 15 which there would be no turning back, but rather of proposing to the reader the possibility that Francis, among others, was a channel. Franciscan Studies underwent a complete and radical revival through Paul Sabatier a century ago. The “Franciscan Question” was born when the protestant pastor published his Life of Saint Francis of Assisi in 1894. Other great French experts, scholars such as Théophile Desbonnets, played a decisive role through their work and in the debate that ensued. But, frankly speaking, during the past fifteen years, the most lively research on the Poverello has clearly taken place across the Alps. Thus, this book was initially written in Italian because it was fully charged by the dynamism currently experienced in Italy for historical studies in general and Franciscans studies in particular. The original edition gave me the opportunity to acknowledge the debt I owe to my Italian colleagues and friends in their own language. It was nevertheless paradoxical to suggest to a French editor that he take on the translation and publication of a text that was neither conceived nor written in the mother tongue of the author. Hubert Nyssen took up the challenge with his characteristic freedom of spirit and intellectual generosity. I express my deep gratitude to him. Lastly, I wish to express how greatly I am indebted to Giovanni Miccoli, for much more than helping me to overcome cultural and linguistic barriers. Specialists agree in recognizing that, a little less than a hundred years since the Franciscan Question was opened up, his book, Francesco d’Assisi: Realtà e memoria di un’esperienza cristiana, 6 has essentially led to a resolution of the fruitful questions launched by Sabatier. Without his positive impetus, I could never have envisioned the publication of this work. A benevolent and illuminative reader, he suggested a number of new directions and areas, where I could delve more deeply, which I am sure I have not used to full advantage. He has agreed, moreover, to reproduce the substance of the dialogue we shared, and the words we exchanged on the way, omnia
16 FRANCIS OF ASSISI AND THE FEMININE verba quæ diximus in via, in his afterword. From the bottom of my heart, I thank him for the journey we have traveled together. We are only passengers on this earth. Notes 1 LMj 14:4. For Francis’s writings and legends, we will use systematically the abbreviations and the subdivisions of Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, R. J. Armstrong, OFM Cap., J. A. Wayne Hellmann, OFM Conv., W. J. Short, OFM, eds. 3 vols. (New York: New City Press, 1999-2001). The Latin editions are indicated below in the bibliography. English references are given as FAED and volume number. 2 Except for the portraits offered to the non-specialized public by F. Cardini [Francesco d’Assisi (Milan: A. Mondadori, 1989)] and C. Frugoni [Vita di un uomo: Francesco d’Assisi (Turin: Einaudi, 1995); [English trans., Francis of Assisi: A Life (New York: Continuum, 1998)], the last biography is that of R. Manselli, Francesco d’Assisi (Roma: Bulzoni, 1980), revised as San Francesco (Milan: Cinisello Balsamo, 2002); for the English version, see St. Francis of Assisi (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1988). 3 P. Toubert, “Église et État au XI e siècle: la signification du moment grégorien pour la genèse de l’État moderne,” in État et Église dans la genèse de l’État moderne. Actes du Colloque Organisé par le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et la Casa de Velázquez (Madrid: Casa de Velázquez, 1986), 13. 4 J. Michelet, “Histoire de France: Le Moyen Âge” in Œuvres complètes, vol. 4, 460. P. Viallaneix ed., 21 vols. (Paris: Flammarion, 1971-1982). 5 Henry Thode, Franz von Assisi und die Anfänge der Kunst der Renaissance in Italien (Berlin: Grote, 1885); Sandra Migliore, Francesco d’Assisi: tra due secoli 1882-1926 (Rome: Istituto Storico Cappuccini, 2000). 6 See Francesco d’Assisi: Realtà e memoria di un’esperienza cristiana (Turin: Einaudi, 1991).
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