SPIRITUAL WARFARE - Franciscan Institute Publications

Spiritual Warfare
and six Other
Spiritual Writings of
Peter of john olivi
Translation, Introduction and Notes
by Robert J. Karris, OFM

Spiritual Warfare and
Six Other Spiritual Writings
by Peter of John Olivi
Translation, Introductions, and Notes
by Robert J. Karris, O.F.M.

Copyright © 2012
Franciscan Institute Publications
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure, NY
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
Cover design: Jill M. Smith
Cover Image: Photograph by Will McLean.
Used with permission.
ISBN10: 1-57659-344-4
ISBN13: 978-1-57659-344-8
eISBN 10: 1-57659-355-X
eISBN13: 978-1-57659-355-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Olivi, Pierre Jean, 1248 or 9-1298.
[Selections. English. 2012]
Spiritual warfare and six other spiritual writings / by Peter of John
Olivi ; translation, introductions, and notes by Robert J. Karris.
p. cm.
Includes indexes.
ISBN 978-1-57659-344-8 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-57659-355-4 (ebook)
1. Philosophy, Medieval. I. Karris, Robert J. II. Title.
B765.O52E5 2012
230'.2--dc23
2012023680
Printed in the United States of America
BookMasters, Inc.
Ashland, Ohio

Table of Contents
Introduction to the Seven Treatises 7
Chapter I The Prayer of Thanksgiving 9
Chapter II Lessons on Growth in the Spiritual Life 17
Chapter III Remedies against Spiritual Temptations 25
Appendix 35
Chapter IV Commentary on Luke 1:26-38: Mary’s devout
prayer, vigilance, and loving obedience 37
Chapter V Treatise on the Lord’s Prayer 55
Chapter VI On The Seven Sentiments of Christ Jesus 77
Chapter VII Spiritual Warfare or The Armed Soldier 103
Appendix 117
Indices 125

ABBREVIATIONS AND SHORT TITLES
Breviloquium Introduction, Translation and Notes by Dominic
V. Monti. WSB IX; Saint Bonaventure,
NY: Franciscan Institute Publications, 2005.
CSD
The Works of Bonaventure V: Collations on
the Six Days. Translated by José de Vinck.
Paterson: St. Anthony Guild Press, 1970.
CUA
Catholic University of America
CFS
Cistercian Fathers Series
CCSL Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina.
CCCM Corpus Christianorum. Continuatio Mediaevalis
FA:ED Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volumes
1-3. Edited by Regis Armstrong, J.A. Wayne
Hellmann, William Short. New York: New
City Press, 1999-2001.
FC
Fathers of the Church
GGHG Gregory the Great’s Homilies on the Gospels.
Gregorivs Magnvs, Homiliae in Evangelia.
CCSL cxli. Edited by Raymond Étaix. Turnhout:
Brepols, 1999.
Hurst Gregory the Great: Forty Gospel Homilies.
Translated from the Latin by David Hurst.
Cistercian Studies Series 123; Kalamazoo,
Michigan: Cistercian Publications, 1990.
LCL
Loeb Classical Library
Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae Opera Omnia. Studio et
Cura PP. Collegii a S. Bonaventura (Ad
Claras Aquas). Quaracchi: Collegium S. Bonaventurae,
1882-1902. The volume number

PG
PL
SBOp
Vulgate
WSA
WSB
is first given and then the page number, e.g.
5:24.
Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series Graeca.
Ed. J.P. Migne.
Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series Latina.
Ed. J.P. Migne.
Sancti Bernardi Opera I-VIII Ed. J. Leclercq
and H.M. Rochais with the assistance of C.H.
Talbot for Volumes I-II. Rome: Editiones Cisterciensis,
1957-77.
Biblia Sacra Iuxta Vulgatam Versionem....
Editionem quartam emendatam cum sociis
B. Fischer, H.O. Frede, H.F.D. Sparks, W.
Thiele praeparavit Roger Gryson, Stuttgart:
Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1969. 4th ed.
1994.
Works of Saint Augustine
Works of Saint Bonaventure

Old Testament
Gen 1 Chron Cant Obadiah
Ex 2 Chron Wis Jonah
Lev Ezra Isa Micah
Num Nehemiah Jer Nah
Deut Tob Lam Hab
Joshua Judith Bar Zeph
Judges Esther Ez Haggai
Ruth Job Dan Zech
1 Sam Ps Hosea Mal
2 Sam Prov Joel 1 Macc
1 Kings Qoh Amos 2 Macc
2 Kings Sir
New Testament
Matt 1 Cor 1 Thes Hebr 3 John
Mark 2 Cor 2 Thes James Jude
Luke Gal 1 Tim 1 Peter Rev
John Eph 2 Tim 2 Peter
Acts Phil Titus 1 John
Rom Col Phlm 2 John

Introduction
People generally identify Peter of John Olivi (d. 1298) as a
theologian or philosopher. Some might also characterize him
as a Franciscan reformer who ran afoul of the Roman authorities
after his death. Few would venture to call him a
Spiritual Director. Yet there are short works under his name
that demonstrate that he was indeed a Spiritual Director.
The audience for these works generally consisted of lay people
who wanted to make progress on the road to perfection. 1
Louisa A. Burnham gets more specific and relates them to
Beguins who soon may have their lives interrupted by persecution
from the Inquisition. She writes: “… for Olivi and for
his followers, the last times were not merely the trope that
had been evoked since evangelical times … but were earnestly
and urgently felt to be upon them. All of these texts (Olivi’s
four spiritual writings) helped the Beguins … and prepared
them to interpret the cosmic significance of the persecuting
events soon to interrupt their lives.” 2
1
See Antonio Montefusco, “Structure and Tradition of Pierre de Jean
Olieu’s Opuscula: Inner Experience and Devotional Writing,” Franciscan
Studies 69 (2011): 153-74. See also Antonio Montefusco, “L’opuscolo Miles
armatus di Pierre de Jean Olieu: Edizione critica e commento,” Studi Francescani
108 (2011): 51-170. See further Raoul Manselli, “Les opuscules spirituels
de Pierre Jean-Olivi et la piété des béguins de Langue d’Oc,” in
Raoul Manselli, Da Gioacchino da Fiore a Cristoforo Colombo: Studi sul
Francescanesimo spiritual, sull’ecclesiologia e sull’escatologismo bassomedievali,
ed. with an Introduction by Paulo Vian, Istituto Storico Italiano
per il Medio Evo, Nuovi Studi Storici 36 (Rome: Nella Sede dell’Istituto,
1997), 401-25. The four small spiritual works of Peter of John Olivi (The
Armed Soldier; The Prayer of Thanksgiving; Lessons on Growth in the
Spiritual Life; Remedies against Spiritual Temptations) are perfect examples
of “popular religion.”
2
See her So Great a Light, So Great a Smoke: The Beguin Heretics of
Languedoc (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2008), 62.

I have taken it upon myself to augment Peter of John
Olivi’s “four spiritual writings” 3 with three other pieces: his
treatise on The Lord’s Prayer; his treatise On The Seven Sentiments
of Christ Jesus; an abbreviated version of his commentary
on Mary’s response to Gabriel in Luke 1:26-38. To
me these additional three writings help give a wider window
onto Peter of John Olivi, Spiritual Director. I have provided
a brief Introduction to each piece and have saved to the end
what may be his most interesting and challenging writing,
the one I title “Spiritual Warfare.” Traditionally it is titled
“The Armed Soldier.” Because of the uniqueness of its vocabulary
and imagery I have provided many footnotes of clarification.
Also in an Appendix I have translated two interpretive
parallels to help readers see where Peter of John Olivi is
traditional and where he is unique.
I thank Br. F. Edward Coughlin, O.F.M., interim Director
of The Franciscan Institute, and Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F.,
S.T.D., President of St. Bonaventure University, for their continued
support.
3
See the end of n. 1.