When Saint Francis Saved the Church
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When Saint Francis Saved the Church: How a Converted Medieval Troubadour Created a Spiritual Vision for the Ages Hardcover – September 8, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"An exciting, intelligent, and faithful understanding of Francis of Assisi--for our time and for all time! Read, and find hope!" --Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
"Jon Sweeney is good at many things, but he is a master at retrieving the treasure of the Christian past and restoring it to currency for the Christian present. In this book, he transcends even those categories." --Barbara Brown Taylor, Author of An Altar in the World
"Reflecting with Jon Sweeney on the work and wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi orients us on how to pray for Pope Francis's efforts and to respond to his initiatives." --Bert Ghezzi, Author of Voices of the Saints
"This Francis is a Francis that readers may feel they are meeting anew and finding even more relevant in their lives." --Murray Bodo, O.F.M., Author of The Way of St. Francis
"Jon Sweeney applies popular history to a man who changed history, St. Francis of Assisi. Deeply familiar with the Franciscan sources and writing in a very accessible style, Sweeney points to Pope Francis's inspiration. I like this book!" --John Feister, Editor-in-Chief of St. Anthony Messenger
"This well-informed meditation on the life of St. Francis is a delight to read. Jon Sweeney's careful and timely retelling of Francis's story deepens our understanding of why a twenty-first-century pope took the saint's name--and gives us hope for the future of the Church." ----Paul Moses, Author of The Saint and the Sultan
"Jon Sweeney is good at many things, but he is a master at retrieving the treasure of the Christian past and restoring it to currency for the Christian present. In this book, he transcends even those categories." --Barbara Brown Taylor, Author of An Altar in the World
"Reflecting with Jon Sweeney on the work and wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi orients us on how to pray for Pope Francis's efforts and to respond to his initiatives." --Bert Ghezzi, Author of Voices of the Saints
"This Francis is a Francis that readers may feel they are meeting anew and finding even more relevant in their lives." --Murray Bodo, O.F.M., Author of The Way of St. Francis
"Jon Sweeney applies popular history to a man who changed history, St. Francis of Assisi. Deeply familiar with the Franciscan sources and writing in a very accessible style, Sweeney points to Pope Francis's inspiration. I like this book!" --John Feister, Editor-in-Chief of St. Anthony Messenger
"This well-informed meditation on the life of St. Francis is a delight to read. Jon Sweeney's careful and timely retelling of Francis's story deepens our understanding of why a twenty-first-century pope took the saint's name--and gives us hope for the future of the Church." ----Paul Moses, Author of The Saint and the Sultan
About the Author
Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and one of religion's most respected writers. His work has been hailed by everyone from PBS and James Martin, S.J., to Fox News and Dan Savage. He's been interviewed on CBS Saturday Morning, Fox News, CBS-TV Chicago, Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, and on the popular nightly program, Chicago Tonight. Several of his books have become History Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, Crossings Book Club, and Quality Paperback Book Club selections. His 2012 popular history, The Pope Who Quit, was published by Image/Random House and optioned by HBO. It has sold more than 35,000 copies in the trade edition, was a selection of History Book Club, received a starred review in Booklist, and was excerpted by Reader's Digest for their iPad subscribers. He is also the coauthor with Phyllis Tickle of The Age of the Spirit, from Baker Books. Sweeney is the editor in chief and publisher of Paraclete Press in Massachusetts. He is married, the father of three, and lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
More About the Author
Jon M. Sweeney is an independent scholar and writer of popular history. He is married, the father of three children, and lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He writes and reflects on religion, history, and culture in books, articles, reviews, and various other media. Jon was the cofounder and editor-in-chief of SkyLight Paths Publishing in Vermont for many years. Since 2004 he has been the editor in chief and publisher at Paraclete Press in Massachusetts.
He has written more than 20 books, seven of which are about Francis of Assisi, including the new "When Saint Francis Saved the Church." HBO has optioned the film rights to "The Pope Who Quit."
In early 2013, as the author of "The Pope Who Quit," Jon was interviewed on CBS News in Chicago, WGN-TV, Fox News, and WTTW's Chicago Tonight. He also appeared on CBS Sunday Morning to talk about St. Patrick on March 17, 2013.
Jon's spiritual and religious life continues to evolve, and much of his writing is about this. His first 20 years were spent as an involved evangelical (a story told in the memoir Born Again and Again); he then spent 22 years as an active Episcopalian (see Almost Catholic, among others); and on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi in 2009 he was received into the Catholic Church. Today, Jon is a Catholic but his most regular spiritual practice is Jewish, as he prays regularly with his wife, a rabbi.
Sweeney says that he loves the church, the synagogue, and other aspects of organized religion. (He never claims to be "spiritual but not religious"). In all of his writing, Jon is drawn to the ancient and medieval (see "The Road to Assisi," and "Inventing Hell"). Many of Jon's books have been selections of History Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, and Quality Paperback Book Club.
He has written more than 20 books, seven of which are about Francis of Assisi, including the new "When Saint Francis Saved the Church." HBO has optioned the film rights to "The Pope Who Quit."
In early 2013, as the author of "The Pope Who Quit," Jon was interviewed on CBS News in Chicago, WGN-TV, Fox News, and WTTW's Chicago Tonight. He also appeared on CBS Sunday Morning to talk about St. Patrick on March 17, 2013.
Jon's spiritual and religious life continues to evolve, and much of his writing is about this. His first 20 years were spent as an involved evangelical (a story told in the memoir Born Again and Again); he then spent 22 years as an active Episcopalian (see Almost Catholic, among others); and on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi in 2009 he was received into the Catholic Church. Today, Jon is a Catholic but his most regular spiritual practice is Jewish, as he prays regularly with his wife, a rabbi.
Sweeney says that he loves the church, the synagogue, and other aspects of organized religion. (He never claims to be "spiritual but not religious"). In all of his writing, Jon is drawn to the ancient and medieval (see "The Road to Assisi," and "Inventing Hell"). Many of Jon's books have been selections of History Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, and Quality Paperback Book Club.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By
Michael Plekon
on September 9, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Comment
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I cannot think of a better presentation of Francis, his life but most particularly, his vision than this splendid book by Jon Sweeney, who has written or edited a half dozen other volumes on Francis and Clare. It is a clear, accessible account, based on the best scholarship and texts of Francis’ life and thinking. Sweeney tells us, “Forget what you’ve been told” about Francis. A lot of myth and stereotype are gently but firmly dismissed and I believe a great deal of the radical, the “wild” Francis is revealed for readers so they cannot miss the mark of this great soul. The collisions of Francis and his community with the institutional church, even in his own lifetime, are covered in detail, thus the eventual modifications of the rule and life of the brothers...For me, Jon Sweeney’s boldest move is to accentuate Francis’ significance for us in the 21st century, not so much by what happened to the order or even the miracles in Francis’ life but by the way in which Francis has entered into…another Francis, and immediately launched a new vision and climate not only in the Catholic church but globally...I value Jon Sweeney’s small collection of primary texts of Francis and now I also value this beautiful overview of “the little poor man of Assisi.” I cannot recommend it enough as a wonderful doorway to this “living icon” Francis of Assisi.
Michael Plekon / Baruch College of the City University of New York, 1 Bernard Baruch Way, New York NY 10010
Michael Plekon / Baruch College of the City University of New York, 1 Bernard Baruch Way, New York NY 10010
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
C. Martinelli
on September 8, 2014
Format: Hardcover
2 Comments
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St. Francis of Assisi is in the news lately, due to the new pope's choosing "Francis" ("Francesco") as his papal name, in honor of the humble saint. That humility and devotion to the poor and victimized is at the heart of Pope Francis's ministry.
The author uses a conversational tone of writing. The book almost reads like an infomercial at points, and certainly reads like a text with accompanying slides for a presentation, which it turns out was an early form of the book.
The underlying thesis of the book is posed as a question: Is it too bold to suggest that another Francis may just be saving the Church again in the twenty-first century?
The author refers to Pope Francis, who told the Cardinals who elected him that if we value institutions over seeking the real goals of the Christina life, then things go wrong. If the Catholic Church is more concerned with its money and property and avoiding lawsuits, then it will ignore the suffering of the people they are there to consul. The new Pope wants to reformed the church from within.
Pope Francis cannot work change in the institutions of the Catholic church without the help of the Catholic faithful. That is the role this book aims to fulfill. The book is a gentle call to arms in support of the Pope's efforts to emulate St. Francis's humanistic teachings and examples.
The extensive Further Reading section is a gift to those interested in expanding their knowledge of St. Francis of Assisi, and further exploring the ideas of the author.
Please read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
The author uses a conversational tone of writing. The book almost reads like an infomercial at points, and certainly reads like a text with accompanying slides for a presentation, which it turns out was an early form of the book.
The underlying thesis of the book is posed as a question: Is it too bold to suggest that another Francis may just be saving the Church again in the twenty-first century?
The author refers to Pope Francis, who told the Cardinals who elected him that if we value institutions over seeking the real goals of the Christina life, then things go wrong. If the Catholic Church is more concerned with its money and property and avoiding lawsuits, then it will ignore the suffering of the people they are there to consul. The new Pope wants to reformed the church from within.
Pope Francis cannot work change in the institutions of the Catholic church without the help of the Catholic faithful. That is the role this book aims to fulfill. The book is a gentle call to arms in support of the Pope's efforts to emulate St. Francis's humanistic teachings and examples.
The extensive Further Reading section is a gift to those interested in expanding their knowledge of St. Francis of Assisi, and further exploring the ideas of the author.
Please read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
Thank you for your feedback.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
Jamie Arpin-Ricci
on September 16, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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This highly readable look at the life and person of St. Francis of Assisi opens the door into history in a way that is engaging and relevant. One thing will become clear to all who read this: this medieval friar has as much to say to us today as he ever has. Jon Sweeney is a masterful storyteller that brings this history to life.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By
Kevin Mark
on October 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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This is a new work of popular history in the style of Thomas Cahill’s bestselling “How the Irish Saved Civilization”. Author Jon Sweeney presents an account of the beloved Saint Frances of Assisi as a hinge in the history of the Christian faith, who in just fourteen years – from 1205 to 1219 – transformed the Church and continues to remain an inspiration in our own time, hence the book’s subtitle, “How a Converted Medieval Troubadour Created a Spiritual Vision for the Ages”.
The author’s numerous previous books include several on St Francis and Franciscan spirituality, and he was translator of the saint’s own writings in “Francis of Assisi in His Own Words: The Essential Writings” (2013).
“...there are signal figures who are catalysts for rapid change. They are worth focusing on, not only because examining their lives closely helps us understand a previous era, but because understanding them can tell us something important about who we are today. Francis of Assisi was such a figure: extraordinary, seemingly unlike and inaccessible to us normal people. Yet studying his life offers us a way to understand ourselves and our place on this planet better. Francis originated a spirit that still animates us, nearly eight hundred years after his death.”
Sweeney focuses on six key areas in which he believes Francis’s life and message most influentially returned the Church to the original Gospel teachings and mission of Jesus.
Firstly, Francis was radical in the way be crossed the clear and enforced lines of gender, religion and status in place in his culture and time. Secondly, Francis demonstrated a profound respect for both people and other creatures that were discarded or even demonised. By treating people as equals he changed the nature of religious life.Read more ›
The author’s numerous previous books include several on St Francis and Franciscan spirituality, and he was translator of the saint’s own writings in “Francis of Assisi in His Own Words: The Essential Writings” (2013).
“...there are signal figures who are catalysts for rapid change. They are worth focusing on, not only because examining their lives closely helps us understand a previous era, but because understanding them can tell us something important about who we are today. Francis of Assisi was such a figure: extraordinary, seemingly unlike and inaccessible to us normal people. Yet studying his life offers us a way to understand ourselves and our place on this planet better. Francis originated a spirit that still animates us, nearly eight hundred years after his death.”
Sweeney focuses on six key areas in which he believes Francis’s life and message most influentially returned the Church to the original Gospel teachings and mission of Jesus.
Firstly, Francis was radical in the way be crossed the clear and enforced lines of gender, religion and status in place in his culture and time. Secondly, Francis demonstrated a profound respect for both people and other creatures that were discarded or even demonised. By treating people as equals he changed the nature of religious life.Read more ›
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