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It is not uncommon for people to be curious about the level of my engagement with St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan tradition. Most will affirm him as a good example (or at least handy for some excellent sound bites), but wonder if I am going to far in my emphasis on him. After all, isn’t Christ enough? Wouldn’t I be better off placing more of a focus on Jesus than one of his whacky, 13th century followers? Fair questions.
Interestingly, I am writing this while the internet is somewhat abuzz with Frank Viola & Leonard Sweet’s recent “A Jesus Manifesto for the 21st Century Church”. Central to the theme of this manifesto is the contention that Christians have made Jesus secondary to other focuses, with justice figuring in prominently in the critique. While the manifesto makes some important points, much of the criticism of it has been quite warranted. (See excellent responses by Julie Clawson and Mark Van Steenwyk, the man behind my favorite Jesus Manifesto). The manifesto presents a false dichotomy between a Christ-centric faith and an emphasis on justice. (Also see Len Sweet’s gracious and helpful response in the thread following Mark’s post).
I bring these two issue up together because they share something critical, namely Jesus. St. Francis was a passionate advocate and practitioner of justice. He embraced a life poverty, at times to excess, out of his passion to identify with those who suffered from the systemic injustices of the day. The Franciscans, by following Francis’ example, transformed the monastic traditional by hitting the streets in genuinely evangelical zeal, embracing a missional dynamic that was too often missing from the church. Their impact can arguably be linked to some of the important dynamics of the Reformation, not the least the nature of community life in the Radical Reformation.
So what inspired St. Francis and his followers to live such explicitly missional lives, championing justice, mercy and compassion? Jesus Christ. And I say this, not in the knee-jerk, Sunday School “Jesus is always the answer” kind of response, but in the truly radical commitment to live according the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. While their literal obedience can at times be rightfully criticized as extreme and misguided, what cannot be denied is the continued impact this kind of Christ-centered obedience had on the Church, both then and now.
When I follow in Francis footsteps, it is not due to any merit of his own, but because his footprint lie within the deeper prints of Christ Himself. Francis also openly celebrated that to follow Christ is to follow God- Father, Son and Spirit- and God is one. The example of St. Francis is such a critical and timely one because it is unquestionably Christ-centered made manifest in the declaration of His glory and the practice of His love- a love that produces justice in it’s richest and truest sense.
Tags: Justice, Missional, St. Francis
1 Cor 1:11 & 12 “My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
The “quarrels” that Paul talked about included the people saying “I follow Christ” to which Paul replied, “is Christ divided?” We need to stop cultural reactions and have intimate relationships of trust. Jamie, I know you and I know you’re not crazy off the Francis deep end…I know you are following Jesus…I know that because I know you.
Some Muslims have the same critique of all Christianity (this I’ve heard with my own ears) – that Christians actually put more stock in Paul that in the words of Jesus. We cannot get so locked in on the legalities (which is man’s tendency) that we forget that Christ told us we are his friends if we obey his commands. And in the next breath he says “and this is my commandment that you…” make sure all the words are right? Have your theological ducks in a row? Have the proper systematic thought? Nope, none of that…Love one another.
And I’m not talking about the crazy “all that matters is love” thing, like weird. I’m talking like the normal, sane, secure in Jesus “all that matters is love” thing. Study is important, manifestos and declarations are fine (a little dangerous though…I don’t trust ‘em) but love is the thing…the container in which it all must rest. If “the right way of looking at things” is the chunks of cereal and Jesus is the bowl then love is the cool, cold milk…ahh yeah.
I have never met Francis personally but I love and trust him as a brother in Christ as he has been instrumental in helping me understand Jesus. I love Paul too. They aren’t just ideas, they are people, brothers…big brothers that we can look up to and try to emulate.
1 Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – St. Paul
P.S. I fixed my link.
Preach it, Chris! Thanks.
Peace,
Jamie
Jamie,
I think, ironically, we do actually ‘need’ people like Francis. Because Jesus was the son of God, we create distance between ourselves and his lifestyle and his express teachings as unachievable for mere mortals. Our worship becomes a reason to excuse ourselves from following really closely. Then someone like Francis (or Mother Teresa, to bring it closer) comes along and re-embodies Jesus all over again (actually doing things we said just couldn’t be done), which makes Jesus and his justice more disturbingly close again. We actually do need such persons to remind us that his justice is within reach, to testify that Jesus’ more radical calls can be followed–even today, even by normal humans.
Of course, we create the same distance between ourselves and these ’saints’ soon enough, trying to imagine that the Age to come and its idea of righteousness are far away, unreachable, contrary to the central message of Jesus himself.
Great point, T. I think this is why Dorothy Day is known for having said:
“Don’t call me a saint. I don’t want to be dismissed that easily.”
Thanks for weighing in.
Peace,
Jamie
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