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The Classics of Western Spirituality
Bonaventure: The Soul's Journey into God, The Tree of Life, The Life of St. Francis
Long before Bonaventure was called "The Prince of Mystics" by Leo XIII or "The Seraphic Doctor" by John Gerson, he was known throughout the Christian world as "The Devout Teacher." Professor Ewert Cousins says in his introduction, "In the history of Western Spirituality, Bonaventure holds a central and pivotal position. The 13th century friar, professor at the University of Paris, minister general of the Franciscan Order, cardinal and advisor to popes, played a major role in the spiritual ferment of the high Middle Ages when Islamic, Jewish and Christian spirituality were flourishing-he produced one of the richest syntheses of Christian spirituality. Although cosmic in its scope, it was distinctively Christian in its content, grounded in the doctrine of the Trinity and devotion to the humanity of Christ. Within Christianity he achieved a striking integration of Eastern and Western elements." The three works contained in this volume offer the core of his vision. In The Soul's Journey into God, considered Bonaventure's masterpiece, he takes the six-winged Seraph as the symbol for the six stages of contemplation in which the created world is seen as a reflection of God. The Tree of Life is a simple meditation on the life of Jesus, "based on the Gospel accounts" in which "Christ is seen as the Tree of Life on whose branches blossom such virtues as humility, piety, patience, constancy and justice." The Life of St. Francis was the official biography commissioned by the Franciscan Order in 1260. The editor of this volume, Dr. Ewert Cousins, is Professor of Theology, Fordham University and Visiting Professor, Columbia University. He is Director of the Spirituality Graduate Program at Fordham. Ignatius Brady, O.F.M., who wrote the preface to this volume, is one of the world's leading authorities on Bonaventure and early Franciscan spirituality. He is Prefect of the Theology Section of the Franciscan research center, Collegio S. Bonaventura at Grottaferrata near Rome.
353 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 13, 2018
This is how I imagine spiritual theology would be if it were written by an on-fire, meditative, deeply orthodox and copiously learned systematic theologian who was also a quantum physicist and complex mathematician who enjoyed contemplating the hypostatic union and the triune interrelationships, all in the context of what/how the entire external universe and the internal universe of the mind/soul can tell us about, and draw us into relation with, God. In the end, the cross of Christ stands at the center of the triune God, the universe and the soul. Wow!
March 3, 2017
Weighty, as you might imagine, but I like to read source material, so I enjoyed it, especially:
- the translation notes on the Latin word "legenda", which didn't mean back then what it means to us today
- the 'biography" of Francis of Assisi, although it's definitely an "authorized" biography
- the end of "The Soul's Journey into God", which has some thought-provoking stuff about the limits of human rationality
Quote from "Soul's Journey":
"But if you wish to know how these things come about,
ask grace not instruction,
desire not understanding
the groaning of prayer not diligent reading,
the spouse not the teacher..."
- the translation notes on the Latin word "legenda", which didn't mean back then what it means to us today
- the 'biography" of Francis of Assisi, although it's definitely an "authorized" biography
- the end of "The Soul's Journey into God", which has some thought-provoking stuff about the limits of human rationality
Quote from "Soul's Journey":
"But if you wish to know how these things come about,
ask grace not instruction,
desire not understanding
the groaning of prayer not diligent reading,
the spouse not the teacher..."
May 29, 2012
This book has three of Bonaventure's most famous works done in the 1200s. The Soul's Journey into God; the Tree of Life and the Life of St. Francis. I struggled with the Soul's Journey in understanding what I was reading.It was one of those books that after I read it I wasn't sure what I had just read. Maybe if studied it woud have been better. Maybe it was becasue it was written nearly a thousand years ago even though mordernized it was a style that I stuggled with. The Tree of Life was not much better. There is some good information there but my retention was zero. You may find it different. The Third book of St, Francis was good and is probably one of his more famous books. I was still a struggle to get through and unless you know something about St. Francis might not be all that easy to understand.
These books are classics but I find some of the classics are not all that easy to read.
These books are classics but I find some of the classics are not all that easy to read.
February 6, 2018
Bonaventure is a towering figure in the development of the Catholic Church. That is not to say that his work is easily understood. Cousins, in the introduction, states, “In the 13th century he flourished during that brief period when spirituality and speculation were not yet separated. It was still possible for him to produce a speculative system with spirituality at its core and a spiritual syntheses enhanced by theoretical reflection. With 13th-century genius for speculative synthesis, he produced a type of spiritual summa that integrates psychology, pholosphy and theology…Bonaventure achieved for spirituality what Thomas did for theology and Dante for medieval culture as a whole.” He goes on to say, The Franciscan spiritual journey, then, has its point of departure from Francis, proceeding from Francis to the humanity of Christ and through this into the sacramental cosmos, the mystical marriage and the divine darkness of ecstasy. It was imperative, then to include the life of Francis in the present volume, especially since Bonaventure’s biography is an interpretation of Francis as the model of the spiritual journey in the light of Bonaventure’s spiritual and speculative theology.”
This volume contains 3 major works. The Soul’s Journey, “while meditating on Francis’s vision of the six-winged Seraph, Bonaventure tells us, there suddenly came to his mind its symbolic meaning: ‘While reflecting on this, I saw at once that this vision represented our father’s rapture in contemplation and the road by which this rapture is reached.’ The vision, then, symbolizes both the goal and the journey. This symbolic interpretation of Francis’s vision becomes for Bonaventure the framework of his treatise.”
His vision itself was quite complex. “Bonaventure’s theological vision, which is based on the doctrine of the Trinity as the mystery of the self-diffusion of the Good. Drawing from the tradition of the Greek Fathers rather than from Augustine, Bonaventure begins his speculative Trinitarian theology with the Father as the fountain-source of the divine fecundity. For Bonaventure the Father is the fountain-fulness, fontalis plenitude, in whom the divinity is fecund, dynamic, self-expressive. Out of his boundless fecundity, the Father generates his Son, expressing himself in his perfect Image, his eternal Word. This fecundity issues further in the procession of the Spirit from the Father and the Son as their mutual love and the Gift in whom all good gifts are given.” “In his Commentary on the Sentences, he gives a detailed analysis of how creatures reflect God: All creatures reflect the power, wisdom and goodness of God and are technically called vestiges (literally, footprints) of the Trinity. Rational creatures, however, reflect God in a special way because they have him present within themselves as the object of their knowledge and love. More specifically, since they have him present in themselves in their faculties of memory, understanding and will, they are images of the Trinity. A third form of reflection is found in Bonaventure through the technical term similitude, whereby rational creatures transformed by grace reflect the Trinity in a more intimate way. By Bonaventure’s contemplation of the material world as a vestige of the Trinity, he is led back to the power, wisdom and goodness of the divinity and ultimately self-diffusing fecundity of the Father, Son and Spirit.”
My favorite selections from this work are the following. From The Soul’s Journey Into God - Prologue
He goes on to state, “Just as there are six stages in the ascent into God, there are six stages in the powers of the soul, through which we ascend from the lowest to the highest, from the exterior to the interior, from the temporal to the eternal. These are the senses, imagination, reason, understanding, intelligence, and the summit of the mind or the spark of conscience. We have these stages implanted in us by nature, deformed by sin and reformed by grace. They must be cleansed by justice, exercised by knowledge and perfected by wisdom.” “Whoever wishes to ascend to God must first avoid sin, which deforms our nature, then exercise his natural powers mentioned above: by praying, to receive restoring grace; by a good life, to receive purifying justice; by meditating, to receive illuminating knowledge; and by contemplating, to receive perfecting wisdom. Just as no one comes to wisdom except through grace, justice and knowledge, so no one comes to contemplation except by penetrating meditation, a holy life and devout prayer.”
Some of the Soul’s Journey is quite poetic.
Some observations qre quite quotable. “Strange, then, is the blindness of the intellect, which does not consider that which it sees first and without which it can know nothing.” Later in The Tree of Life, he states, “The Savior wept abundantly, now deploring the misery of human weakness, now the darkness of a blind heart, now the depravity of obdurate malice.”
My favorite selection, overall, however is his Prayer “To Obtain the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit” included at the closing The Tree of Life:
See my other reviews here!
This volume contains 3 major works. The Soul’s Journey, “while meditating on Francis’s vision of the six-winged Seraph, Bonaventure tells us, there suddenly came to his mind its symbolic meaning: ‘While reflecting on this, I saw at once that this vision represented our father’s rapture in contemplation and the road by which this rapture is reached.’ The vision, then, symbolizes both the goal and the journey. This symbolic interpretation of Francis’s vision becomes for Bonaventure the framework of his treatise.”
His vision itself was quite complex. “Bonaventure’s theological vision, which is based on the doctrine of the Trinity as the mystery of the self-diffusion of the Good. Drawing from the tradition of the Greek Fathers rather than from Augustine, Bonaventure begins his speculative Trinitarian theology with the Father as the fountain-source of the divine fecundity. For Bonaventure the Father is the fountain-fulness, fontalis plenitude, in whom the divinity is fecund, dynamic, self-expressive. Out of his boundless fecundity, the Father generates his Son, expressing himself in his perfect Image, his eternal Word. This fecundity issues further in the procession of the Spirit from the Father and the Son as their mutual love and the Gift in whom all good gifts are given.” “In his Commentary on the Sentences, he gives a detailed analysis of how creatures reflect God: All creatures reflect the power, wisdom and goodness of God and are technically called vestiges (literally, footprints) of the Trinity. Rational creatures, however, reflect God in a special way because they have him present within themselves as the object of their knowledge and love. More specifically, since they have him present in themselves in their faculties of memory, understanding and will, they are images of the Trinity. A third form of reflection is found in Bonaventure through the technical term similitude, whereby rational creatures transformed by grace reflect the Trinity in a more intimate way. By Bonaventure’s contemplation of the material world as a vestige of the Trinity, he is led back to the power, wisdom and goodness of the divinity and ultimately self-diffusing fecundity of the Father, Son and Spirit.”
My favorite selections from this work are the following. From The Soul’s Journey Into God - Prologue
First, therefore, I invite the reader
to the groans of prayer
through Christ crucified,
through whose blood
we are cleansed from the filth of vice—
so that he not believe
that reading is sufficient without unction,
speculation without devotion,
investigation without wonder,
observation without joy,
work without piety,
knowledge without love,
understanding without humility,
endeavor without divine grace,
reflection as a mirror without divinely inspired wisdom.
To those, therefore, predisposed by divine grace,
the humble and the pious,
the contrite and the devout,
those anointed with the oil of gladness,
the lovers of divine wisdom, and
those inflamed with a desire for it,
To those wishing to give themselves
to glorifying, wondering at and even savoring God,
I propose the following considerations,
suggesting that the mirror presented by the external world
is of little or no value
unless the mirror of our soul
has been cleaned and polished.
Therefore, man of God,
first exercise yourself in remorse of conscience
before you raise your eyes
to the rays of Wisdom reflected in its mirrors,
lest perhaps from gazing upon these rays
you fall into a deeper pit of darkness.
He goes on to state, “Just as there are six stages in the ascent into God, there are six stages in the powers of the soul, through which we ascend from the lowest to the highest, from the exterior to the interior, from the temporal to the eternal. These are the senses, imagination, reason, understanding, intelligence, and the summit of the mind or the spark of conscience. We have these stages implanted in us by nature, deformed by sin and reformed by grace. They must be cleansed by justice, exercised by knowledge and perfected by wisdom.” “Whoever wishes to ascend to God must first avoid sin, which deforms our nature, then exercise his natural powers mentioned above: by praying, to receive restoring grace; by a good life, to receive purifying justice; by meditating, to receive illuminating knowledge; and by contemplating, to receive perfecting wisdom. Just as no one comes to wisdom except through grace, justice and knowledge, so no one comes to contemplation except by penetrating meditation, a holy life and devout prayer.”
Some of the Soul’s Journey is quite poetic.
Therefore, no matter how enlightened one may be
by the light of natural and acquired knowledge,
he cannot enter into himself
to delight within himself in the Lord
unless Christ be his mediator, who says:
I am the door.
If anyone enters through me,
he will be saved;
and he will go in and out and will find pastures.
But we do not draw near
to this door
unless we believe in him, hope in him and love him.
Therefore, if we wish to enter again
into the enjoyment of Truth as into paradise,
we must enter
through faith in, hope in and love of Jesus Christ,
the mediator between God and men,
who is like
the tree of life
in the middle of paradise.
Some observations qre quite quotable. “Strange, then, is the blindness of the intellect, which does not consider that which it sees first and without which it can know nothing.” Later in The Tree of Life, he states, “The Savior wept abundantly, now deploring the misery of human weakness, now the darkness of a blind heart, now the depravity of obdurate malice.”
My favorite selection, overall, however is his Prayer “To Obtain the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit” included at the closing The Tree of Life:
We, therefore, pray
to the most kind Father
through you, his only-begotten Son,
who for us became man, was crucified and glorified,
that he send us
out of his treasures
the Spirit of sevenfold grace
who rested upon you in all fullness:
the Spirit, I say, of WISDOM,
that we may taste the life-giving flavors
of the fruit of the tree of life,
which you truly are;
the gift also of UNDERSTANDING,
by which the intentions of our mind are illumined;
the gift of COUNSEL,
by which we may follow in your footsteps
on the right paths;
the gift of FORTITUDE,
by which we may be able to weaken the violence
of our enemies’ attacks;
the gift of KNOWLEDGE,
by which we may be filled with the brilliant light
of your sacred teaching
to distinguish good and evil;
the gift of PIETY,
by which we may acqire a merciful heart;
the gift of FEAR,
by which we may draw away from all evil
and be set at peace
by submitting in awe to your eternal majesty.
for you have wished
that we ask for these things
in that sacred prayer which you have taught us;
and now we ask to obtain them,
through your cross,
for the praise of your most holy name.
to you,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory,
thanksgiving, beauty and power,
forever and ever.
Amen.
See my other reviews here!
October 18, 2024
"All these sciences have certain and infallible rules,
like rays of light shining down upon our mind
from the eternal law.
And thus our mind, illumined and flooded
by such brilliance,
unless it is blind,
can be led through itself
to contemplate that Eternal Light.
The radiation and contemplation
of this Light
lifts up the wise in wonder;
and on the contrary
it leads to confusion the fools
who do not believe so that they may understand.
Thus this prophecy is fulfilled:
You enlighten wonderfully
from the eternal hills;
all the foolish of heart
were troubled."
like rays of light shining down upon our mind
from the eternal law.
And thus our mind, illumined and flooded
by such brilliance,
unless it is blind,
can be led through itself
to contemplate that Eternal Light.
The radiation and contemplation
of this Light
lifts up the wise in wonder;
and on the contrary
it leads to confusion the fools
who do not believe so that they may understand.
Thus this prophecy is fulfilled:
You enlighten wonderfully
from the eternal hills;
all the foolish of heart
were troubled."
Read
October 3, 2022BXVI, The six wings of the Seraph thus became the symbol of the six stages that lead man progressively from the knowledge of God, through the observation of the world and creatures and through the exploration of the soul itself with its faculties, to the satisfying union with the Trinity through Christ, in imitation of St Francis of Assisi. The last words of St Bonaventure's Itinerarium, which respond to the question of how it is possible to reach this mystical communion with God, should be made to sink to the depths of the heart: "If you should wish to know how these things come about, (the mystical communion with God) question grace, not instruction; desire, not intellect; the cry of prayer, not pursuit of study; the spouse, not the teacher; God, not man; darkness, not clarity; not light, but the fire that inflames all and transports to God with fullest unction and burning affection.... Let us then... pass over into darkness; let us impose silence on cares, concupiscence, and phantasms; let us pass over with the Crucified Christ from this world to the Father, so that when the Father is shown to us we may say with Philip, "It is enough for me'" (cf. ibid., VII 6).
September 20, 2024
Last year was my year with St. Thomas Aquinas; this summer has been dominated by St. Bonaventure. I’ve reviewed his Life of St. Francis elsewhere; this review is about The Soul’s Journey Into God and the Tree of Life.
The Soul’s Journey Into God
It’s not very often I’m so moved by what I read that I feel the need to doublecheck the translator and dig into the original language, but this book did it. A truly beautiful book. Scholastic philosophy in the guise of poetry. Starting with the image of the six-winged Seraph, St. Bonaventure explores the various routes we can take to God. The first two concern the material world (Christians are not supposed to be Manicheans). Not only is the world created with a certain order, this “entire world can enter into us through our senses.” But St. Bonaventure stresses that these things do not exist independently of God, not physically, not teleologically. They are signs of their Creator. To miss that is to see the letters and not understand the meaning behind them. The second set of wings concerns our internal order, our memory and intelligence which serve to decipher those signs so as to notice and appreciate the gifts, but more so the one who created and bestowed the gifts. This second set was a bit harder to follow.
But once the final set began, I couldn’t stop reading. St. Bonaventure considers God in two aspects: His Unity of Essence and His multiplicity of Persons. This unity is summed up perfectly as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end; not the essence of all things, but the cause of all essences. He is Being itself. There is no “evolving god” here. But St. Bonaventure goes further, considering the Good of this Being. The nature of the Good is to be ecstatic, or to go forth and bestow goodness upon others. God does this in two ways. The first, and perhaps more obvious way, is externally in Creation. The purpose of Creation is that God may bestow Good upon us, including the very good of us worshipping Him. But there is another manifestation, an internal one, whereby a perfect Being, in order to love perfectly, must have another person who is capable of receiving such love. Such a being would also have to be perfect; furthermore, this very love itself is a Person, the Holy Spirit. It is a most beautiful thought.
Before he began explaining the six wings, St. Bonaventure explained the requirements of one who wishes to see this God. One must avoid sin; one must pray; one must live a good life; and one must contemplate. With that, we can have hope of meeting this God. It is "by grace, not instruction; desire, not understanding; the groaning of prayer rather than diligent reading; the Spouse not the teacher; God not man; darkness not clarity; not light but the fire that totally inflames and carries us into God by ecstatic unctions and burning affections."
The Tree of Life
The second work focuses more on the human nature of Christ and consists of a number of mediations upon His life. It seems to be based on a poem of some sort (a footnote states that said poem has been changed by later copyists), but St. John of the Cross did a similar thing, which I find interesting. I enjoyed this book very much. I don't think I learned anything "new", but St. Bonaventure presents the "old" in a beautiful fashion that helps contemplate the life, Passion, and Resurrection of our Lord. To follow Christ is to pick up the Cross; that Cross is central to being a Christian. Perhaps the best way of staying true to the faith and not letting the religion become a separate, worldly thing is to put oneself at Calvary, to remember our own role in bringing that greatest of evil about, and to glory in His resurrection.
These are both beautiful books. I read Cousins' translation of The Life of St. Francis in a different book, but I highly recommend that one as well. Paulist Press put together a solid collection here, including a good introduction to St. Bonaventure and his times.
The Soul’s Journey Into God
It’s not very often I’m so moved by what I read that I feel the need to doublecheck the translator and dig into the original language, but this book did it. A truly beautiful book. Scholastic philosophy in the guise of poetry. Starting with the image of the six-winged Seraph, St. Bonaventure explores the various routes we can take to God. The first two concern the material world (Christians are not supposed to be Manicheans). Not only is the world created with a certain order, this “entire world can enter into us through our senses.” But St. Bonaventure stresses that these things do not exist independently of God, not physically, not teleologically. They are signs of their Creator. To miss that is to see the letters and not understand the meaning behind them. The second set of wings concerns our internal order, our memory and intelligence which serve to decipher those signs so as to notice and appreciate the gifts, but more so the one who created and bestowed the gifts. This second set was a bit harder to follow.
But once the final set began, I couldn’t stop reading. St. Bonaventure considers God in two aspects: His Unity of Essence and His multiplicity of Persons. This unity is summed up perfectly as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end; not the essence of all things, but the cause of all essences. He is Being itself. There is no “evolving god” here. But St. Bonaventure goes further, considering the Good of this Being. The nature of the Good is to be ecstatic, or to go forth and bestow goodness upon others. God does this in two ways. The first, and perhaps more obvious way, is externally in Creation. The purpose of Creation is that God may bestow Good upon us, including the very good of us worshipping Him. But there is another manifestation, an internal one, whereby a perfect Being, in order to love perfectly, must have another person who is capable of receiving such love. Such a being would also have to be perfect; furthermore, this very love itself is a Person, the Holy Spirit. It is a most beautiful thought.
Before he began explaining the six wings, St. Bonaventure explained the requirements of one who wishes to see this God. One must avoid sin; one must pray; one must live a good life; and one must contemplate. With that, we can have hope of meeting this God. It is "by grace, not instruction; desire, not understanding; the groaning of prayer rather than diligent reading; the Spouse not the teacher; God not man; darkness not clarity; not light but the fire that totally inflames and carries us into God by ecstatic unctions and burning affections."
The Tree of Life
The second work focuses more on the human nature of Christ and consists of a number of mediations upon His life. It seems to be based on a poem of some sort (a footnote states that said poem has been changed by later copyists), but St. John of the Cross did a similar thing, which I find interesting. I enjoyed this book very much. I don't think I learned anything "new", but St. Bonaventure presents the "old" in a beautiful fashion that helps contemplate the life, Passion, and Resurrection of our Lord. To follow Christ is to pick up the Cross; that Cross is central to being a Christian. Perhaps the best way of staying true to the faith and not letting the religion become a separate, worldly thing is to put oneself at Calvary, to remember our own role in bringing that greatest of evil about, and to glory in His resurrection.
These are both beautiful books. I read Cousins' translation of The Life of St. Francis in a different book, but I highly recommend that one as well. Paulist Press put together a solid collection here, including a good introduction to St. Bonaventure and his times.
March 13, 2020
This rating is for the soul's journey into God
January 10, 2024
A mixture of excellent doctrinal and devotional with bizarre superstitions.
Read
June 16, 2025St. Francis kinda goated
August 23, 2018
Lens through which I'm coming to this work: Franciscan educated rabbinical student with specific research interest in crossover of Jewish and Christian mystical writings from late antiquity-1291.
As is my normal, when I need a section of a book or a work for research purposes, I read the entire thing. This was no different. I needed a section of 'The Tree of Life' for a paper and so read the other 300 or so pages in case there was anything else that might be of use for current or later research.
The book is a collection of three major works of St. Bonaventure, along with commentary/introductions. The first work included is 'The Souls Journey Into God.' Pieces of this work, including the ending, are frequently quoted. The majority of it is strongly Aristotelian, and interestingly enough the places where he disagrees with Aristotle or his logic are largely the same places where Maimonides takes another route as well. Bonaventure, unfortunately, runs into some of the same problems as the Rambam, and is too attached to an end goal in several places to follow through on some of the logic. In this work, Bonaventure uses the six-winged crucified seraph from the stigmata vision of St. Francis as a symbolic framework for the six stages of contemplation through which the created world can be seen as an image of God. There are a number of beautiful meditations included, but overall I was unimpressed by this section of the book. Although it may just be that he's coming from a certain background, I felt several times that Bonaventure was trying too hard to fit what he really wanted to say into a specific educational box. I do believe he was a mystic of highest level, as is evident in sections of other writing. I will at some point return to this and give it another chance.
Significantly more interesting to me, the second work in the book. 'The Tree of Life' is a series of meditations on the life of Christ, grouped into 'fruits' on a 'tree.' While of course Bonaventure is basing the idea on the verse from the Book of Revelation regarding the 12 fruits on the tree, he's writing near the same time and in the same place that the Sefer haBahir is published. The relation of the sections of the tree and the form of it in art bear uncanny resemblance to the other Kabbalistic 'Tree of Life' with the sefirot. This is the area of my current research. Read my papers if you want more detail on this.
The third section of the book is Bonaventure's 'The Life of St. Francis.' Again, I believe there's a strong Jewish influence in several of his sections of the Life. If you're looking for early and original hagiography, Bonaventure's Life of St. Francis is the commissioned official biography, from 1260. Bonaventure includes several divergences from T. of Celano or Julian's writings on the same, most notably to me the section in which not only animals but also inatimate objects serve Francis, including the boat at Gaeta which powers itself. The poetry in this work is one of the places where Bonaventure really is the greatest. He shows complete devotion as well as a mastery of language and turn of phrase that is, in my opinion, accessible and unrivaled.
Worth the read, and useful as a resource. Where there are questions in translation, the original Latin is provided.
As is my normal, when I need a section of a book or a work for research purposes, I read the entire thing. This was no different. I needed a section of 'The Tree of Life' for a paper and so read the other 300 or so pages in case there was anything else that might be of use for current or later research.
The book is a collection of three major works of St. Bonaventure, along with commentary/introductions. The first work included is 'The Souls Journey Into God.' Pieces of this work, including the ending, are frequently quoted. The majority of it is strongly Aristotelian, and interestingly enough the places where he disagrees with Aristotle or his logic are largely the same places where Maimonides takes another route as well. Bonaventure, unfortunately, runs into some of the same problems as the Rambam, and is too attached to an end goal in several places to follow through on some of the logic. In this work, Bonaventure uses the six-winged crucified seraph from the stigmata vision of St. Francis as a symbolic framework for the six stages of contemplation through which the created world can be seen as an image of God. There are a number of beautiful meditations included, but overall I was unimpressed by this section of the book. Although it may just be that he's coming from a certain background, I felt several times that Bonaventure was trying too hard to fit what he really wanted to say into a specific educational box. I do believe he was a mystic of highest level, as is evident in sections of other writing. I will at some point return to this and give it another chance.
Significantly more interesting to me, the second work in the book. 'The Tree of Life' is a series of meditations on the life of Christ, grouped into 'fruits' on a 'tree.' While of course Bonaventure is basing the idea on the verse from the Book of Revelation regarding the 12 fruits on the tree, he's writing near the same time and in the same place that the Sefer haBahir is published. The relation of the sections of the tree and the form of it in art bear uncanny resemblance to the other Kabbalistic 'Tree of Life' with the sefirot. This is the area of my current research. Read my papers if you want more detail on this.
The third section of the book is Bonaventure's 'The Life of St. Francis.' Again, I believe there's a strong Jewish influence in several of his sections of the Life. If you're looking for early and original hagiography, Bonaventure's Life of St. Francis is the commissioned official biography, from 1260. Bonaventure includes several divergences from T. of Celano or Julian's writings on the same, most notably to me the section in which not only animals but also inatimate objects serve Francis, including the boat at Gaeta which powers itself. The poetry in this work is one of the places where Bonaventure really is the greatest. He shows complete devotion as well as a mastery of language and turn of phrase that is, in my opinion, accessible and unrivaled.
Worth the read, and useful as a resource. Where there are questions in translation, the original Latin is provided.
June 8, 2019
On my top 5 list
Each time I read this book I know God more. I am reminded that in God alone there is primordial and true delight and that in all our delights we are led to Him. Happiness is nothing other than the enjoyment of the highest good and the highest good is above. This book has also given insight into myself- implanted with attributes by nature, which are deformed by sin but are being reformed by grace. This reforming cannot be done for ourselves. We cannot rise above our fallen nature unless someone lends a helping hand. Therefore, the eternal Truth, assuming human nature in Christ became a door. We may enter through this door into paradise through faith in, hope in and love of Jesus Christ.
Each time I read this book I know God more. I am reminded that in God alone there is primordial and true delight and that in all our delights we are led to Him. Happiness is nothing other than the enjoyment of the highest good and the highest good is above. This book has also given insight into myself- implanted with attributes by nature, which are deformed by sin but are being reformed by grace. This reforming cannot be done for ourselves. We cannot rise above our fallen nature unless someone lends a helping hand. Therefore, the eternal Truth, assuming human nature in Christ became a door. We may enter through this door into paradise through faith in, hope in and love of Jesus Christ.
November 21, 2011
Team Bonaventure! In all seriousness, his emphasis of the created world is something I find particularly refreshing in the tradition of mystical theology. One of my perfered theologians, even if he is a bit overly methodical at times.
December 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this book and I think I learned more from the introduction than anything else! I am sure I will go back to A Soul's Journey throughout my life. I took my time with this book, reading about a chapter a day until I got to Bonaventure's life of St. Francis where I took a few chapters at once.
It is so hard to give a "my rating" for this. I wanted to give it 3.5 out of 5 not because it is a poor book, but because it is challenging to read, as are most things not written in your current modern mode of language. At times I felt like I wasn't smart enough to understand what St. Bonaventure was talking about. Other times, I felt put off by old views of theology shaped by a time that was steeped in patriarchy, misogyny, and a very stifled view of, well, being in a human body. To see past that and into the deeper meaning was really hard at times. No doubt.
I think I enjoyed the life of St. Francis most ... much more accessible to me than other versions I've read.
Most interesting to me is the tension that seems to have always existed in Franciscanism (including during Francis' lifetime) between the intellect/learning and the spirit/living. Between work and prayer. Between high and low. And what always seems to come through for me is that there is always room for BOTH. We just tend to forget that because we want to be right.
Personally, surprised not one of the three works in this collection is part of my beloved Bonaventure 39.
It is so hard to give a "my rating" for this. I wanted to give it 3.5 out of 5 not because it is a poor book, but because it is challenging to read, as are most things not written in your current modern mode of language. At times I felt like I wasn't smart enough to understand what St. Bonaventure was talking about. Other times, I felt put off by old views of theology shaped by a time that was steeped in patriarchy, misogyny, and a very stifled view of, well, being in a human body. To see past that and into the deeper meaning was really hard at times. No doubt.
I think I enjoyed the life of St. Francis most ... much more accessible to me than other versions I've read.
Most interesting to me is the tension that seems to have always existed in Franciscanism (including during Francis' lifetime) between the intellect/learning and the spirit/living. Between work and prayer. Between high and low. And what always seems to come through for me is that there is always room for BOTH. We just tend to forget that because we want to be right.
Personally, surprised not one of the three works in this collection is part of my beloved Bonaventure 39.
February 9, 2021
This is one of my favorite spiritual works I have read thus far. Bonaventure looks into the life of Saint Francis and his personal journey to God. He writes in such a way that inspires one to follow the footsteps of the great man while seeking humility above all else.
In The Soul's Journey into God, he describes the different stages of the spiritual walk which lead to "perfection" in Christ. The walk follows the life of Saint Francis and shows how he came to his perfection in Christ. Bonaventure's theological understanding comes to its limits when reflecting on God in the third stage. He readily admits our inability to understand the Holy in our limited human capacity. Although, he works points us back to living out the spiritual journey as did Saint Francis.
In the end, I walked away not wanting to read more, or learn more, but to humbly come before our Lord.
In The Soul's Journey into God, he describes the different stages of the spiritual walk which lead to "perfection" in Christ. The walk follows the life of Saint Francis and shows how he came to his perfection in Christ. Bonaventure's theological understanding comes to its limits when reflecting on God in the third stage. He readily admits our inability to understand the Holy in our limited human capacity. Although, he works points us back to living out the spiritual journey as did Saint Francis.
In the end, I walked away not wanting to read more, or learn more, but to humbly come before our Lord.
June 14, 2020
Really an unsung hear of the Mystic fathers. We must regain the understanding and transformation of St. Bonaventure. To talk about the journey into God. This is a dense book that needs to be read over and over to plunge the depth of this book. He keeps alive the vision of St Francis of Assisi which is over forgotten ... we need to revive this tradition!
July 3, 2021
Very good introduction and portal into the spiritual contemplative tradition that emerged in the 11 and 12 hundreds. And a helpful reference for understanding more of the theology of Dante's Paradiso.
December 5, 2025
Soul's Journey is by far my favorite of Bonaventure's. There's a lot of pretty heavy philosophy and metaphysics, not all of it necessarily rigorous, but it is incredibly interesting and raised a lot of questions for me to think about.
January 13, 2019
Very knowledgeable lecturer from the Franciscan tradition. This series of 25-minute lectures (give or take) put me on solid footing to read Bonaventure himself.
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February 4, 2024The Tree of Life is a beautiful devotional and meditation on Jesus's life, death, and glorification. How can we imitate Christ in our live?
February 21, 2024
A classic in Christian mysticism. I would recommend this for an interesting and edifying look into spiritual thought and practice of some Medieval Christians.
November 14, 2025
Began intending to find a work of philosophy. Found that in “The Soul’s Journey”—other two were rather insightful commentaries on the lives of Christ and Francis.
January 26, 2025
I would give this book five stars if only for Chapter 5 of The Soul's Journey. Magnificent work.
August 28, 2014
Read 2nd of the three books included in this volume, Tree of Life, a devotional treatise on the life of Jesus. Worshipful and beautiful, notwithstanding the occasional faulty exegesis and flawed theology.
July 20, 2016
"The friars humbly cast themselves on the ground before God's servant and received the command of obedience in a spirit of joy." Bonaventure speaks of St. Francis.
June 6, 2023
A timeless masterpiece of sublime mystical theology.
May 12, 2025
Read just his introduction and translation of the Itininerarium, I am enjoying the Armstrong translation more.
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February 24, 2018Named "The Prince of Mystics" by Leo XIII, Bonaventure (1217-1274), friar and professor at the University of Paris, was considered a great spiritual master in his own lifetime.
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