Franciscan Theology of Creation

This post is my summary of St. Francis' theology of creation. I made this up as a handout for my students, but I think that it will be a great resource for anyone looking for a short summary of what St. Francis thought about Creation.
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1. St. Francis’ Theology of Creation -In the Canticle of the Sun, St. Francis gives praise to God for all of the material creation. Even though things like fire, water, air, and the sun can be harmful to man, Francis sees that they are good in themselves and praises God for their beauty, goodness, utility, and majesty. The way in which God uses them to care for the human race shows his goodness.

-Francis sees himself as related to all of creation in some way because all of creation comes from God; thus he calls things that are made “Brother” and “Sister.”

2. St. Francis Theology of the Animal Creation -St. Francis gives praise to God for the animals, and declares that they give God glory.

-In his sermon to the birds, St. Francis notices how God even shows his power and goodness in the way he cares for the birds. The birds too, show their praise for God and declare God’s goodness in their very way of existing.

-Finally, the way in which St. Francis interacts with the birds – the lack of fear they show toward him, their listening to him, etc. – shows that harmony that God wants between human beings and the rest of creation.

3. As seen in St. Francis' use of the Christmas creche, the Incarnation shows that God shares St. Francis’ appreciation of the material creation. God is good, and he shows that his material creation is good by becoming a man.

4. God, the Creator, is good --> Creation is good --> The material creation is good --> The animal creation is good --> Humans are good --> Jesus Christ is human --> God wills to save human beings, body and soul, therefore he sent his Son, who has a body and a soul --> God wills to save people through matter. Christ had a real physical body, he really died, and he was really raised from the dead IN HIS BODY, and now he saves us through material things: water, oil, wine, bread

-Nothing could be more anti-Catholic, more anti-Christian, more anti-Creation, more anti-God, then the idea that God cannot save us through material things. To miss this is the miss the heart of Christianity, the idea that Creation, the material creation, is a result of God’s goodness and love.

-For Christianity, the idea of SPIRIT GOOD, BODY BAD is the FOULEST OF HERESIES; it blasphemes against the person of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, and against the nature of God, our Creator.

-For Christianity, the idea is that: -The BODY is GOOD, VERY GOOD, because the spirit is EVEN BETTER.

-For Christianity, the BODY, which is GOOD and the GOOD MATERIAL CREATION are SYMBOLS of the SUPREME GOODNESS OF GOD and of the SPIRITUAL WORLD.

For My Students: Study/Homework Resource

Here is a link to the study resource you will need to use for your homework.

http://quizlet.com/user/mattkennel