Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm BST
No. of Attendees: 11
Discussion: Franciscan theology of God coming into the world
Special Note: This was an online monthly meeting held jointly with OFS Fraternity Aarhus, Denmark.
Summary:
We discussed aspects of Francis of Assisi and the Incarnation from the following:
- ‘Francis of Assisi, the Nativity, and Duns Scotus: A Franciscan Theology of Christmas’, Theology Research News (Louvain), 22 December, 2022 – opening paragraph:
Francis of Assisi held a special devotion for Christmas, and for the infant Jesus, as evidenced by his recreation of the nativity scene at Greccio in 1223. The medieval Franciscan theologian John Duns Scotus had, likewise, a strong view on the Incarnation, asserting in his works that God’s love for humanity means that Christ would have become incarnate regardless of humanity’s sin or the need for redemption. These two facts are rarely juxtaposed, but Christmas is the perfect time to examine them together.
- ‘Christmas has been stolen …’ Franciscan Spirit Blog, 10 May 2020, John Quigley OFM – opening para’s:
Christmas has been stolen – not only by the Grinch, but also by the commercial merchandisers. With its own music, colours, foods, customs, and expectations, this holiday season is shared by believers and nonbelievers. There is another tradition within Christianity going back to the Fathers of the Church and later most clearly expressed in Franciscan spirituality. It goes something like this: God became human because God is Love. God is Infinite Love; Infinite Love is free and infinitely greater than humans or our sin. Saying that our sin would force or cause God to become incarnate in order to repair our damage gives sin a power or influence over God that it does not merit.
- ‘Looking backwards for Christmas’ James Alison, The Church Times, no. 7244 (2001) – opening paragraph:
Who appears in our midst during midnight mass? I suppose most of us, nudged along by the ceremony of the placing of the babe in the manger, assume that it is the infant Christ. But the one who is present in our midst at midnight mass, as at every eucharist, is the crucified and risen Lord. We are, in fact, as at every holy communion, celebrating Easter.
We discussed the Franciscan theology of God coming into the world out of his love versus the focus of Thomas Aquinas – to save us from sin.
We concluded the meeting with a closing prayer.
OFS Oxford 