EXPERIENCING GOD

Sweeney surveys the ways in which contemporary readers can experience God through the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi.

In today’s troubled sociopolitical climate, it may seem odd to find solace in the teachings of a 13th-century Christian mystic. Yet, as the author convincingly argues, Saint Francis of Assisi lived during an equally tumultuous era and believed far too many were “slaves to money and power and persona” and needed a “way to escape” by experiencing God. Sweeney describes God not just as humanity’s creator, but also as a “Lover” and “Friend,” as he outlines the ways in which Francis suggests we can “find love and joy” by connecting with the divine. The author highlights Francis’ well-known affinity for animals, emphasizing his dedication to setting captives free versus keeping them in cages (a liberatory message that has widespread applications in one’s relationship with other living beings). Sweeney also discusses channeling emotions into action, noting that “We may love the calm, but we need storms” to prompt us to look outside of ourselves. The author challenges traditional gender norms, noting Francis’ belief that friars ought to organize themselves as “mothers” and “children” as they take “turns caring for one another with a motherly love.” While Francis is among the most popular saints in Catholicism, the author is adamant that the book is not a theological treatise; he selected Francis as a subject because of his popularity with agnostics, Protestants, Jews, and Muslims. The text frequently ties the teachings of Francis to those of Zen Buddhist philosophers and other thinkers, spanning Rumi to James Baldwin. This emphasis on the universality of Francis’ ideas makes this thoughtful work accessible and free of proselytization while also contextualizing the saint within his own historical and religious context. Sweeney, the author of more than three dozen books on spirituality, backs this work with a selection of scholarly endnotes.

A learned, yet profoundly readable, consideration of the continued applicability of the teachings of Saint Francis.