Divine Beyond the Mind

Stephen Copeland explains that St. Francis and St. Bonaventure experienced the divine through the heart and senses rather than through intellectual study alone. Writing for St. Anthony Messenger, Copeland notes that both men faced significant anxiety regarding the rapid growth and organizational challenges of the Franciscan Order during their retreats to La Verna.

Francis experienced inner turmoil as the order grew beyond his personal control, a period during which he is said to have received the stigmata. Similarly, Bonaventure faced fears of institutional collapse and emerged from his retreat accepting responsibility for the order's future. Copeland suggests that Franciscan spirituality emphasizes a visceral, experiential dimension of theology that moves beyond mere ideas.