The Biblical Foundations of Medieval Franciscan Preaching (en Inglés) - Taylor Fisher

The history of medieval Christianity cannot be understood without attending to the central place occupied by Holy Scripture in the life of the Church. The Bible shaped liturgy, theology, canon law, devotional practices, ecclesiastical reform, and pastoral care. Yet Scripture was not merely preserved in manuscripts or studied within monasteries and schools. It was proclaimed, interpreted, and applied through preaching, a form of religious communication that brought biblical teaching into direct contact with the daily experiences of Christian communities. Among the various movements that transformed medieval preaching, none proved more influential than the Franciscan Order. From the early thirteenth century onward, Franciscans emerged as some of the most active and creative interpreters of Scripture in Western Christendom, developing distinctive methods of biblical exposition that reflected their spiritual ideals, pastoral priorities, and evangelical mission.

This book explores the role of Holy Scripture in medieval Franciscan preaching. It examines how the biblical text was understood, interpreted, transmitted, and proclaimed by Franciscan preachers from the foundation of the order in the early thirteenth century through the later Middle Ages. It seeks to understand not only what Franciscan preachers said about Scripture, but also how Scripture shaped their identity, informed their mission, and provided the principal framework through which they engaged the spiritual and social realities of medieval society.