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St. Francis of Assisi: A New Way of Being Christian

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St. Francis of Assisi: A New Way of Being Christian

By: William J. Short
Narrated by: William J. Short
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About this listen

What does it mean to be an imitator of Christ?

Find out by exploring the life and legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi and the movements he inspired with one of the world's leading Franciscan experts as your guide.

From the humble backyard birdbath to the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, images of this Italian cloth merchant's son can be found almost anywhere. His followers now number nearly one million in more than 96 countries, lay and religious, men and women.

But who was St. Francis? Why do so many of us find him such an attractive Christian and human figure? What is fact and what is fiction about his life, his teaching, and his impact on global society? Learn the remarkable story behind the Franciscan movement.

Now you can trace the amazing story of the lives of Saint Francis and Saint Clare with this exciting new 24-lecture series by renowned Franciscan scholar Brother William Short, former president of the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley.

Whether you have studied Francis for a lifetime or you are only casually acquainted with this amazing saint, we guarantee you will treasure this unique course.

©2008 Now You Know Media Inc. (P)2008 Now You Know Media Inc. Biographies Christianity Religious Studies

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Critic reviews

"Bill Short knows his Franciscan history and theology as well as spirituality." (Dorothy McCormack, OSF, Redwood City, California)
All stars
Most relevant
I've listened to or read a couple of other biographies of St. Francis - one of which was frankly hagiographic, the other of which was 'debunking". Both had too much of a slant and too little if a feel for St. Francis and his society. This one was more open-ended and exploratory than the others: Short doesn't seem to have an axe to grind, and the result is a thoroughly satisfying, eye-opening account of a spiritual visionary who struggled to articulate and safeguard his unique charism. The final chapters on the Franciscan movement's later evolution filled in much needed gaps and completed the picture beautifully, making sense of many features of Franciscan and Catholic history that at first glance seem incongruous in connection with the founder.

A sympathetic, balanced appreciation

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A well read, well paced story of one of Christianity's most important figures. Lovely anecdotes accompany history.

Francis portrayed humanely

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