The Literary Works of Bonaventure

Beyond the above-mentioned Life of Francis and the Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Bonaventure’s numerous writings span the wide range of Scholastic issues. The majority of his writings are philosophical and theological orientated, falling under the rubrics of dogmatic, mystic, exegetical, and homiletic. In particular, four works provide a comprehensive overview of Bonaventure’s intellectual synthesis: Commentary on the Sentences (Commentaria in quatuor libros sententiarum), Brief Com-mentary(Breviloquium), Journey of the Mind to God (Itinerarium Mentis in Deum), and On the Reduction of the Arts to Theology (De reductione Artium ad Theologiam). Bonaventure’s Commentary on the Sentences, which is his longest and most significant text, engages the breadth of Scholastic teachings, from the Trinity, to Creation and Fall, to the Sacraments and the Last Judgment. The

Breviloquium, written before 1257, is a shorter summary on Scholastic theology, which prominently reflects the Augustinian emphases on faith, illumination, and the scriptures. Bonaventure’s Journey of the Mind to God, which was written on Mount la Verna in 1259, reflects upon the human ascent back to God, which occurs in sex progressive movements from the sensible world to contemplation and communion with God. De reductione Artium ad Theologiam assesses the arts, philosophy and theology, and these disciplines relationship to a natural center. Another important theological text, Bonaventure’s Disputed Questions on the Mystery of the Trinity (Quaestiones disputate de mysterio Trinitatis) examines the possibility of knowing God’s being, in relation to Anselm’s ontological doctrine. After establishing the truth of God’s being, Bonaventure considers how humanity apprehends the inner reality of God’s being through natural reason and faith.

Bonaventure’s mysticism, which permeates much of his thought, was shaped within the Victorine tradition. A select number of Bonaventure’s treatises specifically examine mystical, or spiritual theology. Perhaps, On the Threefold Way (De triplici via) provides the most important summary of Bonaventure’s spirituality. In this treatise, Bonaventure describes the spiritual life as a series of ascents through three stages known as the purgative, the illuminative, and the unitive. In his Soliloquies (Soliloquium), Bonaventure offers a spiritual commentary on sayings of the Church Fathers. Bonaventure’s other mystical writings are the Tree of Life (Lignum vitae), which consists of 48 meditations on the life of Christ; On the Six Wings of the Seraphim (De sex alis seraphim), which is a minor work on virtues of superiors; On the Perfection of the Life of the Sisters (De perfectione vitae ad sorores), which is a reflection on virtues for religious perfection; On the Five Feasts of the Child, Jesus (De quinque festivitatibus pueri Jesu); On the Rule of the Soul (De regimine animae); and Treatise on the Preparation for Mass (Tractatus de praeparatione ad missam).

Another important source exists in the form of lectures, which Bonaventure delivered at the university. The most significant of the university conferences, or collationes, is the unfinished Collations on the Six Days (Collationes in Hexameron), which were authored at Paris in 1273. Other extant conferences are the Collations on the Ten Commandments (Collationes de decem praeceptis) and Collations on the Seven Gifts (Collationes de septem donis). In the Collations on the Six Days, Bona-venture examines the first chapter of Genesis while advancing an argument against the Aristotelianism of the Averroists. Of note, Bonaventure commends the literalist interpretation of Genesis while recognizing the value in Augustine’s figurative readings. Certainly, Bonaventure appreciated the mystical sense of the scriptures; however, his exegetical writings often reflect his position as a preacher concerned with succinct exegesis of the Gospel. Bonaventure was a prolific preacher; there are 569 extant sermons. His sermons reflect the Scholastic method, whereby the subject is divided and then elaborated upon in accordance with the varied senses.

From Bonaventure’s exegetical works, there are four extant biblical commentaries, on Ecclesiastes, Wisdom, the Gospel of Luke, and the Gospel of John. Furthermore, Bonavenutre wrote on the religious life in order to encourage his fellow Franciscans. From his position as the spiritual master of the Friars Minor, Bonaventure indelibly shaped western Christian spirituality. Bonaventure’s most well-known writing on the religious life was his explanation of the rule of the Friars Minor. This work, reminiscent of Bonaventure’s 17-year generalship, is marked with an attitude of reconciliation. Ultimately, Bonaventure’s via media was unsuccessful, as the contentious parties proved intransigent in their respective positions. Following his explanation of the rule, Bonaventure wrote the Constitutions of Narbonne. Also, we have a treatise on instructing novices, and a minor work on the role of preaching and hearing confession within the Friars Minor. Finally, there are numerous extant letters, both personal and ecclesiastical. Finally, Bonaventure’s Life of St. Francis represents an attempt to bring reconciliation among the Friars Minor.