Bonaventure’s synthesis of Augustinianism, Aristotelian-ism, and Scholasticism, masterfully exemplifies the intellectual dynamism of the thirteenth century. Of note, the breadth and complexity of the Bonaventurean synthesis has led to a diverse range of assessments. Bonaventure’s dependence and relationship, or lack thereof, to a wide range of persons and movements has bequeathed a wide range of assessments, which offer nuanced characterizations. The conflicting evaluations demonstrate the breadth and diversity of Bonaventure’s writings. Rather than isolating one particular school of thought as the essential component, Bonaventure’s achievement is appropriately assessed by maintaining his dynamic synthesis, which is exemplified throughout his literary corpus. The following overview considers some of the more salient features of Bonaventure’s philosophy and theology, which has been deemed a Christian philosophy.
Bonaventure’s philosophy is primarily traditional. He was an ardent disciple of Alexander of Hales, and a promulgator of the old Franciscan school. Bonaventure, who considered himself a continuator of Alexander of Hales, was significantly shaped by Alexander’s Augustin-ian approach to Aristotelianism. Alexander, while remaining Augustinian, copiously examined and quoted Aristotle’s works in order to appropriate philosophy for the advancement of theology. Further, Bonaventure was a steadfast follower of Augustine, albeit interpreted through the lens of Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) and Hugh of St. Victor (1096-1141) (Cullen 2006). Beyond Augustine, Bonaventure drew on the cosmic vision of Pseudo-Dionysius, and the psychology of Bernard of Clairvaux, and Richard of St. Victor. Bonaventure’s philosophy is developed within the framework of the Christian tradition; consequently, while different aspects within his intellectual program could be emphasized as novel, his thought certainly represents a mode of Christian philosophy guided by tradition (Gilson 1965).
While antecedents significantly shaped Bonaventure’s philosophy, his thought is marked with originality, exemplified in the coalescing of Augustinianism and Aristote-lianism into a novel reconfiguration. Unlike Aquinas, Bonavenutre never composed a commentary on Aristotle, although he quoted the Stagirite 1,015 times (Bougerol 1974). On occasion, Bonaventure favored aspects of Plato over Aristotle; however, he was neither a strict Platonist nor Aristotelian. In the thirteenth century, a kind of ‘‘Neoplatonizing Aristotelianism’’ emerged at the University of Paris. Bonaventure’s approach, while guided by an Augustinian framework, was decidedly colored by the thirteenth-century syncreticism of ancient philosophies (Van Steenberghen 1955). In the 1260s, Bonaventure convened conferences, where he attacked Aristotelianism. This series of Anti-Aristotelian conferences should be assessed within the context of the Averroists movement. Bonaventure extensively employed Aristotle’s thought; however, he was against particular strict readings, which the Averroists epitomized. Primarily, Bonaventure only employed the teachings of Avicenna and Averroes in order to support his favored authors, such as Boethius and Aristotle. On one hand, Bonaventure argues that the Church Fathers are the primary source for working through Christian philosophy; however, within his order of philosophy, Bonaventure often employs Aristotle on his own terms and merits (Quinn 1973).
Bonaventure’s assessment of philosophy as a self-contained and independent discipline is nuanced and multilayered. On one level, for Bonaventure, the discipline of philosophy is autonomous, even while the ancient pursuit is ultimately subordinate to theology (De Wulf 1926).
However, prior to theology, Bonaventure deems philosophy a valid, if albeit an incomplete science. Bonaventure delineates the principles and methodology of philosophy from theology while ultimately fulfilling and coalescing both disciplines under Christian wisdom (sapientia) (Robert 1951). In short, the Bonaventurean synthesis epitomizes the thirteenth-century pursuit to organize all knowledge in a manner that explicates universal knowledge. Bonaventure offers a dynamic philosophy and theology, which was contoured by many movements, but ultimately rooted in Augustinianism.
World History
