Францисканский орден: от апостольского движения к ученой корпорации - [73]

The analysis of the hagiographies dated the second half of the XIIIth century ("post-Bonaventure") lets the author prove that the roots of the historiographical myth about the "Conventuals" and "Observantists" confrontation in the pre-Bonaventure times (see chapter one, part one) originate from the polemics of Bonaventure disciples, "Constitutiones Narbonenses" supporters, and spirituals supporting regression to nonregulated apostolic activity. The author concludes that pre-Bonaventure age was characterized by active interaction of all movements within the Order, while the Order policy was determined by the actual affiliation of the current Minister General who was also able to shape the official "pious legend".

The second part of the research is dedicated to the "conflict-based" interaction between the Franciscan Order and the University of Paris. This part also considers interaction between the Franciscans and the Dominicans. In this part the author demonstrates how, despite the unification policy introduced by the Roman Curia, the Franciscans gain awareness as a movement separated from all other mendicant orders, and how they opt for an "academic corporation". The author relies on the research of the concept of "learning" in the pious legend of Francis dated XIIIth century and the complex of cotemporary cartularies from the University of Paris.

In the first chapter the author analyzes historiography and defines its blind spots and debatable issues. Then, in the second chapter the author points out that the brethren came to the University in the wake of apostolic commitment to transform the world in all of its spheres and aspects, but they had no particular purpose to engage scholastic studies and didn't aspire to imitate the Dominican Order which, on the contrary, intentionally integrated into universities. The author proves that up until 1230 Pope didn't consider the university to be a necessary domain for the Franciscan Order to integrate into. Still, after Gregory IX facilitated theological specialization in the University of Paris by announcing it a "theological center", the sovereign pontiff could have changed his priorities and make the Order brethren intentionally integrate into the University, similarly to the Dominicans and in line with the unification policy for mendicant orders. The author considers this integration to be one of the factors of the institutionalization crisis of the Order, the founder of which was more and more radical in preferring sermons to academic studies, according to both hagiographies by Thomas of Celano.

In the third chapter the author demonstrates that despite part of the Order was established as an academic corporation by 1250s, the majority still developed in the direction of radical mysticism being supported by the Minister General and the "pious legend". The mystical model of world transformation by preaching was proposed in the "Second Life" and served as a means of rapid penetration of Joachimite heresy into the Order, and also led to the emergence of "Introductorius in Evangelium aeternum" treatise in the beginning of 1250s. This period is also marked with the beginning of the conflict between Parisian professors and the Dominicans in which the Franciscan Order took its "invisible" part. The professors tried to banish the Dominicans from the University by accusing them of Joachimite heresy based on the emergence of the aforementioned treatise.

The author considers that the Roman Curia management unification policy for all mendicant orders gave the professors opportunity to accuse the Dominicans of Franciscan heresy and led to conflicts both among new communities and between them and traditional corporations. That said, despite the Order was able to reorganize and survive in the 1260s by developing into an academic corporation, it couldn't overcome the crisis of new communities coming to manage the Roman Curia. In the end of the XIIIth century this was demonstrated by a new round of conflicts.

The author demonstrates that the new understanding of learning as shaped by Bonaventure in the "Major Legend" allowed the Order to fully develop the scholastic movement. However, when the Franciscans became an integral part of the University, they stepped into a new conflict with the Parisian professors on a par with the Dominicans. That said, while the professors appealed to the Roman law and subsequently to the secular authority of the king, the mendicants cried out to the Roman pontiff whose authority was about to run out, but who strived to resolve the conflict by the same methods used in the middle of the century.

In the third part the author explores Franciscan understanding of authority that allowed brethren to permeate all spheres of medieval society on the one hand, and let the institutions use them as vehicles of their will on the other. Author s conclusions are based on the analysis of authority understanding as given in the "pious legend" and personal correspondence of Alphonse, Count of Poitiers, brother of Louis IX.