Talbot applies the timeless words of St. Francis to our troubled times. In the United States and across the world, we are experiencing polarization, anger, and violence. But God is still in control, and it is important to dig deep into our Christian heritage in a way that speaks to all people. St. Francis is one of the great saints who somehow reaches across all divides, touches hearts and souls, and brings spiritual peace. Talbot explores Francis’s Admonitions: twenty-eight teachings that are among the most beautiful and troubling of the saint’s writings. Covering sacramental theology of the Eucharist, to communal issues of consecrated life, to very private aspects of faith and devotion, these Admonitions provide clear and radical road signs to the destination on our spiritual journey in Christ.

"A Franciscan priest, Scripture scholar, and teacher, Fr. Hilarion Kistner explores how Francis heard, lived, and proclaimed the Gospel"--Back cover.

"Fifty-two readings about The Sermon on the Mount designed to be read together with others, to discuss what it might look like to put these radical teachings into practice today"--

Francis of Assisi is pre-eminently the saint of the Middle Ages. Owing nothing to church or school he was truly theodidact, and if he perhaps did not perceive the revolutionary bearing of his preaching, he at least always refused to be ordained priest. He divined the superiority of the spiritual priesthood. Saint Francis of Assisi (Italian: San Francesco d'Assisi), born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, informally named as Francesco (1181/1182 - 3 October 1226), was an Italian Catholic friar, deacon and preacher. He founded the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women's Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history. Pope Gregory IX canonized Francis on 16 July 1228. Along with Saint Catherine of Siena, he was designated Patron saint of Italy. He later became associated with patronage of animals and the natural environment, and it became customary for Catholic and Anglican churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of 4 October. He is often remembered as the patron saint of animals. In 1219, he went to Egypt in an attempt to convert the Sultan to put an end to the conflict of the Crusades.[6] By this point, the Franciscan Order had grown to such an extent that its primitive organizational structure was no longer sufficient. He returned to Italy to organize the Order. Once his community was authorized by the Pope, he withdrew increasingly from external affairs. Francis is also known for his love of the Eucharist.[7] In 1223, Francis arranged for the first Christmas live nativity scene.[8][9][2] According to Christian tradition, in 1224 he received the stigmata during the apparition of Seraphic angels in a religious ecstasy [10] making him the first recorded person in Christian history to bear the wounds of Christ's Passion.[11] He died during the evening hours of 3 October 1226, while listening to a reading he had requested of Psalm 142.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts aside his usual parables and speaks plainly in language anyone can understand. Like Francis of Assisi and others, Arnold chose to live out Jesus' teachings by embracing their self- sacrificing demands. In this collection of talks and essays, he calls us to live for the Sermon's ultimate goal: the overturning of the prevailing order of injustice. In its place, Arnold writes, we must build up a just, peaceable society motivated by love.

The Beatitudes and Francis of Assisi is an 8-part Bible Study of Matthew 5:1-12, the section of scripture referred to as "The Beatitudes." These eight principles are explored through a pilgrimage of study with full-color images of the real places discussed in each section. In this study, you'll also explore how these teachings influenced Francis of Assisi, a true example of a holy and intentional response to God's word. Pairing this Christian saint with how he responded to scripture gives us perspective on how we can apply Christ's teaching to our time and in our culture. The Beatitudes and Francis of Assisi is the first study in the Hagios Study Series; hagios being Greek for "holy, set apart by God, saint." This perfect-bound 148-page 8x11 book includes discussion questions, smaller sections for paced weekly progression, and journal pages. Not only can this book be used for personal use and small groups, but it pairs with the free Hagios Study Mobile App's audiovisual mediations for a true experiential pilgrimage through study.