Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi

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Penguin, Sep 30, 2003 - Religion - 288 pages
Acclaimed biographer Donald Spoto strips away the legends from the life of Francis of Assisi to reveal the true story of a man who has too often been obscured by pious iconography. Drawing on unprecedented access to unexplored archives, plus Francis's own letters, Spoto places Francis within the context of the multifaceted ecclesiastical, political, and social forces of medieval Italy, casting new light on Francis and showing how his emphasis on charity as the heart of the Gospel's message helped him pioneer a new social movement. This nuanced portrait reveals the multifaceted character of a man who can genuinely be said to have changed the course of history.
 

Contents

Title Page Copyright Page Dedication
Acknowledgements Introduction
ONE 11811187
TWO 11871196
FOUR 1205
FIVE 1206 1208
SIX 12081209
SEVEN 1209
TEN 12121213
ELEVEN 12131218
TWELVE 12191220
THIRTEEN 1220 1222
FOURTEEN 12231224
FIFTEEN 12251226
Notes Bibliography
Index

EIGHT 12091210
NINE 12111212
About the Author
Copyright

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About the author (2003)

Donald Spoto, author of The Hidden Jesus, taught theology, Christian mysticism, and biblical literature at the university level for twenty years. His other eighteen books include internationally bestselling biographies of Alfred Hitchcock, Laurence Olivier, Tennessee Williams, and Ingrid Bergman.

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