Description
Simply Bonaventure: An Introduction to His Life, Thought, and Writings is an accessible introductory text by Ilia Delio, designed to guide readers through the complex theology of the medieval Franciscan philosopher, Bonaventure of Bagnoregio. Instead of delving into a dry academic treatise, Delio structures the book around Bonaventure’s own metaphysical framework, which is built on the circular journey of emanation, exemplarity, and consummation. This provides a clear, unifying narrative for understanding how all creation comes from God, reflects God’s image, and ultimately returns to God. A key theme is the idea that all of existence, and specifically humanity, is on a spiritual pilgrimage toward ecstatic union with the divine, with the life of Christ serving as the central exemplar for this journey. Delio places Bonaventure’s thirteenth-century ideas into a modern context, addressing perennial questions of human origin, purpose, and destiny that remain relevant today. Ultimately, the book serves as both a historical and a spiritual guide, inviting readers to not only understand Bonaventure’s profound system of thought but also to embark on their own contemplative path.
