How Countercultural was Francis of Assisi?

By today’s standards perhaps Francis would not seem countercultural since our world is somewhat more open to radical ideas, such as those of Jesus Christ, or of Saint Francis. But in the thirteenth century, when the Church was busy launching crusades to convert the Muslims and squelching heretical movements, Francis seems to be a balance between countercultural, and perhaps even radical, ideas and defense of the structure and hierarchy of the Church.

How is he countercultural? His fraternity described itself as “an upside-down world.” (Vauchez p. 105) How did Francis envision this upside-down world? Through poverty, expressed through manual labor, and begging for alms; reaching out to disenfranchised (especially lepers); forming communities of brothers, sisters, and laity all working towards his Gospel vision; visiting the Muslim world with peace not destruction; and care for all Creation.

Poverty: Il Poverello, as Francis was known, “the poor one,” insisted his followers own nothing, but rather work at a trade, if they had one, to cover their basic needs and when there was no work available, to beg for alms. This was countercultural in a world where the working class was just beginning to emerge, and merchants such as Francis’ father, Pietro di Bernardone, were becoming wealthy even though they were not really the upper class because they were not royalty, clerics, or scholars. However, Francis said the only possessions his followers should have would be tools of the trade at which they could work to generate a small income. He said of Jesus, in whose footsteps he wished to follow, “He wished, along with the Most Blessed Virgin, His Mother, to embrace poverty in the world above all else. (Later Admonitions and Exhortations, p. 46). Even as he was dying, he said in his Testament, “I worked with my hands, and I still desire to work. (p.125) 

Reaching Out to the Disenfranchised: Perhaps there was no class of people more disenfranchised in Francis’ time than lepers. In his Testament, he says, “When I was in sin, it seemed too bitter for me to see lepers. And the Lord Himself led me among them and I showed mercy to them. And when I left them, what had seemed bitter to me was turned into sweetness of soul and body.” (Testament p. 124) To embrace the sweetness of the most despised of people was certainly countercultural!

Forming Community: Francis welcomed clerics as well as unlearned men and women into his community. At that time most communities of women were encouraged seek benefactors to pay for their property and to live in a cloistered environment, while Clare and her sisters worked with the lepers, the poor, and would probably been considered not very “ladylike” in their endeavors to live the Gospel vision of Francis.

Reaching Across Borders: Perhaps one of the more countercultural things he was known for is being the first Christian Saint to visit the Muslin world. Francis arrived in Damietta during the summer of 1219. He was welcomed by Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil, where he tried converting the Sultan rather than coming to overpower him and convert Muslims to Christianity. The Crusaders considered Francis’ actions foolhardy, and the Sultan was probably surprised that this unarmed man dared to approach his headquarters. Although Francis was not successful in converting the Sultan, nor was the Sultan successful in converting Francis, the two men each seemed to admire the other for their belief in their God and their vision. (Vauchez p. 85-87) 

Care for Creation: Although Francis may be most admired today by people of all religions for his care for Creation, it would have been countercultural in an era when humans thought the Earth was the Center of the Universe and the humans had dominion over all Creation, rather than our culture of beginning to understand that humans are to be stewards of the earth. This concept might still be countercultural in our time by some people.

Respecting the Culture of the Church: While Francis may seem at first glance to be countercultural, and even radical in some areas, there was one area in which he confirmed to the culture of his time—the Church. He repeatedly wrote that he had the greatest respect for priests and for the churches.  In fact, he said in his Testament, that he had “such faith in priests who live according to the Rule of the Holy Roman Church… were they to persecute me, I would still have recourse to them,” and that he “would not preach in their parishes against their will.” (p. 125) In the Later Admonitions and Exhortations he says, “We must confess all our sins to a priest and receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ from them. (p. 47)

His respect for the church buildings and for the clergy indicate that he adapted to the culture of the Church in his time, even though he was, in many ways, countercultural.