Bonaventure Mystical Writings

The life, ideas and selected writings of one of the greatest mystical philosophers of all time.

St. Bonaventure (1221-1274) is known as the Seraphic Doctor in honor of one of the basic qualities of his teaching—the purist love. Described by Etienne Gilson as “a St. Francis of Assisi gone philosopher and lecturing at the University of Paris,” the scholar saint was healed by St. Francis as an infant. A contemporary of Thomas Aquinas, he was taught by Alexander of Hales, and became head of the Franciscan order during a time of great upheaval. He left us with a treasure of classic writings of philosophical mysticism that explored the ascent of our minds and souls to God.

Zachary Hayes, OFM, is a noted Franciscan friar, theologian and academic. He earned his Ph.D. in theology at Friedrich Wilhelm University in Bonn, Germany. He became a full-time member of the faculty at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1968. He served on the summer faculty at St. Bonaventure University and he was a visiting professor at St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA.; Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago; the Divinity School of the University of Chicago; the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, California; the University of Notre Dame; and the Chicago Center for Religion and Science sponsored by the Lutheran School of Theology. He is widely regarded as one of the leading interpreters of St. Bonaventure. He is the author of many books including Saint Bonaventure’s Disputed Questions on the Mystery of the Trinity, Saint Bonaventure’s Disputed Questions on the Knowledge of Christ, The Hidden Center: Spirituality and Speculative Christology in St. Bonaventure and numerous articles.