Francis

Writing Assignment

Francis of Assisi

Length: 5-pages. Paper should be double spaced, left-justification and in Times New Roman or any regular font.

This is not a research paper, but rather an overview of the book and its main themes and as such there are a number of questions you should address. You should have an introduction and a well-organized analysis of the subject.

Part 1

Monasticism by Francis’s time was many centuries old and had gone through a variety of reforms, so what if anything is new with the Franciscan movement? How did Francis’s brand of ascetic monasticism fit with other traditions encountered in the class? Describe Francis’s relationship with the Papacy. Did Francis achieve his goals with the new Order?

Part 2

The second part of the assignment is a ‘critique’ of the book (Francis of Assisi, Performing the Gospel Life, by Lawrence Cunningham. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the book as you see them. Are there sections that seem incomplete or unclear? Are there any unanswered questions? What are some of the limitations of a study such as this? Although the author is an ‘expert’ or a ‘specialist’ and you are not, you still need to learn to read with a ‘critical eye.’ Keep in mind that a ‘critique’ does not necessarily mean a bad or negative review. 

Use only the PDF attached

Format and Citation – You should use the Chicago Manual of Style format. A condensed form of this can be found in Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.