Recent political events in America have caused profound disturbance. The Catholic mood across our country is, at the time of writing this, one reeling with deep consideration about what, precisely, ought to constitute the best way forward. Nowadays there are many voices one can incline their ear towards. Which voice should we listen to?
Introduction
[A] woman had a demon, who spoke within her and said that Francis was doing great harm (malum) to them, and that there were at least five thousand demons gathered to bring him down; and a brother, who overheard it, told blessed Francis. Then Francis got up and said that he now had become
stronger.
1
The premiere mystagogical-scholastic doctor of the Franciscan Order, St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (c. 1221-1274), who is also both doctor seraphicus and doctor devotus, offers a nourishing perspective on spiritual warfare. Bonaventure models spiritual warfare after St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), who stands as a master and general in the fight against the flesh, the world, and the devil. According to Francis and Bonaventure, Scripture enlightens us about the infinite battle lines against us, which began with Lucifer’s rebellion against God (Rev 12:7) and which has, as its stratagem, a logic promoting death and the weakness (passibility) of human nature. In contrast, the logic of Christ is that of restoration through triumph over death in his passion and resurrection, for by assuming the weakness of our fallen human nature, God supplied frail humanity with not only triage for our critical condition, but the remedy to the universal contamination of original sin.2 Whereas the weapon of rebellion against God is the logic of temptation, whose origin is the father of lies (Jn 8:44), the weapon of triumph is a gift (gratia) descending from the Father of lights (Jas 1:17) and possessed by the soul. This gift of Christ repels the assault of temptation and strengthens the soul: “Hence,” Bonaventure says, “an imminent temptation indirectly renders one stronger, just as a ray of light (radius) coming upon a dark, dense and solid object, and then reflected, generates more light and heat.”3 There are three main battle lines of the enemy’s assault: the temptation to pride (the militaristic warfare of the individual), the temptation to false ideology (the domestic warfare of the home), and the temptation to worldly gain (the civil warfare of the commonwealth).4
Militaristic Warfare
Militaristic warfare refers basically to the individual’s fight against the wiles of devils,
who infest day and night, sometimes by blowing things up so that we presume, sometimes by the consideration of knowledge (scientiae), sometimes by the consideration of sanctity; sometimes they make a person angry, and so diabolical and full of the spirit of evil; and other times they make one fall into sadness and desperation…Scripture teaches us to flee from these.5
The presumption Bonaventure refers to here is a presumption of knowledge and curiosity that brings about emptiness because of a lack of devotion.6 The devil aims to “blow things up” through a knowledge that puffs up but does not edify (1 Cor 8:1). Such a presumptuous person does not glorify God, and their mere knowledge is not sufficient for a life of divine praise. However, as no science teaches us “to flee from contrary forces,”7 if knowledge is to be ordered to a political model,
it must adhere with prudence and the lessons of Scripture, which teaches that one should “greatly want to be on that side on which fewer fall.”8 This is the side of the humble. As the first vice is curiosity, the first virtue is humility.9 And humility, the essential virtue for Christian perfection, is
obtained through contemplation of God, remembrance of Christ, and interior self-examination. Only the humble can “avoid the snares of the devil” and guard the fire of devotion against the clamorous winds of the world.10
Domestic Warfare
Domestic warfare refers to the fight against the flesh, which Bonaventure identifies with the
enticement and sin of Eve (Gen 3:7).11The ideology of the flesh flows out of curiosity—of going“ beyond the way of nature”12—which, as rooted in pride, can incur a loss of grace in the soul, a “fall into a depraved manner of thinking (sensum).”13 Generally speaking, the ideology of the flesh is worldly wisdom, which is earthly, sensual, and devilish (Jms 3:15). However, the domestic aspect of the ideology is identified with feminism.
Naturally, the domestic front is “closest to home” and involves upholding proper relations between man and woman. At this front, a man learns to conduct himself well and is made clever, strong, and wise.14 As the immaculata houses the victorious Word, so fallen Eve houses the devil’s legions. And feminism, of whichever variant, is a reimplementation of Eve’s tragic weakness under the logic of the devil: it undermines the original constitution of the woman who is, in one way or another, the house or dwelling for the man. Accordingly, through the corruption of the woman, feminism undermines the integrity of individual and commonwealth. But perhaps the most dangerous aspect of feminism is in its assault on the heart of marital intimacy: by dividing the “one flesh” of holy matrimony, feminism subverts the order and unity of God. And it has been greatly effective: instigate in woman a desire to rule every Adam; incite in man a desire to abdicate responsibility to rule over Eve’s weakened nature.
Like other doctors, Bonaventure recommends avoiding familiarities with women as far as practically possible.15 He also instructs every man to guard himself from her who sleeps on your lap (Mic 7:5). Although the enemy strongly wishes to draw a man into lust (luxuriam), the soul of a stable man acts as a mirror to reflect the intensity of heat away from itself, rendering the soul more chaste than before.16 The clever, strong, and wise man redirects the initial beam of falsity back into the mirror of his soul, reflecting it to God’s perfect law. This perfect law is bedrock. From it, waters of divine wisdom spring forth to cleanse man’s beloved (Psalm 78:16; Ex 17; Num 20; Prov 31; Eph 5:25-27). Strike the heart of the holy man and out flows eternal life. From virtue comes refreshing streams.
Civil Warfare
Civil warfare involves fleeing the world and its temptations as far as possible. Here the battle is especially dire, as even Jesus was tempted with the splendor of earthly kingdoms (Matt 4:8-9). Bonaventure counts the world and its allurements as vain, empty (vane), and useless. Without the rectifying truth and stabilizing faith which reckons a worldly kingdom as nothing without God, no earthly kingdom could be truly glorious. And yet, what makes any kingdom great is a recognition of the changingness of things and the dependence of all things upon an unchanging absolute. But as nothing is immutable except God, a nation that puts its trust in anything except God is bound to be unstable. Thus, with a post-Christian society, Bonaventure would have us follow the psalm closely: Avert my eyes, lest they see vanity (Ps 118:37). Far better than worldly power are the exhortations of philosophy instructing us to despise the world to the extent that every cognition of the soul is toward the divine alone.17 And in this is true political power.
Conclusion
So which voice shall we listen to? America is swarmed with political ideologies—some better than others, but all ultimately inadequate insofar as they neglect the wisdom of Christ. Bonaventure shows us what it looks like for a wise and discerning soul to see beyond the battlefronts to where Christ is already victorious. Despite the onslaught of the enemy, the voice of Christ resounds.
1 Hex., 18.23. Cf. Thomas of Celano, The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul, 83, 118.
2Hex., 1.26.
3Hex., 18.23.
4 These are the three parts of moral philosophy for Bonaventure. Political philosophy is also moral philosophy.
5Hex., 17.18.
6 Hex., 1.8.
7 Hex., 17.18.
8 Hex., 17.14.
9 Hex., 19.4. Bonaventure uses St. Bernard’s description of humility: “[T]he virtue by which a man, knowing well
what he is, deems himself worthless” (Perf vitae, 1). See The Works of Bonaventure (Paterson, New Jersey: St.
Anthony Guild Press, 1960).
10 Hex., 1.24. Bonaventure is utilizing a saying of Antony of the Desert. Historically, these “winds” for Bonaventure
refer to an atmosphere of constant disputation among the schoolmen. The more explicit biblical connection implies
false teaching. See Jude 1:12-13. Also cf. Francis’s letter to Anthony of Padua: “It pleases me that you teach sacred
theology to the brothers, as long as—in the words of the Rule—you ‘do not extinguish the Spirit of prayer and devotion’
with study of this kind.” See Francis and Clare: The Complete Works (New York: Paulist Press, 1982), 79.
11 Hex., 17.16.
12 Hex., 19.4.
13 Hex., 3.30.
14 Hex., 18.23.
15 Epistola 1.3. Cf. Dominic Monti, Works of Saint Bonaventure: Writings Concerning the Franciscan Order, vol. 5 (St. Bonaventure University, New York: Franciscan Institute, 1994), 60.
16 Hex., 18.23.
17 Hex., 6.26.
Dr. Lance H. Gracy
Lance H. Gracy completed his Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of North Texas in 2025 with a dissertation on St. Bonaventure'sCollationes in Hexaëmeron and its relevance to environmental philosophy. His research is concerned with the fruitful engagement of Catholic theology with the history of philosophy, especially as it pertains to philosophy of art and aesthetics, Asian and comparative philosophy, and environmental philosophy. His work has appeared in Religions, Philotheos, Philosophy East and West, and many other volumes. A seasoned teacher, Dr. Gracy has taught many philosophy courses at a variety of institutions, including the University of North Texas and the University of the Incarnate Word. For more information, please visit lancegracy.com
