How do Protestants view Francis of Assisi?

[dreadnought]

One would assume that Francis knew about the corruption, indulgences, etc. and didn't want to challenge the leadership about it, as Wycliffe and Huss would do.

One would hope anyone would challenge any corruption in the church that they were aware of.

 

[Duvduv]

On the other hand, Francis displayed qualities very much like those of Buddha.

 

[dreadnought]

On the other hand, Francis displayed qualities very much like those of Buddha.

Don't know much about Buddha.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Although he remained loyal to the Catholic Church and its doctrines, he seems to have succeed by withdrawing from any confrontation with any authorities. How do Protestant denominations view Francis of Assisi in comparison say to John Wycliffe, Jon Huss, etc.?

I greatly admire many of the saints because they risked their lives to bring the world out of violent paganism. Many were martyred for so doing.

 

[Duvduv]

I think it's quite remarkable that some Protestants have been able to identify with Francis whose loyalty was to Roman Catholicism and have been able to take him out of "context." Some people like to identify Francis as a Buddha figure or a Sufi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscan_spirituality_in_Protestantism
https://hnp.org/communications/spiritual-resources/reflections-friars-feast-st-francis/seasonal-reflection-st-francis-buddhism/
http://www.techofheart.co/2008/01/saint-francis-of-assisi-meets-shams.html?m=1

 

[ViaCrucis]

Although he remained loyal to the Catholic Church and its doctrines, he seems to have succeed by withdrawing from any confrontation with any authorities. How do Protestant denominations view Francis of Assisi in comparison say to John Wycliffe, Jon Huss, etc.?

He is a holy and blessed saint of the Church, his feast day is October 4th on the Lutheran Calendar of Saints.

Protestant does not mean anti-Catholic.
The original Protestants understood themselves as being faithful catholic Christians..

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

Ploverwing, is your view a consensus among Protestants, or do some denominations simply want to dismiss him as a naive idealist who didn't condemn the corruption of the Church??

The fundamental problem of speaking about "Protestants" and "Protestantism" is that when you get right down to it, there's no such thing. The term "Protestant" originally referred to a group of German princes who made a formal protest against the Holy Roman Emperor at the 2nd Diet of Speyer, an act known as the Protestation at Speyer. The term "Protestant" then came to refer to both the evangelical (Lutheran) and reformed (Calvinist) groups, and ultimately also to the radicals and Anabaptists. The term stayed to refer to later post-Reformation groups, such as Methodists, Baptists, and later still, Pentecostals, and others. Meaning that the term "Protestant" has become a general catch-all term to refer not just to the original reformers, but generally all Christian groups that directly and indirectly came about from the Reformation.

To speak about "Protestant" beliefs, or to try to give any kind of answer as to the belief, ideas, or practices of "Protestantism" is probably impossible to answer.

Lutherans are Protestant, but our beliefs and practices look an awful lot like Roman Catholicism because Lutheranism wasn't a rejection of Catholicism, it was a movement of reform within Catholicism. As such we did not reject the historic teachings and practices, instead we pointed out that there were some things going on and being taught which we felt were deeply problematic. It is a deeply unfortunate fact of history that Lutherans and [Roman] Catholics are not in communion with one another, schism is not something to celebrate. The 1500 years of Christian history prior to the Reformation is still our history as Lutherans, as such we give honor and respect to the historic saints, fathers, and doctors of the Church, we confess the Creeds, we retain the feasts, observances, and rites which have been handed down to us from ancient times. We have no reason not to, they are part of our history, tradition, and faith.

Compare that with another Protestant group which regards the Catholic Church as an apostate institution which completely abandoned the "true" faith of the apostles, and the results are drastically different.

Both groups will be called "Protestant" but believe radically different things because they are not even remotely similar to one another.

A state of affairs that often leaves us Lutherans sometimes eschewing the term "Protestant" because of the modern baggage attached to the word that does not accurately reflect our history, theology, and practice.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[PloverWing]

He is a holy and blessed saint of the Church, his feast day is October 4th on the Lutheran Calendar of Saints.

His feast day is October 4 in the Episcopal calendar as well.

 

[Duvduv]

Does this mean that had Francis later he would have been at home with the Lutheran and Anglican churches? But other denominations would just consider him in error?
And what about Thomas Acquinas?

 

[PloverWing]

Does this mean that had Francis later he would have been at home with the Lutheran and Anglican churches? But other denominations would just consider him in error?
And what about Thomas Acquinas?

"At home"? St Francis would probably have challenged my church to care for the poor in better ways, just as he challenged the medieval church. So he would have made us feel uncomfortable, but in spiritually beneficial ways.

But, yes, we consider him to be an important member of our church's community.

St Thomas Aquinas' feast day in the Episcopal calendar is January 28. In my tradition, he is seen as one of the great theologians of the church.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Does this mean that had Francis later he would have been at home with the Lutheran and Anglican churches? But other denominations would just consider him in error?
And what about Thomas Acquinas?

Would Francis have felt "at home" in any church today? Impossible to say. Like all historical persons, Francis lived at a particular time and place; and trying to transport historical persons to another time and place and guess how they would feel and act is pure speculation.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Albion]

I think it's quite remarkable that some Protestants have been able to identify with Francis whose loyalty was to Roman Catholicism and have been able to take him out of "context."

I have no idea what people you have in mind there, but it certainly is not necessary to take Francis out of context in order to appreciate him.

 

[FireDragon76]

Francis and Claire are commemorated in our church. Though they aren't necessarily the most significant influences traditionally for Lutherans, they are more significant in our church in modern times.