FRA.

LORENZO
FRANCISCAN VIEW OF DEATH
What is DEATH? How is the inevitability of death confronted within the realms of
Christian faith?
CONTEMPORARY VIEWS OF DEATH:
1. PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL ( Marx, Freud, Kierkegaard, Rank )
HEROISM: having the courage to face death
NARCISSISM: human reflex; the desire and illusion to maintain that we are
being like god.
2. EXISTENTIAL
Death as a UNIVERSAL PROBLEM which elicits terror (Becker)
3. BIOLOGICAL
INSTINCTIVE: carrying death UNCONSCIOUSLY as part of their biology; hence
terror of death is part of their biological nature. ( Freud )
CONCEPTION IS THE MOMENT WE BEGIN NOT ONLY TO LIVE BUT TO DIE.
( Tillich )
4. TRANSCENDENTAL/METAPHYSICAL: Death is a condition that makes it possible
for humans to grasp at the meaning of life, because without death, we would
know nothing of our creaturely existence. ( Becker )
5. TRANSCENDENTAL THEOLOGY: where the supernatural is dismissed or
forgotten, we are left with nothing more than a finitude for which there is
little hope or reason ( Rahner )
6. TECHNOLOGICAL/ MODERN WORLDVIEW: death as the ultimate, inescapable
end of our finite existence. Death is simply ANNIHILIATION.
RESPONSES TO DEATH:
1. AVOIDANCE
Derrida: Fear and Trembling of the unknown; Anxiety and Fear
Repression, Avoidance and Denial of the Truth of Death.
FORMS:
- Use of Aesthetic Surgery
- Establishment of Legacy something to be remembered
- Banality of life: eat, drink, be happy YOLO.
2. EXPLOITATION: entertainment, a product, or simply inconsequential
FORMS:
Society of SPECTACLE: Morphine; manipulation of consumers desires
and needs.
Division of reality and artificiality: grotesque media and productions
Selling death as spectacle; mundane, palatable and as a matter-offact; tailored-fit to
alleviate the boredom of life,
convince us that CONTROL of death is POSSIBLE
objectification of death as commodity.
All of this fear and anxiety, this avoidance and exploitation, is
ultimately caused by our hopeless ; interpretation of death as the finite end
of our existence

CHRISTIANITY on the other hand provides us a VIEW of this

EXISTENTIAL REALITY both with HOPE and MEANING.
THE FRATERNAL WORLDVIEW OF FRANCIS OF ASSISI:
Provides us with a great example of an integrated, authentic approach to
understanding, encountering, and reconciling our relationship to death.
CONTEXT/THEMES OF FRANCIS VIEW OF DEATH:
1. INEVITABILITY of death
2. PAINFUL AND TO BE FEARED
LINK TO HUMAN EXISTENCE:
1. PUNISHMENT to sinfulness
2. CONDITION of Human CREATURELINESS
INTERPRETATIONS:
1. ANNIHILIATION
2. NEGATION ( Denial ) of Existence
SOURCE/FOUNDATION OF FRANCIS embrace of death as SISTER :
the three-STAGES in the development of the CANTICLE OF CREATURES:
V1-9 Contents: Elements / Naming of Creation in relation to St. Francis
Fraternal and Filial connection with creation and GOD
Realization of our connection (fraternal kinship) with creation is the beginning
of understanding
DEATH;
not only MY LIFE has its meaning but ALL LIFE has meaning contrary to
NIHILISM.
V10-11
Contents: Prayerful Addressing of CONFLICT
Reconciliation, Solidarity, Peace
Authentic relationship develops RECONCILIATION and PEACE
It is a relationship that extends BEYOND DOMINANCE, CONTROL,OR EVEN
STEWARDSHIP.
RECOGNITION of the DIGNITY OF LIFE ; of being created by GOD.
PEACEMAKING as an INTEGRAL PART of CHRISTIAN (Franciscan) Discipleship.
V12-13
Conclusion, Process of Learning to embrace death
The recognition of that right relationship challenges us to move beyond our
desire to avoid or
exploit those parts of our lives (eg DEATH) that frighten us.
NOTION OF FACING DEATH: Through PEACEMAKING AND SELF-EMPTYING that
we return to our

place as children of God and brothers and sisters to one another and the rest
of creation. In doing so, we no longer see death as something alien and to be
feared, but as ANOTHER DIMENSION OF OURSELVES
Death maintains its fearful place as a threat to those who refuse to see
themselves as intimately CONNECTED TO THAT WHICH IS OTHER AND TO
THAT WHICH IS WHOLLY (AND HOLY) Other
Recognition of Gods presence in our lives is the beginning of the hope.
This is the hope that transcends the worldly limits of our finite experience.
The CHALLENGE that lies before us is to EMBRACE this vision of death and to
BELIEVE that life
has been RADICALLY ALTERED AND REDEEMED through the RESURRECTION.
As he approached his own earthly end, Francis, RECALLING (ANAMNESIS) the
love of God made manifest in the gift of creation, looked forward with hope to
his share in the resurrection of Christ (ESCHATOLOGICAL). There was no
longer a need to avoid or exploit death, because death was his sister, closer
to him than the fear of the unknown.
CHOICES OF WORLDVIEW OF DEATH:
1. End of limited and meaningless existence or part of natural order grounded in
HOPE
2. Death as alien/enemy or as sister.
3. As ultimate problem of humanity or the hope of new life.
Conclusion
Living in light of a fraternal worldview that honors the CONNECTEDNESS OF
ALL CREATION HELPS TO FREE US FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH which otherwise
mitigates the fullness of life and influences our actions toward SELF-PRESERVATION
AND SELFISHNESS AT THE COST OF AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIP.
The TRANSFORMATION FROM FEAR TO HOPE in the life of Francis of Assisi as
he approached death provides us with a MODEL FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING in an
increasingly secular, violent, and pessimistic world.
In welcoming death as our sister, we might serve as beacons of the Christian
hope of new life and live the prophetic call of the Gospel.