‘Nicholas of Cusa’s Use of Bonaventure in His Sermons’

Abstract

ABSTRACT The influence of Franciscan thought, including the thirteenth century theologian Bonaventure, on Cusanus, continues to be a rich vein of exploration among scholars, both in the realm of philosophy and speculative theology. This paper will attempt to explore for the first time the varied use of Bonaventure in the large body of sermons by Cusanus. It will seek to demonstrate the multivalent influence of the Seraphic Doctor, in his various genres, on the way Cusanus over his long and varied career sought to present Christian doctrine and inculcate Christian praxis. Specifically, an examination of the sermons of Cusanus demonstrates that throughout his whole career, he utilized at great length a variety of texts by the Seraphic Doctor to explain fundamental concepts of sacramental and moral theology, as well as ecclesiology, eschatology, and the nature of biblical exegesis.