In his new book,
The Saint [Francis] and the Sultan [of Egypt], Paul Moses writes: “In both cases, the accounts in question need to be viewed in the context of their own times; the audiences they were written for, the political pressures at hand, the writers’ theological goals in telling
the story.
By doing that, it’s possible to decode the early documents and uncover the story of Francis, the sultan, and what their encounter can mean today.”
Sounds like a very good book.
To read Melinda Henneberger’s article about the book, click here. Henneberger writes, “One of the most interesting points Moses makes is the link between the monk’s dedication to living in poverty and his opposition to war, since in his experience greed and military engagement were invariably linked.”