Saints and Animals
William Short
St. Francis of Assisi has been for decades been depicted in illustrations, paintings, and even garden birdbaths as a saint with a love for animals.
But he is not the only Christian saint associated with animals. Early Christian martyrs, the Desert Fathers of Egypt, monks and hermits from Ireland to Italy, Belgian nuns and saintly French noblemen all have fascinating accounts of animals as part of their legends. The tendency is to either naively accept all these accounts at face value, or dismiss them outright as fables. However, neither approach is adequate. In this series of lectures you will approach these stories as hagiography, that is, stories of the saints intended to edify, to communicate a spiritual meaning to their audience.
These stories of saints and animals in this course are designed to offer people today an idea of how earlier Christian generations understood their fellow creatures as significant, communicating important messages of their Creator.
Duration - 5h.
Author - William Short.
Narrator - Br. William Short, O.F.M., S.T.L., S.T.D..
Published Date - Thursday, 19 January 2023.
Location:
United States
Networks:
William Short
Br. William Short, O.F.M., S.T.L., S.T.D.
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Description:
St. Francis of Assisi has been for decades been depicted in illustrations, paintings, and even garden birdbaths as a saint with a love for animals. But he is not the only Christian saint associated with animals. Early Christian martyrs, the Desert Fathers of Egypt, monks and hermits from Ireland to Italy, Belgian nuns and saintly French noblemen all have fascinating accounts of animals as part of their legends. The tendency is to either naively accept all these accounts at face value, or dismiss them outright as fables. However, neither approach is adequate. In this series of lectures you will approach these stories as hagiography, that is, stories of the saints intended to edify, to communicate a spiritual meaning to their audience. These stories of saints and animals in this course are designed to offer people today an idea of how earlier Christian generations understood their fellow creatures as significant, communicating important messages of their Creator. Duration - 5h. Author - William Short. Narrator - Br. William Short, O.F.M., S.T.L., S.T.D.. Published Date - Thursday, 19 January 2023.
Language:
English
Opening Credits
Duration:00:00:47
About the Presenter
Duration:00:01:52
Topic 1: Introduction
Duration:00:23:10
Topic 2: Peace With Animals in Scripture and Legend
Duration:00:25:37
Topic 3: Wild Beasts Serve and Obey
Duration:00:25:13
Topic 4: Animals Atone for Damage
Duration:00:25:08
Topic 5: Hunted Animals and Their Santly Protectors
Duration:00:25:01
Topic 6: Saints and Fish
Duration:00:24:43
Topic 7: Wind Creatures and the World of the Spirit
Duration:00:24:52
Topic 8: Serpents, Dragons, and Demons
Duration:00:24:25
Topic 9: A Tradition of Devilish Beasts
Duration:00:25:13
Topic 10: The Devil and the Wild Beasts
Duration:00:25:03
Topic 11: Wild Beasts in Early Christian Tradition
Duration:00:24:01
Topic 12: A Christian Vision of Saints and Animals
Duration:00:24:45
Ending Credits
Duration:00:00:33