Introduction
Saint Bonaventure was a member of the Franciscan order and a philosopher in the 13th century. The philosophy of Bonaventure can be considered Augustinian because it was heavily influenced by Augustine (Sutanto, 2021). One of the most significant issues that Bonaventure advanced was the nature and status of the soul. The theologian indicated that the nature of the soul, being, and truth are the three ways that provide proof for the existence of God (Salvador-González, 2021). This paper will review the interpretation of Saint Bonaventure on the soul.
Nature and Status of the Soul
Saint Bonaventure notes that the soul represents the principle that maintains life in a body. The soul is assigned specific powers that are necessary features for its functions (Löwe, 2021). Another aspect is that the soul signifies God’s image and nature serves an important role in bringing the soul to God (Milne, 2021). This idea indicates that knowledge and wisdom about all things are possessed by human beings through the soul. Bonaventure advised people to live righteous lives to ensure that their souls returned to God (Milne, 2021). This occurs when a person looks inward and recognizes the presence of the soul, which is proof of the existence of God.
Saint Bonaventure pointed out that the soul possesses memory, will, and intelligence. Memory is used to create thought objects, which can refer to the future, the present, or the past (Salvador-González, 2021). The three aspects mirror the spiritual nature of God and foreshadow the Trinity. The philosopher was able to explain that the soul is the form of the body and the spiritual substance (Kemp, 2018). This means that it is composed of spiritual matter and form. The two aspects help to explain why the different characteristics of the soul. Memory, will, and intelligence can help individuals to reflect inwardly and learn more about the soul.
Another aspect that describes the nature of the soul is that it has three main parts, which are the spirit, the senses, and the mind. The senses are focused on the objects or exterior corporeal, the spirit is preoccupied with the self, while the mind with above the self (Salvador-González, 2021). These three aspects lead the soul toward God’s knowledge. Sense perception is the first stage of the process of knowing God. The human soul uses its spiritual and intellectual powers to guide a person toward the path of God.
Regarding the status of the soul, Bonaventure notes that it is immortal. The idea is based on the belief that the soul represents the image of God and possesses key powers, which relate to the divinity of God. Bonaventure indicated that the soul consists of both form and substance (Rickabaugh, 2018). This gives it human and divine characteristics and further underlines the idea that some aspects of the soul are immortal. Therefore, Saint Bonaventure was a crucial theologian and philosopher who helped advance knowledge of the soul.
Conclusion
In summary, Bonaventure views the soul as an image of God, which gives humans certain powers. Memory, will, and intelligence is essential aspects of the soul and is crucial in assisting people to get closer to God. The powers of the soul are considered necessary features and they depend on the soul. These powers should be considered in the same category as the soul.
References
Kemp, M. (2018). Most Evident to Us, Most Distant from God: The Body as Locus of Salvation in Bonaventure’s Breviloquium. Essays in Medieval Studies, 34(1), 53-64.
Löwe, C. L. (2021). Bonaventure on the Soul and Its Powers. Vivarium, 59(1-2), 10-32. Web.
Milne, J. (2021). Saint Bonaventure and the Divine Order of Creation. Medieval Mystical Theology, 30(1), 17-36. Web.
Rickabaugh, B. L. (2018). Responding to NT Wright’s Rejection of the Soul. The Heythrop Journal, 59(2), 201-220. Web.
Salvador-González, J. M. (2021). Contemplating God from the Mirror of the Soul: The First Level of St. Bonaventure’s Introspective Aesthetics from Its Inspiring Sources. Poligrafi, 26(103/104), 153-173. Web.
Sutanto, N. G. (2021). Questioning Bonaventure’s Augustinianism? On the Noetic Effects of Sin. New blackfriars, 102(1099), 401-417. Web.