Dear list members,
the phrase "ioculatores Domini" is generally regarded as "typical
Franciscan". According to the Legenda Perusina (c. 83) St Francis himself
said about his movement: "Nos sumus ioculatores Domini...".
But there is a similar phrase to be found in Caesarius of Heisterbach's
Dialogus miraculorum (Distinctio sexta, c. 8). Caesarius characterizes
simple-minded persons ("simplices") as "ioculatores Dei" so it seems to be
unlikely that the mentioned term has been invented first by Francis or
Franciscans.
Does anybody know further earlier examples of such a phrase?
I have been working about the concept of Franciscan "simplicitas" last year
and I still wonder how deeply it might have been influenced by Cistercian
spirituality....
Thanks in advance for any kind of reply.
Achim Wesjohann
Technische Universität Dresden
Sonderforschungsbereich 537 / Teilprojekt C
01062 Dresden
http://rcswww.urz.tu-dresden.de/~sfb537
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