The Friars: The Impact of the Early Mendicant Movement on Western Society

C.H. Lawrence's book THE FRIARS is a good summary of the Mendicant orders who emerged in the late 12th. and 13th. centuries. The book explains why the men and women in the newer Catholic orders emerged from the closter to evagelize and minister to the secular world. Given the contrributions of the Frairs, good historians have expressed their respect to these men and women who emerged from the relisous houses of the Friars work among what they considered their secular brethren regardless if these people were wealthy or not. Mr. Lawrence records the economic and social changes the occured in Western Eruope starting c. 1050. These changes led to population increases, a gradual increase in prossperity, and a need for religious appeal. This appeal led to the rise of the Mendicant orders who administered to the their secular constituents who thought they were abandoned by the cloistered monks and nuns. The new middle class were dismayed by the the secular clergy including the parish priests who were often poorly educated and incapable to offereng intelligent responses to better educated laity. St. Francis of Assisi(c. 1182-1226) started the Friars Minor (The Little Brothers) or Franciscans as a charity order. His brothers and sisters did considerable work among the destitute and ill. These Franciscans supervised orphaneges, hospitals, etc. They catered to the hopeless, and they attracted followers not only in Italy but also throughout Europe. The Franciscan men even offered themselves as prisoners of Moslem leaders in exchange for other Catholic prisoners of war. On the other hand St. Dominic (c.1170-1221) started The Order of Preachers (OPs) or Dominicans as a missionary and teaching order. The Dominicans stressed learning, scholarship, and preaching as an antidote to the Albigensians in Southerm France and Northern Spain. St. Dominic wanted his Dominicans to be learned to gain the respect of laymen and to counter the arguements of heretics. Lawrence gives the Dominicans for their success as both preachers and effective teachers. Devout Catholics should note that St. Dominic is credited with initiating The Rosary and the prayers that are attached to it. C.H. Lawrence gives lesser known Mendicants credit. For example his book has sections on The Carmelites, The Austin Friars, The Crutched Friars, The Mathurin Frairs, etc. These orders have survived into the 21st. century. Readers should note that the Me4ndicant orders thrived in urban areas as part of the Medieval economic revival. The Friars knew that many of the indigent and emerging educated middle classes could be approached in the cities while the rural areas were considered "safe" from heresy. The Friars were also atrracted to the universities since their priests and nuns could be educated in the urban schools. This often caused conflict which threatened the status of the Friars who were probably too tough to disappear. The friars also had crises of conscience with both th

Scholarly yet readable, sympathetic yet not uncritical, Lawrence's book provides a concise account not only of the early history of the Friars (Franciscans, Dominicans etc.) but of the history of the western church in the thirteenth century (including the church's missions to such distant places as Beijing). An excellent textbook for students, and an enjoyable read for anyone interested in history.

This book deals with the origins of the Franciscan, Dominican, Augustinian, and Carmelite friars (along with other minor mendicant orders) and the foundations of mendicancy. It is a great source of information for investigating the current trends in the church at large in the 12th-14th centuries.