When Saint Francis Saved the Church: How a Converted Medieval Troubadour Created a Spiritual Vision for the Ages

Jon M. Sweeney, bestselling author of The Pope Who Quit, offers a surprising look at the world's most popular saint, showing how this beloved-but-often-mythologized character created a spiritual vision for the ages and may very well have rescued the Christian faith. Now in paperback, this new edition—called "a contemporary classic-in-the-making" by the National Catholic Reporter—includes study questions.

In When Saint Francis Saved the Church, Jon M. Sweeney presents an intriguing portrait of St. Francis of Assisi beyond the distorted myths and legends handed down over the centuries. Sweeney's portrait—called "part biography, part devotional . . . a rare combination of history and inspiration" by Patheos blogger Jack Levinson—reveals a saint who was an unpredictable puzzle.

Sweeney outlines Francis's revolutionary approach to friendship, people at the margins, poverty, spirituality, care (for people, creatures, and the natural world), and death. This vibrant book presents the unsullied life and message of Francis in its essential details, offering a remarkable look at how Francis and his movement saved the Christian faith—and continues to offer a spiritual vision with contemporary relevance. Sweeney also ties in the link between Pope Francis and his namesake.