In this episode celebrating the Feast Day of 13th-century Franciscan philosopher Saint Bonaventure, Professor Timothy Weldon helps listeners encounter a saint whose heart-centered wisdom still speaks powerfully today. Weldon explores Bonaventure’s life of humble service, brilliant leadership, and profound vision of beauty, light, and the Trinity.
Other topics include: Bonaventure’s deep connection to St. Francis, his beautiful “Hymn to the Cross,” the soul’s journey into God, and how themes of order, light, relationality, and everyday faithfulness can renew our own lives. Whether you’re Franciscan-curious or well-versed in the tradition, this episode offers both inspiration and practical invitation.
Timothy Weldon, PhD, has taught philosophy for 25 years at the University of Saint Francis in Joliet, Illinois. He earned his B.A. from St. Mary’s College of California and both his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Dallas.
Weldon’s scholarly work explores themes in ethics, human rights, forgiveness, sustainability, and the intersection of philosophy with culture and faith. He has presented internationally, including at conferences in Spain, Canada, and various U.S. venues, addressing topics such as “Sustaining Trust, Sustaining Society,” “Love’s Dialectic: Reflections on Forgiveness,” and human rights in a post-pandemic world.
His publications include book reviews, independent works available on Amazon, and contributions to outlets like American Thinker and Faith Magazine. Recent research covers aging and time, as well as Giambattista Vico’s poetic wisdom. Weldon also engages the public through radio broadcasts on philosophical topics (e.g., Aristotle, Heraclitus, St. Bonaventure), civic talks, and hosting Christmas programming on WCSF 88.7 FM. A dedicated educator and public intellectual in the Franciscan tradition, Weldon bridges academic philosophy with broader societal dialogue on authenticity, happiness, and community.
Show Notes for Saint Bonaventure: Beauty, Light, and the Journey Into God
– Explore Professor Timothy Weldon’s published works, including Be Filled with Wonder: The Franciscan Intellectual Tradition and Subtle Wisdom: John Duns Scotus’s Philosophy of the Human Person.
– Read about Saint Bonaventure’s theology and philosophy of beauty in Dr. Weldon’s piece “Till You Live In Life So Brilliant” in Faith Magazine.
– Enjoy this overview of Saint Bonaventure’s life in Franciscan Media’s daily resource “Saint of the Day.” Subscribe here to “Saint of the Day” and Franciscan Media’s daily newsletter.
– How does Saint Bonaventure inspire us to love God with the fullness of our heart and mind? Bruce Epperly answers that question in his 2024 St. Anthony Messenger piece, “St. Bonaventure: Loving God with Heart and Mind.”
– Ilia Delio, OSF, explains the difference between Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure on Franciscan Media’s podcast.
– Bruce Epperly, PhD, explains why Saint Bonaventure is a theologian for our time.
– For a deep dive into the theology, philosophy, and metaphysics of Saint Bonaventure, see the scholarly work of Ewert Cousins, Ilia Delio, Christopher M. Cullen, or David Couturier.
– Order Joseph Ratzinger’s book The Theology of History in Saint Bonaventure.
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Saint Bonaventure, Beauty, Light, Journey Into God