1223 AD - The Pope Approves St Francis of Assisi's Rule – Making the Franciscan Order Legit cover art

1223 AD - The Pope Approves St Francis of Assisi's Rule – Making the Franciscan Order Legit

1223 AD - The Pope Approves St Francis of Assisi's Rule – Making the Franciscan Order Legit

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 On Oct 1, 1223 AD - The Pope Approves St Francis of Assisi's Rule – Making the Franciscan Order Legit Published 10/01/2025 On October 1, 1223, Pope Honorius III approved Francis of Assisi’s Rule, giving official recognition to the Franciscan Order. This moment launched a movement of radical poverty and joy that confronted greed in medieval society and reshaped monastic life. Extended notes explore how Francis’ rejection of wealth still speaks to our consumer age, challenging us to find identity not in possessions but in Christ. Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series. Keywords Francis of Assisi, Pope Honorius III, Franciscan Rule, medieval church, monastic poverty, greed, consumerism, joy in Christ, church history Hashtags #ChurchHistory #FrancisOfAssisi #FranciscanOrder #SimpleFaith Description On October 1, 1223, Pope Honorius III approved the Rule of Francis of Assisi, legitimizing the Franciscan movement and setting a new course for the church. At a time when wealth and power often defined religious life, Francis and his followers chose the opposite path—voluntary poverty, shared joy, and a visible rejection of greed. This simple but radical way of life reshaped monasticism, inspired generations of believers, and continues to challenge us today. In an age where our worth is so often measured by possessions, income, or status, Francis’ Rule raises the question: what defines us—our stuff or our Savior? Join us for this COACH episode to discover how a thirteenth-century friar still speaks powerfully into our consumer culture and how we can walk more boldly with Jesus by loosening greed’s grip. Like, share, and subscribe to COACH for more stories where church history calls us to faithful discipleship today. Chunk 1 – Cold Hook It’s October 1st, 1223, in Rome. Pope Honorius III [hoh-NOR-ee-us] leans over a parchment, his pen scratching across the page. With this signature, a ragged band of barefoot friars becomes an official order of the Church. Their leader, Francis of Assisi [uh-SEE-see], had chosen a life stripped of wealth, walking joyfully in poverty. Now that life is being codified into a Rule—one that forbids greed, demands humility, and embraces the joy of having nothing but Christ. The air is heavy with paradox. The institutional church, often tangled in wealth and power, is now stamping approval on a movement that rejects both. Francis himself never sought power—he wanted only to imitate Jesus in poverty and love. But will the approval of Rome strengthen this vision… or compromise it? [AD BREAK] Word count: 130 Chunk 2 – Intro From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch. On Wednesday, we stay between 500 and 1500 AD. In this episode we are in the year 1223 AD and exploring how Pope Honorius III approved Francis of Assisi’s Rule, launching a movement that rejected greed and embraced joy in Christ — a challenge that still speaks to our consumer culture. Word count: 75 Chunk 3 – Foundation The story begins decades before papal approval. Francis of Assisi [uh-SEE-see], born to a wealthy cloth merchant, shocked his town when he stripped off his fine garments in public and returned them to his father. He chose poverty over privilege, wandering the hills in a rough tunic, begging bread, singing psalms, and caring for lepers. His joy was radiant. Others joined him. They called themselves the lesser brothers. They wanted no property, no titles, only a life patterned after Jesus’ words: QUOTE sell what you have and give to the poor END QUOTE. Their witness spread quickly, but so did confusion. Were they holy men—or dangerous fanatics? Francis saw the need for clarity. A way of life had to be written down, not only for the brothers but for the Church that was watching them. This written guide became known as a Rule. But getting such a radical Rule approved in an age of wealthy monasteries and powerful bishops would be no small task. Word count: 149 Chunk 4 – Development The Rule Francis drafted was stark. It commanded friars to own nothing, to live among the poor, to beg when needed, and to work with their hands. They were to preach repentance—but carefully, under church oversight. The Rule pointed them away from wealth, security, and power, toward joy found only in Christ. This vision unsettled many. Monasteries had land, libraries, and steady income; abbots wielded influence and bishops lived in grandeur. Now a group of ragged brothers was rejecting it all, and people were listening. Some clergy feared disorder. Others feared exposure—what if these barefoot friars shamed the Church’s attachment to wealth? Francis pressed on. He revised the Rule more than once, seeking a balance between Christ’s radical call and the Church...
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.