The development of educational materials (DVDs with study guides) on the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition offered on this website were sponsored by the Commission for the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition. (See the short history presented below.)
A committee consisting of: Lisa Zmuda fspa (media editor); study guides by: Sharon Berger fspa, Suzanne Kush cssf and Kathleen Moffatt osf (committee chairperson) worked four years to make these scholarly presentations available to all who want to learn about the Franciscan Tradition through the works of its scholars.
Ruahmedia is the exclusive distributor of these materials. Because of a grant given to this committee by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration we are able to keep the cost per dvd affordable. Our main goal is to make the works of our Franciscan scholars available to all who wish to learn and bring the message of St. Francis and St. Clare into the world today.
You may contact Lisa Zmuda fspa at lzmuda@fspa.org for additional information regarding the offerings on this site.
Short History
In February, 2000, Joe Chinnici OFM addressed twenty-one Franciscan scholars, tracing the historical development of Studies in the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition, and highlighting all the collaborative efforts of symposiums, forums and conferences in the past 25 years in the USA.
This Colloquium, held at Our Lady of Angels Convent, Aston, PA, and sponsored by the Franciscan Institute, was an invaluable stepping stone toward the creation of a new Commission on the FIT [Franciscan Intellectual Tradition]. This was initiated by the OFM English Speaking Conference one month later in Colorado Springs, CO.
As of 2008 is it now a Secretariat of the OFM's. It has been directed by Joe Chinnici OFM, President of the Franciscan School of Theology, Mission San Luis ey, CA, with Edward Coughlin OFM, Vice-President for Mission, St. Bonaventure University, NY, Secretary since 2001. In 2013 Dominic Monti OFM became the new Chairperson.
The Secretarist's goal is the development of the FIT as a vital resource for the animation of the Franciscan Family, and as an alternative theological tradition within the Church.
For more information on the entire project including resources, see www.franciscantradition.org
