Genealogia del bonaventuriano videre in speculo

Medieval conceptions of creaturality may be reduced to two distinct positions. The first, by far hegemonic within medieval history, can be tracked down to Paul (1 Cor, 13, 12) and especially Augustine. It states that creatures mantain a vestigium Dei, which must be actively researched – but this research eventually leads to discard creatures, which are seen as simple tools and not as something that can be sought in itself. Indeed, they are nothing in themselves, being pure outcomes of God’s will. The second position, basically represented by Bonaventure, considers, on the contrary, creatures as essentially capable to be perfect theophanic places of God’s self-manifestation. Videre in speculo means to see God in creatures, which in turn leads to the admission of the possibility to reach the state of beatitudo already in this life – though it is a special privilege granted only to extremely selected chosen ones, such as Francis of Assisi.