History of Foolishness for Christ in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: June 23, 2024

Foolishness for Christ describes actions like abandoning possessions for religious life or defying norms for faith, mainly Christian. "Holy fools" or "blessed fools" exhibit seemingly foolish behavior for a sacred purpose. "Fool" suggests perceived simplicity, while "blessed" or "holy" implies purity in God's eyes.

1953: Publication of "The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi"

In 1953, "The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi", a collection of oral traditions from the Franciscan Order, was published. This work featured several stories of "Brother Juniper", a Franciscan friar known for his naive piety, including the well-known tale of him cutting off a pig's foot for a sick brother, much to the herdsman's chagrin. Brother Juniper's actions, though seemingly rash, stemmed from a place of genuine charity and highlighted the simplicity and humility valued by the Franciscan order.

1979: Publication of "Crazy for God: The nightmare of cult life"

In 1979, Christopher Edwards, a critic of the Unification Church, released his memoir "Crazy for God: The nightmare of cult life". This book chronicled his experiences and observations during his six months as a member of the church.

2007: Publication of "Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back"

Frank Schaeffer, author, published his autobiography "Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back" in 2007. In it, he details his life growing up with a renowned evangelical minister father and his eventual conversion to the Greek Orthodox Church.