The virtues which form the basis of Franciscan spirituality and instruction in the thirteenth century are the main theme of the book under review. In the three chapters on virtue the author looks at the ten basic elements: charity, obedience, goodness, truth, faith, humility, joy, poverty, penance, and peace. In some ways the famous incident when Francis gave his cloak to a poor man can be said to embody them all, as they do the Christian faith. Pansters points out that despite not giving a definition of virtue the word “virtus” is used on numerous occasions (37). It remains for Boniface, however, to define its meaning and David of Augsburg to give a general definition of the word (41).

In chapter 2 the author discusses each man's interpretation of the virtues in a systematic way, supporting his observations with prolific footnotes and concluding that David's view of peace, the tenth of the virtues, is in fact “the fruit of patience born out of charity and humility” (168).

In chapter 3 Pansters shows how the virtues are integrated into Franciscan spirituality and it is followed by very full appendices containing the original texts, among them “the virtues in the Opuscula Sancti Francisci Assisiensis” (207–265) and other relevant material. A detailed bibliography and a useful index provide essential reference material.

In brief, Pansters's clear and illustrative text outlining how medieval “virtue ethics” (2) are at the heart of Franciscan spirituality (and, it could be added, of the Christian faith itself) is a scholarly and well researched discussion of the subject and should be on the shelves of every Franciscan theologian.