The Calabrian Abbot Joachim of Fiore in the History of Western Thought

Joachim of Fiore was an Italian mystic, theologian, biblical commentator, philosopher of history, and founder of the monastic order of San Giovanni in Fiore. He created a philosophy that history develops in three ages of increasing spirituality: the ages of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Fiore is considered to be the most important apocalyptic thinker of themedieval period, and after the prophet John, perhaps the most important apocalyptic thinker in the history of Christianity.McGinn looks at Joachim's place in Western thought, inspecting his complex system of ideas.