Laker, Mary, trans., Spiritual Friendship (Cistercian Fathers Series, Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1977). ISBN: 879070005
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Text name(s): Spiritual Friendship; De spirituali amicitia

Number of pages of primary source text: 87

Medieval Author(s): Aelred of Rievaulx

Dates: 1147 - 1167

Archival Reference:

Original Language(s): Latin;

Translation: English translation.

Translation Comments:

Geopolitical Region(s): British Isles; England; Scotland;

County/Region: Rievaulx

Apparatus: Index Bibliography Introduction

Comments:

Spiritual Friendship is a treatise by the Northumbrian-born monk Aelred on the spiritual and practical benefits that human friendship can have. Aelred, inspired by Cicero’s treatise On Friendship, wrote that true human friendship that is based on both charity and good will is not only a human virtue, but also a way to love God. Pure love of one’s fellow humanity is the same as loving God. He makes the statement, “to live without friendship is to love like a beast.” This treatise is important, not only in the study of the transmission of classical texts in the monastic world, but also in understanding the different monastic philosophies regarding interpersonal relationships. The edition includes a select bibliography of secondary and primary sources and analytical index.

Introduction Summary:

The introduction (3-44) gives background on Aelred’s life, then proceeds to discuss the doctrine of the treatise. The next section of the introduction explains the sources Aelred used for Spiritual Friendship, and the last section discusses Aelred’s doctrine’s effect on the tradition of monastic friendship.

Cataloger: CDB