Williams, Mark, trans., Aelred of Rievaulx's Spiritual Friendship: A New Translation (Scranton: University of Scranton Press, 1994). ISBN: 940866307
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Text name(s): De spirituali amicitia; Spiritual Friendship

Number of pages of primary source text: 115

Medieval Author(s): Aelred of Rievaulx

Dates: 1147 - 1167

Archival Reference:

Original Language(s): Latin;

Translation: English translation.

Translation Comments:

Geopolitical Region(s): France;

County/Region: Rievaulx

Apparatus: Index Bibliography

Comments:

Spiritual Friendship is a treatise by the Northumbrian born monk Aelred on the spiritual and practical benefits that human friendship can have. Aelred, basing his treatise on a reading of Cicero’s On Friendship, wrote that true human friendship, 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 having a love of 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 to understand the different monastic philosophies regarding interpersonal relationships. Aelred’s treatise presents an alternative picture of monastic friendship, rather than the often thought of notion of monasticism being against any sort of loving human relationships. Includes a select bibliography of secondary and primary sources and analytical index.

Introduction Summary:

Cataloger: cdb