Among spiritual writers, i think that aelred of rievaulx has been largely overlooked. Aelred of rievaulx spiritual friendship pdf what is the. When i was still just a lad at school, and the charm of my companions pleased me very much, i gave my whole soul to affection and devoted myself to love amid the ways and vices with which that age is wont to be threatened, so that nothing seemed to me more. To have written so truthfully about friendship, he must have been a good friend to others. Jul 07, 2010 liberty 2015 conference spiritual friendship, living in love with wesley hill duration.
While love is universal, freely given to all, friendship is a particular love between individuals, of which the example is jesus and john the beloved disciple. Spiritual friendship by saint aelred of rievaulx librarything. To explore this answer, i will draw extensively from the works of aelred of rievaulx. Liberty christian ministries inc recommended for you. Certain readings of the symposium would also assert that to ascend the sublimation ladder from physical to. Spiritual friendship, by aelred of rievaulx, alban books. Jan 12, 2015 known best for his treatises on spiritual friendship and the mirror of charity, in which he sketched a vision for monastic community, aelred has become the unofficial patron saint of friendship, owing to his powerful depiction of the spiritual fruitfulness of samesex love. The first clairvaux collection, adventall saints, translated by theodore berkeley and m. Carnal friendship is a mutual harmony in vice which begins when lustful eyes allow into the mind images of beautiful bodies. Reading aelred of rievaulxs little treatise on spiritual friendship as an. For further reading, i recommend aelred squire op, aelred of rievaulx.
Aelred of rievaulx spiritual friendship john protevi. Spiritual friendship in 300 words spiritual friendship. The liturgical sermons ebook por aelred of rievaulx. I have written my share of essays which use friendship as models for discussion, and in time, i too, will post them online. The idea suggests knocking on the door of a cell which will forever remain closed. Aelred writes in the prologue to his best known work, the treatise on spiritual friendship, that. Aelred s ideas are a challenge to many modern concepts of the spiritual life. Aelred of rievaulx was an heir of saxons living under norman rule, a native speaker of english daily speaking french and latin, a descendant of generations of married priests in an age when priests were forbidden to wed, an english monk in a french order, an abbot bred to service in the church but trained for service in the court. Close friends ground us and keep us from thinking that what we have is our own accomplishment. Now this new edition opens up the riches of this spiritual masterpiece to a wide audience of contemporary readers who see the spiritual life not as a solitary enterprise, but one intimately connected to relationships. Friendship as spiritual encouragement geralyn july 1, 20 at 8. Certain readings of the symposium would also assert that to ascend the sublimation ladder from physical to spiritual mean you have. Traditions of spiritual guidance aelred of rievaulx brendan callaghan 375 c istercian spirituality and christian friendship have each fea tured in traditions of spiritual guidance, 1 so for aelred to be treated in his own right might seem unnecessary.
Aelred of rievaulx 11101167 was a twelfthcentury cistercian abbot and wellknown spiritual writer, whose treatise spiritual friendship. During his abbacy he built rievaulx into a place of spiritual welcome and physical prosperity, desiring to make it a mother of mercy to those. Patricia carroll ocso draws our attention to aelred of rievaulx, a cistercian saint and spiritual writer who specialised in writing about friendship as an image of the relationship between god and each person. Ignatian spirituality serves the contemporary world as people strive to develop a friendship with god. My pro posed answer for a spirituality at the junction of modernity and post modernity is a spirituality of mercy. Christmas through all saints por aelred of rievaulx disponible en rakuten kobo. Ignatian spirituality is given through guided meditations, weekend, 8day, and 30day retreats based on the spiritual exercises of st. Liberty 2015 conference spiritual friendship, living in love with wesley hill duration.
Medieval women, orion 1995 and with thanks to paul fogarty. Saint aelred of rievaulx cistercian monk britannica. Apr 01, 2010 spiritual friendship is today the best known and perhaps most influential of the thirteen surviving works of aelred, abbot of the great english cistercian abbey of rievaulx from 1147 1167. In 1147 he became abbot of rievaulx, a post which he held until his death of kidney disease twenty years later at the age of 57. Here is my reading log from aelred of rievaulxs classic devotional book on spiritual friendship. Spiritual friendshipis today the best known and perhaps most influential of the thirteen surviving works of aelred, abbot of the great english cistercian abbey of rievaulx from 1147 1167. Lee the liturgical sermons the second clairvaux collection. Aelreds ideas are a challenge to many modern concepts of the spiritual life. Written in dialogue form, aelred of rievaulx offers wise counsel on many aspects of friendship. Meditation on christs humanity and a letter of instruction on a disciplined spiritual life for his sister epitomize aelreds gentle spirituality.
When the friendship has these characteristics, it can be said to be a true friendship, a spiritual friendship, one which builds up both parties and helps them journey towards god. Certain readings of the symposium would also assert that to ascend the sublimation ladder from physical to spiritual mean you have to physically love before you can ascend. Saint aelred of rievaulx primary author only author division. Aelred of rievaulx download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Jan 12, 2011 during this period, aelred wrote his best known work, spiritual friendship. Spiritual friendship by aelred of rievaulx 9780879079703. Speculum caritatis the mirror of charity, which aelred wrote. Aelred died in the winter of 11667, probably on 12 january 1167 at rievaulx. Spiritual friendship aelred of rievaulx cistercian publications. Aelred of rievalux work on spiritual friendship presents the most noble presentation of friendship i have ever read. Friendship, aelred teaches, is both a gift from god and a creation of human effort.
Aelred, a 12thcentury cistercian abbot, insists that we need to test our beliefs about friendship with scripture. Pdf aelred of rievaulx spiritual friendship cistercian. As a cistercian monk in the middle ages, aelred of rievaulxs 11101167 life was likely filled with physical work and contemplative prayer. During this period, aelred wrote his best known work, spiritual friendship. Aelred of rievaulx spiritual friendship garratt publishing. Aelred was a twelfth century english cistercian monk, who. St aelred of rievaulx, abbot and patron of same sex spiritual love january 12, 2015 terence 1 comment st aelred, whose feast we celebrate today, is recognised in all sources as an important english saint, who lived in the north of england in the 12 c. Grant to your people that same spirit of mutual affection, that, in loving one another, we may know the love of christ and rejoice in the gift of your eternal goodness. In his writings on friendship, aelred distinguished three kinds. The pastoral prayer of saint aelred of rievaulx akenside press. In fact it is so noble, incredible and rare that one could say that he refers to intimacies between persons so great that contemporary culture would be inclined to describe such relations as being soul mates or kindred spirits. A lmighty god, you endowed the abbot aelred with the gift of christian friendship and the wisdom to lead others in the way of holiness. Actually, microsoft word informs me that this is only 297 words.
Spiritual friendship is today the best known and perhaps most influential of the thirteen surviving works of aelred, abbot of the great english cistercian abbey of rievaulx from 11471167. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. During his abbacy he built rievaulx into a place of spiritual welcome and physical prosperity, desiring to make it a mother of mercy to those in need. His most famous work is called spiritual friendship both it and the mirror have been published in english by the cistercian press. Life in the medieval cloister, continuum publishing 2009 leyser, henrietta. Known best for his treatises on spiritual friendship and the mirror of charity, in which he sketched a vision for monastic community, aelred has become the unofficial patron saint of friendship, owing to his powerful depiction of the spiritual fruitfulness of samesex love. What aelred discovered is that happiness does not exist without friendship. Formerly a retreat director in gloucester, massachusetts. Reading aelred of rievaulxs little treatise on spiritual friendship as an undergraduate was a lifechanging experience for me. Patricia carroll ocso draws our attention to aelred of rievaulx, a cistercian saint and spiritual writer who specialised in writing about friendship as an image of. The classic text with a spiritual commentary by dennis billy, c. His pastoral prayer reflects a man conscious that he is accountable to god for the souls of others. St aelred of rievaulx, abbot and patron of same sex spiritual.
I went to rievaulx out of gratitude for that witness. Spiritual friendship cistercian studies series by marsha l. Spiritual friendship is today the best known and perhaps most influential of the thirteen surviving works of aelred, abbot of the great english cistercian abbey of rievaulx from 1147 1167. Aelred, abbot of the yorkshire cistercian abbey of rievaulx from 1147 to 1167, wrote six spiritual treatises, seven hist. The rule is addressed to his older sister, who had become a recluse and had requested a rule for her chosen life. In the cross of christ there is death, and in the cross of christ there is life saturday, mar 31 2012. I address o good shepherd jesus, good, gentle, tender shepherd, behold a shepherd, poor and pitiful, a shepherd of the sheep indeed, but weak and clumsy and of little use, cries out to thee. Aelred of rievaulxs rule for a solitary articles house. Spiritual friendship, cistercian pubns 27 copy quote. Meditation on christs humanity and a letter of instruction on a disciplined spiritual life for his sister epitomize aelred s gentle spirituality. The spiritual status of samesex attraction governed paradoxically by a rule of celibacy is a fascinating concept. Speculum caritatis the mirror of charity, which aelred wrote at bernards insistence, is a treatise on monastic life. Spiritual friendship by aelred of rievaulx is one of the all time classic books of devotion to christ.
Perhaps the flourishing of rievaulx was in part to do with how its abbot gave a christian witness to spiritual friendship. Those familiar with aelred may be surprised that i intend to use. Spiritual friendship cistercian studies series marsha l. Spiritual friendship by aelred of rievaulx 323 ratings, 4. Friendship as spiritual encouragement peace theology.