Spiritual Friendship, Distilled

“Here we are. You and me. And I hope Christ makes three.”
So begins a profound and yet playful conversation about the possibility that “God is friendship.”

In Spiritual Friendship Distilled, readers are invited into a robust conversation about the miracle of friendship and the practical ways that we can cultivate our friendships with God, others, ourselves, and the earth. Originally written in Latin by a 12th century English Cistercian abbot, this modern rendering makes the teachings of St. Aelred of Rievaulx more accessible than ever.

In the Introduction, Daniel DeForest London demonstrates how seamlessly Aelred weaves together the wisdom of Celtic Christianity, Anglo-Saxon tradition, and classic philosophy, and then dips the integrated wisdom into the “sweet honey of Christ’s love,” as understood in his medieval Cistercian context. As a scholar and teacher of Christian spiritualty and an Episcopal priest ordained on the Eve of the Feast Day of St. Aelred, London offers a distillation that shows how practical, relevant, and engaging Aelred’s teachings remain today.

This spiritual classic covers the divine origin, nature, and excellence of friendship in the format of a dialogue between an abbot and his fellow monks. The questions asked by Aelred’s interlocutors stir up our own questions while the four characteristics of a spiritual friend—loyalty, patience, good intention, and discretion—invite thoughtful self-reflection. The distilled dialogue can easily be read in prayerful solitude, but also among a community of friends in the style of “reader’s theater.” Including an appendix of spiritual practices inspired by Aelred’s wisdom, this book is an outstanding resource for students, teachers, retreat leaders, clergy, and anyone who wants to embrace for more fully the sacred gift of friendship.