Embracing God
Essays on the Spiritual Treatises of Aelred of Rievaulx
Embracing God
Essays on the Spiritual Treatises of Aelred of Rievaulx
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Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780879071950
Number of Pages: 360
Published: 28/03/2025
Width: 14 cm
Height: 21.6 cm
These spiritual reflections guide their readers toward God’s embrace.
In Embracing God, Marsha L. Dutton surveys the interwoven structures and themes of five treatises, showing how Aelred guides his readers to cling forever to God through memory, which is one of the three faculties of God’s image placed in humankind at creation (alongside reason and will). Individual chapters explore meditations on Jesus’ life, spiritual friendship, the eucharistic nature of Cistercian spirituality, and the nature of the soul.
In Embracing God, Marsha L. Dutton surveys the interwoven structures and themes of five treatises, showing how Aelred guides his readers to cling forever to God through memory, which is one of the three faculties of God’s image placed in humankind at creation (alongside reason and will). Individual chapters explore meditations on Jesus’ life, spiritual friendship, the eucharistic nature of Cistercian spirituality, and the nature of the soul.
Contents
Foreword ix
Daniel J. Heisey, OSB
Preface xi
Abbreviations xvii
Introduction xxi
J. Stephen Russell
Chapter 1 Clinging to God: The Pedagogy of Memory in Aelred’s Spiritual Treatises 5
Chapter 2 Christ Our Mother: Aelred’s Iconography for Contemplative Union 45
Chapter 3 Friendship and the Love of God: Augustine’s Teaching in the Confessions and Aelred of Rievaulx’s Response in Spiritual Friendship 75
Chapter 4 A Model for Friendship: Ambrose’s Contribution to Aelred of Rievaulx’s Spiritual Friendship 121
Chapter 5 Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: The Eucharistic Spirituality of the Cistercian Fathers 157
Chapter 6 Intimacy and Imitation: The Humanity of Christ in Cistercian Spirituality 193
Chapter 7 The Cistercian Source: Aelred, Bonaventure, and Ignatius 237
Appendix Aelred’s Works 269
Works Cited 279
Index of Names 297
General Index 303
Foreword ix
Daniel J. Heisey, OSB
Preface xi
Abbreviations xvii
Introduction xxi
J. Stephen Russell
Chapter 1 Clinging to God: The Pedagogy of Memory in Aelred’s Spiritual Treatises 5
Chapter 2 Christ Our Mother: Aelred’s Iconography for Contemplative Union 45
Chapter 3 Friendship and the Love of God: Augustine’s Teaching in the Confessions and Aelred of Rievaulx’s Response in Spiritual Friendship 75
Chapter 4 A Model for Friendship: Ambrose’s Contribution to Aelred of Rievaulx’s Spiritual Friendship 121
Chapter 5 Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: The Eucharistic Spirituality of the Cistercian Fathers 157
Chapter 6 Intimacy and Imitation: The Humanity of Christ in Cistercian Spirituality 193
Chapter 7 The Cistercian Source: Aelred, Bonaventure, and Ignatius 237
Appendix Aelred’s Works 269
Works Cited 279
Index of Names 297
General Index 303
