Journal
2349 L Thu 1 Nov 2001
I finished of an essay this evening for Medieval Philosophy. I was able to choose a range of philosophers on a range of topics. I choose Aelred and Aquinas on friendship. I found it interesting. There is quite a wide range of thought on it in the bible and philosophy, lots about good and bad types of friendship.
I included a quote from the Rule of Saint Benedict, which tends to sum up the dilemmas for me:
The abbot should avoid all favoritism in the monastery. He is not to love one more than another unless he finds someone better in good actions and obedience. ... Only in this are we distinguished in his sight: if we are found better in good works and in humility. Therefore, the abbot is to show equal love to everyone and apply the same discipline to all according to their merits. [Timothy Fry, RB 1980, RB 2:16-22]
There is this ideal of fairness, but the praticality of needing to know people.
Today I made it into the top ten of experts in the Catholicism section of www.askme.com.
Copyright J.R. Lilburne, 1 November 2001.