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A Friendship Like No Other: Experiencing God's Amazing Embrace
Live in the love of a God who desires a relationship with you.
Throughout A Friendship Like No Oth er, renowned spiritual director William A. Barry, SJ, explores the premise that God wants to relate to us as a close friend. Barry has contemplated this idea—radical for many Christians—throughout his lifetime, and he explains that it actually traces back to the “developing revelation of God contained in the Bible.”
A Friendship Like No Other offers three well-supported and practical prayerful exercises to help lead you to the conviction that God wants your friendship; a close look at objections to this idea; and reflections on experiencing the presence of God and discerning those experiences. Brief, personal meditations are woven throughout.
Grounded in biblical tradition and with a clear focus on Ignatian spirituality, this book offers a fresh, heart-changing approach to living joyfully in the freedom of the divine embrace.
Throughout A Friendship Like No Oth er, renowned spiritual director William A. Barry, SJ, explores the premise that God wants to relate to us as a close friend. Barry has contemplated this idea—radical for many Christians—throughout his lifetime, and he explains that it actually traces back to the “developing revelation of God contained in the Bible.”
A Friendship Like No Other offers three well-supported and practical prayerful exercises to help lead you to the conviction that God wants your friendship; a close look at objections to this idea; and reflections on experiencing the presence of God and discerning those experiences. Brief, personal meditations are woven throughout.
Grounded in biblical tradition and with a clear focus on Ignatian spirituality, this book offers a fresh, heart-changing approach to living joyfully in the freedom of the divine embrace.
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2008
259 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
William A. Barry
43 books36 followersWilliam (Bill) Barry, a distinguished spiritual director and author, was born in Worchester, MA. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1950, studied philosophy in Germany from 1953 until 1956, and was at Weston College for theology studies from 1959 until 1963. Ordained a priest in 1962, Barry went on to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan in 1968.
In 1969, he began teaching psychology at Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, MA, and in 1971 was named director for the Center for Religious Development. He served in both capacities until 1978, when he was put in charge of formation for the New England Jesuit Province. Barry was the Assistant Director of Novices for the Province (1985-88) when he was named Rector of Boston College.
From 1991 to 1997, he served as Provincial of the New England Jesuits. Following that, he was named co-director of the Jesuit Tertianship Program. Barry directs retreats at Campion Center in Weston, MA.
Despite such a busy and committed life, Barry found the time to write 15 books, including The Practice of Spiritual Direction, God and You, Finding God in All Things, Spiritual Direction and the Encounter with God, Who Do You Say I Am?, With an Everlasting Love, and A Friendship Like No Other.
Barry has the rare ability to present complex spiritual issues in clear, well-written prose. He is one of the most influential Ignatian commentators at work today.
In 1969, he began teaching psychology at Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, MA, and in 1971 was named director for the Center for Religious Development. He served in both capacities until 1978, when he was put in charge of formation for the New England Jesuit Province. Barry was the Assistant Director of Novices for the Province (1985-88) when he was named Rector of Boston College.
From 1991 to 1997, he served as Provincial of the New England Jesuits. Following that, he was named co-director of the Jesuit Tertianship Program. Barry directs retreats at Campion Center in Weston, MA.
Despite such a busy and committed life, Barry found the time to write 15 books, including The Practice of Spiritual Direction, God and You, Finding God in All Things, Spiritual Direction and the Encounter with God, Who Do You Say I Am?, With an Everlasting Love, and A Friendship Like No Other.
Barry has the rare ability to present complex spiritual issues in clear, well-written prose. He is one of the most influential Ignatian commentators at work today.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 12, 2018
Loved it. So good that I eeked it out, allowing myself only one chapter a night, then because I didn't want it to end, just one chapter at the end of hard days when I wanted to restore calm to my soul. A beautiful book that was loaned to me by my spiritual director, which I've now reluctantly returned to her, so I've ordered 2 copies from Amazon, plus 2 more of William Barry's books. Like moisturiser on dry skin, this is a soul-soothing book.
September 18, 2021
I picked up this book at the library as I was searching for a good spiritual guide. The concept of a friendship with God, while not new, was beyond my usual thoughts of relating to God. Barry provides a wonderful step-by-step approach to (a) understanding how and why God would want to be friends and (b) reasons why we may not think such an idea has merit. I found Barry's writing easy to read and down to earth without much of the heavy theology often found in books written by his Jesuit compatriots. I am very glad I happened upon this book and would recommend it to others.
February 19, 2026
4.5 stars
This book is filled with a lot of great suggestions on ways to draw closer to God. The premise of this book is to help you build a friendship with God because that is His desire for each of us. Some parts are slower moving if you put in the time to pray with them, but it is a short and easy read.
This will most likely end up on my reread list so I can refresh my memory on the suggestions or hear it at a different perspective.
Even if you are not religious but are spiritual, this book brings you closer to God. It does reference Christian faith premises.
This book is filled with a lot of great suggestions on ways to draw closer to God. The premise of this book is to help you build a friendship with God because that is His desire for each of us. Some parts are slower moving if you put in the time to pray with them, but it is a short and easy read.
This will most likely end up on my reread list so I can refresh my memory on the suggestions or hear it at a different perspective.
Even if you are not religious but are spiritual, this book brings you closer to God. It does reference Christian faith premises.
May 29, 2022
Started out a little common sense to me so I wasn't sure how much I would get out of it, but I read it with a group so kept going and found I was inspired by the insights others got out of it and then started to relate better and better to the content and author's style myself. It is a good, basic, gentle introduction into a different way of thinking about our relationship with God and how we communicate with him (her? them?).
March 18, 2021
An excellent book on being friends with God. The author uses Ignation spirituality practices and this provides a good foundation for those wanting a deeper friendship. I used as a daily mediation and it was powerful and thought provoking.
March 22, 2018
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I enjoyed this book because it was written like a friend talking to me. Let me know God meets us where we are in life. He does not condemn us but encourages us!
I enjoyed this book because it was written like a friend talking to me. Let me know God meets us where we are in life. He does not condemn us but encourages us!
October 8, 2020
An amazing meditation on how to see your relationship with God
June 14, 2021
Excellent book!
July 8, 2021
A thought provoking book on prayer.
September 28, 2021
The book includes a discussion about "thin places".
March 5, 2022
Very practical and down to earth. Insightful as well.
March 7, 2022
Some beautiful stories, reflections, and images on our friendship with God.
October 20, 2022
It makes you think…
Read
July 12, 2024see private notes
March 4, 2025
I found this book encouraging and helped me with a new perspective on my spiritual experience. Thoroughly recommend it.
March 2, 2026
Our church picked this for our Lenten small groups this year. It’s perfect for discussions and personal reflection. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 14, 2008
When I first started this book I wasn't sure I was going to appreciate it, but as I read on it really spoke to me. I often feel like my relationship with Christ is like a fan of a movie star...I know all the facts, and I adore, but I don't have a sense of personal connection. This book helped me on that journey
January 18, 2011
It was good but I started to question the following of one person by another.
The way of life of obedience particularly bothered me- that it would be a way
to God by following someone else's direction simply because you are a follower
of that person's way instead of following the Way of the One Himself the way
that resonates with your own relationship with God.
The way of life of obedience particularly bothered me- that it would be a way
to God by following someone else's direction simply because you are a follower
of that person's way instead of following the Way of the One Himself the way
that resonates with your own relationship with God.
June 5, 2013
I only have one word for this book, CUTE!
I liked the writing style of the author, in spite of the fact that I found it to be very wordy every once in a while. Neverhteless you eventually loose yourself into its pages, as you comprehend that catholicism holds, at its best, a message of Love and forgiveness.
I liked the writing style of the author, in spite of the fact that I found it to be very wordy every once in a while. Neverhteless you eventually loose yourself into its pages, as you comprehend that catholicism holds, at its best, a message of Love and forgiveness.
March 15, 2011
God is deeply in love with each one of us, hungering for us to enter into a relationship. Passionate. Read with the Jesuit Retreat House Lay Leadership group. Great discussion!
May 25, 2012
Wonderful, good for meditating on what he writes.
July 26, 2012
Excellent book about entering into a relationship with Jesus! I was inspired to develop a weekend retreat based on this book.
December 11, 2014
Terrific book about how to engage in a friendship and relationship with God. Perfect Advent reading.
April 24, 2017
As a newcomer to this type of spirituality, this book was helpful yet challenging. I think I'll need to read it again to understand its full wisdom.
I think if I read it again it will get 5 stars.
I think if I read it again it will get 5 stars.
December 7, 2017
I love this book. It gives clearer direction on how you can be (even better) friends with God. And we all need that :-)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews