Celtic Christianity
lyra
Celtic Christianity,
the original faith
(except for pagan!)
of the British Isles.
I've had a look at some of the webpages,
and not found anything I really like,
but I'm making a start with what I found today.
...................................................................................
1.
Books - Celtic Christianity:
Celtic Christianity
God's Presence makes the World. The Celtic Vision through the
Centuries in Wales. A. M. Allchin The author shows how certain basic
themes - the centrality of the Trinity and Incarnation and the
interweaving of the doctrine of creation with the doctrine of
redemption - recur throughout the centuries. The Celtic heritage of
Wales, we discover, is not a thing of the past. The rediscovery of this
tradition carries promise for the future as the wisdom of our
predecessors provides strength and encouragement for Christians of all
nationalities today. [more details...]
The Celtic Way: The New Edition Ian Bradley This book has become
widely recognised as one of the most authoritative, accessible and
well-balanced introductions to the native Christian faith of the
British Isles, its origins and development, continuing legacy and
recent revival. First published in 1993 this new edition includes a new
introduction highlighting the changes in Celtic Christianity since the
first edition.
Colonies of Heaven Celtic models for today's Church Ian Bradley
Celtic' Christianity continues to fascinate us, but is it relevant to
the life and witness of the church today? Ian Bradley is convinced that
it is; that the building of 'colonies of heaven' drawing on Celtic
models provides the way forward for the churches in the twenty-first
century. Author of 'The Celtic way.'
Celtic Spirituality - softback Oliver Davies This rich and diverse
collection of texts newly translated from Latin, Irish and Welsh marks
a landmark in the study of Celtic Christianity. In these pages we find
saints' lives, sermons, liturgy, monastic rules, penitentials and
exergesis as well as devotional texts, poems and works of theology. The
effect is to create a sense of a Christian civilization that is deeply
life-affirming, imbued with a pervasive sense of divine presence and
wonderfully at ease with itself. From the Classics of Western
Spirituality series.
Celtic Spirituality - hardback Oliver Davies Hardback
Celtic Way of Prayer. The recovery of the religious imagination Esther
de Waal The Celtic Way of Prayer is itself a rich tapestry of
learning, personal experience of prayer, empathy with monastic
endeavour and a real understanding of what inspiration is needed by so
many of the laity also in their journey of Christian prayer today.'
Patrick Barry OSB, Former Abbot of Ampleforth. 'Exceptional.' Rowan
Williams.
Celtic Christianity. A sacred tradition, a vision of hope Timothy
Joyce OSB This volume offers a rediscovery of an ancient tradition
that can sustain spiritual seekers and renew the church today. It
appeals to mind, body, and spirit. Joyous and mystical, it affirms the
goodness of creation and the gifts of women; it blossoms in poetry,
myth and song. [more details...]
Restoring the Woven Cord. Strands of Celtic Christianity for the
Church today Michael Mitton The author examines how each strand which
makes up the Christian faith was expressed in the life and witness of
the Celtic Church. In true Celtic tradition he uses story as his
primary medium by beginning each chapter with the story of one of the
Celtic saints, which is then interpreted for the Church today. [more
details...]
Celtic Daily Prayer Northumbria Community Contains prayers, as
compiled by the Northumbria Community: Morning and Evening prayer,
Complines, Meditations, Holy Communion, Rites of Passage, Times and
Seasons, Blessings, readings from the Northumbrian Celtic Saints and
details of the Community. For use in personal or group prayer and
devotions. [more details...]
Celtic Daily Readings Northumbria Community Celtic Daily Readings
springs from the worship of the Northumbria Community and provides a
complete year of daily readings for use in personal or group devotions.
Drawing on the deep truths of Celtic spirituality and the sayings of
the Desert Fathers, as well as other sources, here are suggested Bible
readings and a meditation for each day of the year that will inspire
and encourage. This book is complete in itself but can be used with its
companion volume Celtic Daily Prayer, B0578 above. [more details...]
Celtic Sites and their Saints Elizabeth Rees Using archaeological and
literary evidence, Elizabeth Rees has produced the first ever guidebook
to 250 Sites in the British Isles where Celtic saints lived and worked.
Accurate descriptions are given, with a history of each site,
directions about how to find it and, where relevant, useful information
such as sailing times or where to find the church key. [more
details...]
Living Between Worlds. Place and Journey in Celtic Spirituality Philip
Sheldrake Celtic spirituality is currently undergoing a renaissance.
This book asks why this is so, and uses the significance of place and
journey to the Celts as a key to understanding their spirituality.
[more details...]
Celtic Gifts: Orders of Ministry in the Celtic Church Robert Van de
Weyer Discover your spiritual gift in the company of Columba, Brigid,
Cuthbert, Patrick and other Celtic saints in this ground-breaking and
original book. [more details...]
The Celtic Resource Book Martin Wallace The Celtic Resource Book is
both an ideal introduction to Celtic Christianity and a comprehensive
treasure-trove of ideas and information. Beautifully illustrated with
original line drawings, the book provides a wealth of resources.
'Celtic Christianity is not dead history - it is a living tradition
waiting for you to enjoy, breathe in and find your own soul enriched.
Whatever your own spiritual background, tradition or culture, this is
not about replacing it with something new: it is about a resource to
take you deeper and so be liberated to walk further on your own faith
journey.' [more details...]
Pocket Celtic Prayers Martin Wallace Following the patterns of
everday life, from waking to sleeping, these prayers link the themes of
Celtic spirituality: faith, creation and God. They range from the
familiar prayers of the Carmina Gadelica, David Adam and the Iona
community to new prayers with the distinctive rhythm and simplicity of
the Celtic tradition. [more details..]
Celtic Saints: The Pitkin Guide Glossy booklet introducing the
principal Celtic saints of the British Isles, illustrated with colour
photographs of the locations associated with them, plus map showing
location of sites. [more details...]
Celtic Source: Worship on Ancient Soil. pub. Kevin Mayhew Songbook.
Words and music (guitar/piano) of 15 songs/hymns in the Celtic
tradition:- Be Thou My Vision, Here Is Love, Sing A Song Of Celebration
(We Will Dance), Not By Might, What Kind Of Love Is This, I Cannot
Tell, You're The Lion Of Judah (Lion Of Judah), There Is A Place Of
Commanded Blessing (Break Dividing Walls), How Deep The Father's Love
For Us, Peace Be To These Streets, Turn Our Hearts, Can A Nation Be
Changed, My Jesus I Love Thee, Jesus All For Jesus, Down The Mountain
The River Flows (The River Is Here). [more details...]
http://www.cenacle.co.uk/lists/BooksCelticChristianity.htm
.............................................................................................................................................
lyra
lyra wrote:
2.
Is the Celtic Cross a Pagan Symbol?
Many claim it is, especially Neo-Pagans, who now use it freely for
their own purposes. Some Christians, especially fundamentalists, are
terribly afraid that they might be right and want nothing to do with it
if it is tainted by Pagan associations.
But the vast majority who use the Celtic Cross are Christian and
unconcerned that there is any controversy. All the historical examples
of actual "Celtic Crosses" are from indisputably Christian contexts.
The Aberlemno Stone in Angus, the great High Crosses at Clonmacnoise,
Monasterboise, Kells, Iona and many other medieval monastic sites are
all clearly made in Christian times, under Christian patronage and
according to conventional Christian iconography.
So where does this claim of paganism come from? Henry O'Neill, in his
1857 book Illustrations of the Most Interesting of the Sculptured
Crosses of Ancient Ireland writes, "I think that ancient Irish art was
pagan, and was continued during the Christian period, just as the
peculiar form of the Irish cross is pagan, or as the names of the
months, or of the days of the week are pagan; these, and a great deal
more of paganism, having continued, owing to the tenacity with which a
people retain their general habits and ideas."
O'Neill was not himself pagan, as much of his writing contains a
Christian piety that would refute such a suggestion. Rather he is
expressing pride in a noble antiquity for Irish art. During the 19th
century Celtic Revival, much was said and written about native cultural
survivals from pre-Christian times. "Pre-Christian" would also be
pre-Norman and pre-English domination. It must be remembered that at
this time Ireland was reinventing itself. The trauma of famine and
foreign rule was fresh. Many ancient Gaelic myths and legends were
revived to serve the cause of a renewed sense of national identity and
pride in the past.
A renewed interest in Celtic Christianity was part of this movement as
well. The Celtic Church refers to the Church as it was in Ireland and
Great Britain in the early medieval times, when it was considered
isolated from Rome and developed a distinctly Celtic spirituality.
People are not of one mind about this, as they rarely are about
religious matters. But one thing that came out of this was the belief
by some that the pagan Druidic religion of the Celts had clairvoyantly
anticipated the Gospels.
Legends were retold and refashioned in the light of emerging ideas and
theories from archeology and anthropology. The similarity of the Celtic
Cross to ancient symbols such as various Sun symbols and the swastika
rather firmly established the notion that these pre-Christian signs
were prototypes of the Christian Celtic Cross. The mystics of the
movement added this archeological interpretation to their conviction
that God had blessed the Druids with prophetic knowledge of the coming
of Christ.
Some observers see any quartering of a circle as a Celtic Cross. The
chambers of the Neolithic tomb at Newgrange or the arrangement of
standing stones. Examples like these, though they be easily dismissed
as coincidence, are "proof" to some that the Celtic Cross is of greater
antiquity than Christianity and obviously originally pagan. Setting
aside the question of validity of that belief, let us see what "spin"
has been put on that belief in modern times.
To the Celtic Christian of the early 20th century, the pagan roots of
the Celtic Cross were a source of joy and wonder. It is evidence of the
enlightenment and spiritual sensitivity of their pagan ancestors and of
God's grace towards them. Today you are more likely to hear the story
told that the (bad) Christians stole the symbol from its rightful pagan
heritage and that this appropriation was done with the sinister motives
of tricking the convert by changing the meaning of familiar symbols so
that his conversion might require less coercion.
Ironically, the Pagan Roots of the Celtic Cross is essentially a
Christian legend in its development. It is only in the last quarter of
the 20th century that the "Christians stole it" spin of the story has
become widespread, promoted mainly by those who make no secret of their
distrust of Christianity. But there is more irony yet. The negative
version of the story is also spread by some Christians, who unaware of
the Celtic Revival version, believe the Neo-Pagan version of the story
as true and feel compelled to spread the alarm, lest their fellow
Christians unwittingly offend God by use of a pagan symbol.
So my message is "lighten up!" If you are Christian or Pagan I hope
this little essay helps answer some questions. Attempts to deny or
taint the Christian heritage of the Celtic Cross are misguided, but it
is also a mistake to insist that any faith has an exclusive claim on
this powerful symbol. And remember to keep things in perspective. The
substance of religion is faith and love, not symbols.
Stephen Walker
6 October 2002
Other Celtic Cross Resources
More Essays
History and Symbolism of the Celtic Cross
Celtic Revival Crosses 1850 to Present
Descriptions of Some Historical Crosses
History and Symbolism of Celtic Knotwork
lyra
3.
THE CAMBRIAN EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE GRAIL
Ancient Church of Cambria
WHAT IS CELTIC CHRISTIANITY?
Specifically, Celtic Christianity refers to the branch of Christianity
which was unique to the peoples of the British Isles during the early
Middle Ages. Although there is some debate over exactly when and how
Christianity got to the British Isles, there is no doubt that it was
firmly established by the 2nd Century, because Ireneaus, the Bishop of
Lyon, had significant interaction with them.
The first, great Celtic son was Morien, also known as Pelagius.
Pelagius was a spokesman for Celtic theology. Pelagius has been labeled
as a heretic by traditional theologians because they favor a Latin
version of Christianity. Pelagius' opponent, Augustine, succeeded in
expelling the Pelagians out of the Roman Empire during the 5th Century.
Augustine became the father of Latin Christianity.
Celtic Christianity holds to a balanced view of the Biblical doctrines
of free-will and predestination.
Ostensibly, these doctrines were the focus of controversy between
Augustine and Pelagius. Through the centuries, Pelagian Celts have
emphasized the individual's responsibility to obey God's moral law.
Latin Christianity has tended to rely upon the strong arm of the state.
Celtic Christianity does not have much interest in the grand worship of
state religion. Celtic Christians are fond of the small group and a
liturgy which is an expression of personal faith. From ancient times,
they have had great interest in spiritual gifts, manifestations of the
Divine presence, religious revivals, and world evangelism.
Celtic theology does not agree with Augustine's view of Original Sin.
It sees Original Sin as the result of Adam's failure to be an adequate
federal head of the human race. That failure produced a wounding in the
nature of man which weakened his will but did not disable it. Because
of Christ, all people are able to respond to the call of God's grace to
salvation and virtue.
Celtic Christianity tends to produce a love for nature. That was why
the Celtic South was pastoral and the Saxon North was mercantile.
Yankees want every inch of earth to be used for production. They hate
what they call inefficiency. Southerners cherish the wilderness; Celts
always have. However, that is not to say they are unproductive people -
consider the Welsh of Ohio and upstate New York, cradles of American
industry. Celts labor for the joy of what they do, not because they are
driven.
Celts love mysteries, story-telling, poetry, folk-music and dancing.
They are not impressed by great cities and the arts which are abstract
and separate from life.
Celtic Christianity does not see God as separate from His creation and
finds the Incarnation of Christ as proof of that view. Celtic theology,
inherited from the Druids, teaches that the universe is like a body.
God is the head and the cosmos is His body. Being one with the creation
does not erase the Creator/creature distinction, no more so than it is
possible for the finger to do the work of the brain. What it means is
that God shares in the joys and sufferings of His creation. And Jesus
Christ is the symbol of that unity. Church of Cambria <churchof.htm>
Celtic Christianity rejects cosmic dualism, whether pagan or Christian.
It does not believe in two competing gods. Likewise, it views Satan as
a fallen member of the angelic host and not as a rival god. It is
solidly Trinitarian.
Celtic Christianity also teaches that the Godhead contains feminine
attributes as well as masculine attributes. Because Augustinianism held
a dim view of women, traditional Christianity sought to create an
exclusively masculine God. The spiritual void left by that view of God
drove the Church to Mary worship. Unfortunately, it was an incomplete
and sexless Mary. Celtic theology teaches that the Holy Spirit is the
representative of God's femininity and that sexuality is reflective of
God's creative power. It views Mary as a woman who had other children
besides Jesus. And it teaches that Jesus was truly a man (as well as
God), which included the sexuality of a man.
Celtic Christians have always gravitated toward localism as a form of
government. Historically, they dislike the modern notion of the
nation-state. The tribe, clan, and kinship group, within the context of
the village, are the forms of government which Celtic peoples prefer.
Celtic Christianity recognizes the ethnic character of the Church.
According to Bible prophecy (e.g. Psalms 2), the Messianic kingdom
consists of ethnic churches which form the constituent members of the
Body of Christ. It disagrees with the Latin and Byzantine versions of
Christianity, inherited from the Roman Imperial model, which attempt to
force everyone into the same mold. Many of the doctrinal and liturgical
disputes in Church history have come because of the language barrier,
which, of course, is ethnic in orientation and Divinely ordained
(Genesis 11). These differences ought to be respected with a gracious
spirit.
Through the centuries, the Celts have instinctively resisted the
Imperial model for Christianity. They have tended to be exuberant
worshippers, free-thinkers, and dissenters. They are intensely loyal to
beloved leaders and not to systems or institutions. For that reason,
mainline churches have viewed Celtic Christians with suspicion and,
sometimes, outright hostility. Celtic expressions of the faith have
been persecuted as cultic heresies.
Today, there is a growing sense that traditional Christianity has
exhausted itself as a spiritual and moral reservoir for Western
civilization. Celts and non-Celts are turning to the ancient Celtic
Church for a fresh start. We invite you to investigate it for yourself.
If you would like to learn more about Celtic Christianity, please
contact
Friends of the Cambrian Church, P.O. Box 8701, Moscow, ID 83843
Ancient Church of Cambria
<doctrine.htm>
lyra
(quote)
Celtic Christianity, and the early Celtic church, is a subject of
growing interest today, along with increased interest in the Celtic
saints and, especially, the places of pilgrimage relating to early
Celtic monasteries or churches, such as Iona, Kells, Whithorn, or St.
Illtud's Church in Wales. This is a very complex and multi-faceted
topic, so this particular article will focus on one of the famous
Celtic saints of Scotland - St. Columba of Iona. We tend to think of
the Celtic saints as dedicated missionaries, devoted monks or nuns,
lovers of God's creation in nature, egalitarian, good healers, lovers
of poetry, somewhat mysterious and, perhaps, even as shining examples
of a long-lost Golden Age of Christianity. Accurate or not, such
portrayals of these men and women of God are prt of their powerful
legacy, which remains with us today.
The "heyday" of the Celtic church was from the early 5th through the
8th centuries. Some monasteries, such as Iona in Scotland, Kells in
Ireland, or Lindisfarne in northeast England, are renowned for their
beautiful, illuminated manuscripts. Lindisfarne is often misrepresented
as having been an exclusively "Celtic" church community when, in fact,
it was an important part of the Northumbrian church, which had its own
distinct identity. However, Lindisfarne received many ideas and monks
from Iona, making it a key community of the time in an extensive
network - Glastonbury, too, has connections with St. Patrick, for
example.
The major areas of the Celtic Christian communities were in Ireland,
Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany, and other parts of Gaul (France).
The early Celtic missionaries were among the most successful ever,
travelling great distances to spread the Word. Remnants of some of the
Celtic Christian communities lasted beyond the Synod of Whitby (664
AD), where, briefly put, the Celtic church as an institution decided to
adopt Roman customs, and was then assimilated into the Roman church.
The Celtic church in Wales finally submitted to Rome in 768 AD. In
Scotland, the "Culdees" (Keledei) - clergy and monks who attempted to
keep to the earlier Celtic ways - are mentioned in documents relating
to legal and property matters up to the early 11th century but, by the
time of David I, were largely forgotten. But the memory of the Celtic
saints and their communities lives on.
The very idea of a single, organised "Celtic Church" is actually quite
misleading, implying a uniformity throughout the Celtic parts of
Europe, which was not the case. It does not properly acknowledge the
considerable organisational differences between the various early
Celtic churches and their diverse communities. To simply lump them all
together does great disservice both to their sophistication, and to
their complexity as a field of study. Dr. Ian Bradley, of St. Andrews
University, in his book entitled Celtic Christianity, describes these
communities as "the early indigenous Christian communities of the
British Isles". (And, I might also add, also those of Brittany). This
is perhaps a more accurate phrase than simply "Celtic Christian" - what
exactly, then, does one mean by "Celtic?" It is also unfortunate that
certain Celtic saints have acquired highly romanticized personality
cults - as "stars" - which does not really do justice to the hard work
of their largely forgotten contemporaries, who also did major
missionary work, in equally difficult conditions.
The early British church is known to have sent Bishops to the Council
of Arles in 314 AD - well before the arrival of St. Augustine in
Canterbury in 597 AD., which is often assumed to be the "beginning" of
Christianity in Britain. Although the early hagiographers - those who
wrote the Saints' Lives - sometimes deliberately embellished a tale
about a saint for their own reasons (such as to glorify a certain
monastery and its founding saint, for instance), this doesn't
necessarily mean that all of the saints' legends and place-lore tales
are false, or that the study of such tales has nothing to say to us
today.
St. Columba of Iona:
A number of Celtic saints lived and worked in and around the kingdom of
Dalriada in northwest Scotland. One of the best known is St. Columba,
or Columcille, of Iona (521-597 AD). The Dalriada were a Gaelic tribe
from the coastal districts of what is now County Antrim in northern
Ireland, and play a major role in early Scottish Celtic Christianity.
Most of the information we have about Columba's life comes from
Adomnan's "Life of Columba". Adomnan was the Abbot of Iona and, it is
believed, he wrote this work in about 690 AD - nearly a century after
Columba's death. The other major source of information about him is
Bede, who wrote about forty years after Adomnan. In turn, oral
tradition among the monks of Iona was a major source of their
information, and it is also believed that Adomnan had access to an
earlier "Life of Columba" written by his predecessor.
St Columba is believed to have been born in about 521 AD, in northern
Ireland, of Fedlimid, son of Fergus, an aristocrat of the family called
the Cenel Conaill, which ruled over much of county Donegal. When he was
young, Columba was fostered to a priest, and learned from some of the
greatest teachers in Ireland at the time. Little is known for sure
about Columba's life in Ireland, prior to coming to Iona, even of two
apparently significant but mysterious events in his life. The first was
the battle of Cul Drebene, which was fought and won by Columba's kin
and their allies, in 561 AD, against the ruling southern UiNeill. Two
years after this battle, Columba left Ireland in exile for Britain, the
exact reasons for which, researchers have been unable to determine. The
second, chronicled but unexplained, is the story that Columba copied
from a precious book, and was caught doing so, and admonished.
It is known that in 563 AD., two years after the battle of Cul Drebene,
Columba came to Iona accompanied by twelve monks and was given the
island by Conall son of Comgall, the king of the Scottish Dalriada.
There were other foundations besides Iona, including the island of
Hinba - which has yet to be positively identified - and Mag Luinge on
the island of Tiree, where Columba sent those who came to him as
penitents. It is also known that Columba went back to Ireland on a
number of occasions, to speak with religious leaders and kings. He
appears to have had an important role in a conference of kings in 575
AD, with Aed mac Ainmirech (later king of Tara) and Aedan mac Gabrain,
king of Dal Riata, attending. It is here that Columba also made his
famous defence of the bards.
Columba died on 9 June 597 AD, at the age of 76, on Iona, as told by
St. Adomnan in his "Life of Columba". One of the most enduring and
beloved anecdotes about St. Columba is the account of his last days and
hours. This is described by Dr. Alan Macquarrie in his book The Saints
of Scotland:
Adomnan describes how, in the month of May.....Columba was taken in a
cart to visit the monks who were at work...He told them that his end
was drawing near, and blessed them...on the Saturday after that, he and
his personal attendant Diarmait went out for a short walk, but
Columba's age...prevented him going further....he told the sorrowing
Diarmait that he expected to die that night. On the way back to the
monastery he sat down to rest....While he was resting, he was
approached by one of the monastery's horses....The horse placed its
head in the saint's bosom and seemed to weep, as if it knew that its
master would soon be taken from it....Diarmait wanted to drive the
beast away, but Columba would not allow this; rather he allowed it to
nuzzle against him, before he blessed [it].......
Here, Columba is portrayed as having particular sensitivity to animals.
Scottish painter John Duncan featured this episode in Columba's life,
in his now famous painting of Columba and a white horse. From folklore
records, we know that in earlier times, on the islands of Benbecula,
South Uist, and Barra, at Beltane (eve of 1st May) the people dedicated
their hymns to not only the Holy Trinity, but also to St. Columba, as
guardian of their cattle.
Several other early manuscripts exist about Columba. The Cathach of St.
Columba, part of a psalter dated around 600 AD, is among the oldest
examples of Irish Latin in existence. Its style is unique, in that the
initial letters are sometimes surrounded by red dots, a feature earlier
found in Coptic manuscripts. The Coptic Church is Egyptian, leading one
to ponder about possible "desert father" connections with the early
Celtic saints, who seem to have used them as a monastic model. Some say
that this Egyptian conection may have been Alexandrian, while others
believe that the early Byzantine and other eastern Christian sects may
have had an influence. The early Syrian monastic communities, with
their strong emphasis on the Anchorite desert hermit tradition, were a
likely model for the Celtic monastic saints. Certainly they shared a
severely ascetic lifestyle. I believe that there are also other
plausible, though lesser known possibilities to consider, but this is
another topic in itself.
Iona became a great centre of scholarship and learning, and was
renowned for its scriptorium. It is increasingly believed among
scholars that the beautifully ornate Book of Kells was actually made on
Iona by monks of the Columban church, and probably taken to Ireland in
around 800 AD to preserve it from the Vikings, who had devastated Iona
in 795 AD[*]. These Celtic scriptoriums were very important for many
reasons. We would have very little of the earlier tales and stories
from the pagan era, were it not for the Christian scribes who wrote
down their versions, somewhat coloured though they might have been.
The Celtic saints and the early Celtic church and its communities
continue to inspire many today. Many questions about them remain
unanswered, but further research continues to shed light on their
extraordinary lives. Their light, in turn, continues to shine, even
into our modern, secular times.
Dr Karen Ralls
2000-2006
*The Book of Kells is now displayed in Trinity College Dublin, where
one page is turned each day. A facsimile is housed in the National
Library of Scotland in Edinburgh.
READING LIST
This select bibliography does not aim to be comprehensive, but to
suggest major works on this topic, both popular and academic, and from
a variety of perspectives.
Ralls, K., The Templars & the Grail: Knights of the Quest, Quest Books,
Chicago, USA, May 2003
Ralls, K., & Robertson, I., The Quest for the Celtic Key, Luath Press,
Edinburgh, 2002;
To get started...
recommended texts:
Bradley, I., Celtic Christianity, Edinburgh University Press:
Edinburgh, 1999
Lines, M., Sacred Stones, Sacred Places, St. Andrew Press: Edinburgh,
1992
Mackey, J.P., [Ed.], An Introduction to Celtic Christianity, Edinburgh,
1989
Ralls, K., Music and the Celtic Otherworld, Edinburgh University Press:
Edinburgh, 2000
Armit, I., Celtic Scotland, BT Batsford: London, 1997
Chadwick, N., The Age of the Saints in the early Celtic Church, London,
1961
Clancy, T., and Markus, G., Iona; The Earliest Poetry of a Celtic
Monastery, Edinburgh University Press: Edinburgh, 1995
Herbert, M., Iona, Kells and Derry, Edinburgh University Press:
Edinburgh, 1988
Hughes, K., and Hamlin, A., Celtic Monasticism, Seabury Press: New
York, 1981
Jackson, K., A Celtic Miscellany, Penguin: Harmondsworth, rev. ed.,
1971
Smith, D., Celtic Travellers: Scotland in the Age of the Saints, The
Stationery Office, Edinburgh 1997
Illustrated lectures and more detailed seminars
by Dr Karen Ralls can be arranged.
Please contact Ancient Quest for details.
Ancient Quest, and Dr. Karen Ralls, do not necessarily agree with, or
endorse, material in the publications noted above, but provide this
list as a general introduction to learning more about this topic.
about seminars
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http://www.ancientquest.com/embark/celticchurch.html
lyra
and start again only if I find something
I like,
or seems to need to be added.
.................................................................................................
5.
Celtic Christianity
This article or section does not cite its references or sources.
You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations.
..........................................................................................
Celtic Christianity (also known as the Old British Church, Celtic
Church, Celtic Catholic Church, Culdee Church) is a term used for the
form of Christianity practised in Ireland, Scotland and the Brythonic
areas of Great Britain, initially including north, midland and eastern
Anglo-Saxon England, during the early medieval period.
Contents [hide]
1 What Celtic Christianity is
2 The debate about the Church's existence
3 Differences from the rest of Europe
4 The Easter problem
5 History
6 See also
7 Notes and references
8 External links
[edit]
What Celtic Christianity is
Christianity was first brought to the island of Ireland and the British
Isles sometime after the Roman conquest, probably during the
Christianizing of the empire under Constantine in the 4th century.
Celtic Christianity is thought to be a form of Christianity as it was
first received and practised by communities within Britain and Ireland
that spoke Celtic languages. The debate about the existence of the
Celtic Church centres primarily around two issues arising from the
early Christian experience in Britain and Ireland:
Was its ecclesiastical structure enough to justify giving the church
recognition as an organized Christian body?
What role did Celtic Christianity have in influencing the Roman
Catholic Church?
The earliest formal issue of church supremacy and antiquity occurred at
the Synod of Whitby in 664, which was actually formed to reconcile
divergent calendrical practices within Northumbria. Following, ending
with the Synod of Cashel in 1172, were organized to deal with the
differences between the churches, and resulted in the theology and
practices of the Celtic church being brought into line with Roman
theology and practices.
[edit]
The debate about the Church's existence
It is easy to exaggerate the cohesiveness of the Celtic Christian
communities. Their members never saw themselves in opposition to the
Catholic establishment based on Rome as did the Arians, Priscillianists
or the Donatists in North Africa. Even at the height of the conflict
between these communities and other Christian groups, they acknowledged
the primacy of the Pope and respected his specific instructions.[1]
On the other hand, these communities did see themselves as separate
from their competitors, the Anglo-Saxons. An early Welsh ecclesiastical
rule levied penalties for interacting with the English, and for sharing
communion with them. When St Augustine attempted to meet with a
delegation of seven British bishops on the borders of the domains of
Ethelbert of Kent, these bishops refused to talk or even dine with his
party;[2] and when Aethelfrith of Northumbria went to battle with
Solomon, son of Cynan, king of Powys, hundreds of British Christian
monks are said to have assembled to pray for the Welsh king.[3] It is
noteworthy that the British failed to attempt to convert the
Anglo-Saxons, and that the successful Celtic missions had come from
further away, from the Dalradian Scots.
[edit]
Differences from the rest of Europe
Due to the difficulties in communications at this time, it was
inevitable that variations between the local churches would arise.
Although the practice by Bishops, upon their ordination, of circulating
a statement of their beliefs did minimize these differences somewhat.
This help was lost to the congregations in the British isles and
Armorica with the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west. When
missionaries from the Mediterranean met with those local congregations
that did survive, they found differences in practice, doctrine and
government. These differences were addressed in synods, from the Synod
of Whitby in 664 to the Synod of Cashel. Exactly in which practices the
Celtic church varied from those in the rest of Europe differ from
source to source. A list of those proposed include:[4]
The method of calculating the date of Easter. The Celts celebrated
Easter on the Vernal equinox. They agreed to celebrate it on "the first
Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring equinox".
The method of Tonsure practised by monks. The Celts shaved the front of
their head, from ear to ear. They agreed to shave the crown of their
heads. It is possible that this tonsure was originally used by the
druids, as we find it referred to as "tonsura magorum".[citation
needed]
Authority of Bishops. In the Celtic Church authority was vested in
Abbots and Abbesses. The role of Bishop was ceremonial. Delegates from
Rome complained of "persons not in holy orders with authority in the
church".
The Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary, the mother of
Jesus. The Celts held these Marian Doctrines. They follow from the
doctrine that Mary was exempt from Original Sin. Decuit, potuit, fecit
- "It was appropriate, it was possible, it was". The Celtic view was
declared dogma in 1854.
Infant baptism. The Celts held four baptism services each year. They
agreed to alter this and baptise infants within eight days of their
birth.
1-to-1, penitent to confessor private confession. This was a Celtic
invention; it was unknown outside of the Celtic Church before the sixth
century. Until then, Rome required public confession.[5]
The Celtic cross, in which a symmetrical cross is superimposed on a
circle, is a characteristic and distinctive Celtic Christian symbol.
Use of this continued well past any separate organisation of Celtic
Christianity, and has indeed never ceased to be common in the Celtic
countries and among their emigré communities.
[edit]
The Easter problem
The Easter problem - that is, the proper method to be used to
calculate the date Easter will fall on in a given year - is a
complicated story that extends beyond the topic of Celtic Christianity.
As it applies to this topic, the Celtic peoples had lost contact with
Rome when Victorius of Aquitania created the tables that were adopted
as approved practice in 457. But as they learned of the current
practice, the various communities of the Celtic church gradually
returned into harmony with the predominant practice: southern Ireland
agreed to this at a Synod in 632; northern Ireland at the Council of
Birr around 697; the Northumbrian Church at the Synod of Whitby in 664;
the Monks of Iona celebrated Easter on the Roman date in 716; and Wales
in 768. Various other churches founded or influenced by clerics trained
in Ireland or Wales came to celebrate Easter on the Roman date at later
times.
Although historians often relegate the importance of the Easter
problem, it actually had a major effect on the Catholic world at that
time. Because Celtic Christianity considered itself separate and
distinct in relation to Rome, Rome diligently made efforts to bring the
Celtic church under its authority for many years. The submission of the
Celtic church to Rome on this issue effectively expanded Rome's
spiritual and political strength throughout Europe for centuries.
[edit]
History
Though the full extent or popularity of Christianity in Britain is
unknown at the time the Roman army left around 410, it certainly
continued in
parts of sub-Roman Britain, though its administrative structure may
have quickly disintegrated.
Saint Ailred of Rievaulx wrote that Saint Ninian founded Whithorn
Priory in around 397, but a date in the early to mid-5th century is now
preferred.[6] He is believed to have travelled to Galloway from Cumbria
(perhaps Carlisle). His work was continued by Saint Serf and Saint
Kentigern. Saint Patrick, who probably hailed from the same area as
Ninian, was an active missionary in Ireland around 435, establishing
himself in Armagh as 'Apostle of Ireland'; though he had, in fact, been
preceded by Saint Palladius. Saint Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre in Gaul,
visited Britain in 429 and 447, and went to the site of the future St
Alban's Abbey and other religious centres.
Some scholars, such as J.N.L. Myres and John Morris, have argued that
the British Christian reformer Pelagius must had have a direct effect
on the early development of the Celtic church in his homeland. Others,
including Charles Thomas have countered that this belief is incorrect
and based on projecting a modern point of view upon an earlier age.[7]
While eastern England was taken over by pagan Anglo-Saxons,
Christianity expanded throughout the Celtic regions to become the
accepted religion of the Brythons. In what became modern Wales, this
was largely due to a succession of princes who became monastic priests
during the 5th and 6th centuries, founding many abbeys and churches,
and becoming honoured as 'saints' after their death. Good examples are
Saints Dubricius, Illtud, David, Cadoc and Deiniol. Some, like Samson
and Paul Aurelian, spread the Celtic Christian word across the English
Channel in Brittany.
Others, like Petroc and the many sons and daughters of King Brychan of
Brycheiniog, went to Cornwall and the West Country. This was also a
popular place of evangelism for Irish royalty, such as Piran, Ia or
Brigit.
There was a significant amount of intercourse between the churches of
Ireland and Britain. The most famous Irish saints to preach extensively
in Britain were those who firmly established Christianity in what is
now Scotland: Saint Moluag and, particularly, Saint Columba (also known
as Colum Cille), who founded the great Celtic Christian centre on Iona
in 563. Monks from Iona, under Saint Aidan, then founded the See of
Lindisfarne in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria in 635. From this also sprang
the See of Mercia and of Essex. Areas of East Anglia influenced by
Saint Fursey were also Celtic Christian.
At the Synod of Whitby, however, it was decided that the Anglo-Saxon
dioceses should follow the ways of the Roman Catholic Church. Around
710, King Nechtan of the Picts also adopted Roman Catholicism.[8] In
768, Elfoddw, Bishop of Bangor was instrumental in persuading the
Celtic Church in Wales to follow suit. It is said, however, the South
Wales did not comply until 777. By about 840, the Cornish had also
agreed to change. The monks of Iona had converted in 712[9]. Minor
differences continued in usages until the 12th century, when the sons
of Malcolm III and Saint Margaret of Scotland reformed the Scottish
Church, and in Ireland with the Synod of Cashel in 1172.
Some people believe that the Celtic Church continued underground in
Britain after the general acceptance of Roman Catholicism.[10],
although the evidence which exists is mixed. Currently there are a
number of churches which proclaim their continuity with, and
inheritance of, the Celtic Christian tradition, most notably the Celtic
Apostolic Church, which though worldwide is controlled from Scotland.
[edit]
See also
Celtic Catholic Church
Celtic Orthodox Church
Celtic Rite
Chess One
Iconography - Celtic Design, The Tree of Life - author Aidan Meehan [who I
knew in Scotland, now lives in Vancouver, B.C. I think - and sometimes
lectures - possibly google-able]
[* re-ligio [L.], to join together, to re-join]
Thames and Hudson ISBN: 050027827X
Chapter titles are interesting:
The Winged Lion
The Serpent on the Tree
Two Birds on One Tree
The Bird-Filled Tree
The Inhabited Tree
Tree and Leaf
As well as usuing Kells as a primary source book, he also links similar
images to other sources, one being, for example, Twinned Serpents from an
early Akkadian Seal, circa 2200BC, which features helical snakes, as does
the Cosmic Pillar, Syro-Hittite Seal.
Another example would be for Two Birds in One Tree:
"Two Birds, fast bound companions,
Clasp close the self-same tree."
/ Mundaka Upanishad.
And to which he appends comments on the Icon by A. K. Coomaraswamy, on the
friendship of the Spirit and the Soul.
Of much interest is the illustration and text to the Tetramorph, Trier
Gospel. [Irish version, Book of Durrow]
Anyway, I should like to recommend Aidan's books, since they are practical
means of constructing, and indeed, the means of innovating on these themes,
and, as it is said, half nature is revealed, and half to explore.
This title appears to be one of half a dozen he has written on the subject
of Celtic Design Iconography - which are all 'practical', of course, since
that is the true way to address such a subject, no?
And his recommended books lists perhaps 20 titles other than those you have
listed below.
One title of direct interest - a reader- might be by Ann Ross, Pagan Celtic
Britain.
In Novels, select something from Powys - perhaps Porius, which is nto about
any iconography, but instead an odd [to us] idea of Johaninne Christianity
on the Island.
The glories of Mary held his soul captive
...her emblems, the lateflowering plant
and lateblossoming tree.
/James Joyce
Phil
"lyra" <mountai...@RockAthens.com> wrote in message
news:1159709494....@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
lyra
Thanks - I shall look into it!
"Two Birds, fast bound companions,
Clasp close the self-same tree."
/ Mundaka Upanishad.
is like
The Phoenix and the Turtle
.......................................................................
I found
http://mypage.direct.ca/a/ameehan/
http://www.geocities.com/paris/3764/
..............................................................................
lackpurity
gangleri wrote:
> In one of his books, entitled Arfur Kelta ("The Legacy of the Celts",
> 1981), Einar Pálsson concludes a chapter on "Celtic Christianity" as
> follows - in my tranlation:
>
> "The best known "heresy" in Celtic Christianity is associated with St.
> John the Divine and concerns the timing of Easter. Some theologists
> are persuaded that the Irish (or some Irish) believed in "the hidden
> church of St. John the Divine" as a separate entity within the Mother
> Church. Its existence was to remain secret until Judgement Day, or
> until God chose to reveal it. In this respect the Revelation of St.
> John the Divine is believed to have been a special gospel for this
> group of men, and this teaching was not to be discussed with anyone
> outside the group of initiates." (p. 166)
>
> IF the Pagan/Christian aspects of "The Tempest" are viewed as attesting
> to the influence of Celtic Christianity in the Shakespeare Opus, THIS
> would explain the otherwise inexplicable:
MM:
Shakespeare gave us the Sant Mat teachings FIRST HAND, not SECOND HAND,
per Sonnet 125. If we have the Living Master, we don't need any
ancient scriptures, not any past Master. We just need to practice Sat
Guru Bhakti. There were Past Masters, even in the British Isles, and I
think Stonehenge was one of their monuments to some Past Master.
Michael Martin
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/radhasoamisatsangworld
> The SECRECY - CONSPIRACY - aspect of the Shakespeare Authorship Issue!
gangleri
> MM:
> Shakespeare gave us the Sant Mat teachings FIRST HAND, not SECOND HAND,
> per Sonnet 125. If we have the Living Master, we don't need any
> ancient scriptures, not any past Master. We just need to practice Sat
> Guru Bhakti. There were Past Masters, even in the British Isles, and I
> think Stonehenge was one of their monuments to some Past Master.
How might the distinction between "Living Master" and "Past Master"
relate to Our Ever-LIVING Poet of Shakespeare's Sonnets?
lackpurity
MM:
His physical body had to die, as did all the bodies of the Past
Masters. The form of a Past Master is as inaccessible as the Lord,
himself. Hence, the necessity of a Living Master, who guides us across
the internal planes, either with his Radiant Form or Holy Spirit Form.
We need the Living Master, to awaken our latent Bhakti (Love) faculty,
otherwise we remain inebriated with the world. When we see and hear
the Living Master, with receptivity, love, and devotion, then it is a
great encouragement to do the meditation and experience the MUSES, or
MYSTIC TRANSPORTS.
Shakespeare is EVER-LIVING in Holy Spirit Form, but not in physical
form, obviously. The form of all Masters is the same. It is Shabd,
Nam, Holy Spirit, Tao, etc.., but we need the physical form to help us
merge into it. That is why the Living Master is indispensable to
realize God.
In Sonnet 125, Shakespeare mentioned that his physical form was
"honored." But, this was not his real form. The physical form is part
of this illusion, and the body must one day decompose to become air,
water, fire, earth, ether. So, he mentioned his "inner form." That is
what we should strive to do, meet the physical Master, and then merge
into his Holy Spirit form. There is only one way to do that:
Meditation or Muses.
Michael Martin
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lightfromsoundoasis