Customer Reviews (8)

Celtic Christianity-Benedictine view point
Excellent review of Celtic christianity from the very beginning. Thoroughly entertaining and informative. Interesting;a very good read.

Great place to start
If you are looking for a readable, uncomplicated look at the history of Celtic Christianity, this would be a good start. Historical documentation in this area is scant, but the author uses what is available well, and sends you off thinking.

The Celtic Christian Tradition.
_Celtic Christianity:A Sacred Tradition, A Vision of Hope_ by Benedictine monk and Roman Catholic priest Timothy J. Joyce, published by Orbis Books, takes a profound look at one of the unique Christian traditions originating among the Celtic peoples.The author is of Irish ancestry and notes the unique contributions of this subtle race to spirituality and tradition.Although the book is marred by a leftist bias which overemphasizes the changes in the church which took place at the Second Vatican Council, it nevertheless provides an important survey of the spirituality arising from the Celtic peoples.

The author begins by discussing the ancient Celts, a pagan people who would later easily come to embrace Christianity.The Celts included peoples spread out all over Europe, including not only the British Isles (Scotland, Wales, and Ireland) but also the Continental mainland, ranging from France, Britanny, all the way to Switzerland and Eastern Europe.Indeed, the tribe of Gauls were of Celtic origin, and the adventures of this ancient people are well known and recorded in the writings of various Romans.The origins of the Celts remain a mystery and many have suggested that they may have originated in the East and migrated Westwards.The early Celts had a unique philosophical understanding emphasizing the sacredness of place, revealed in their ruins and sacred sites.In addition, the Celts were a warlike people, although they placed emphasis on spirituality and humility unlike other barbarian tribes.When Christianity came to the Celts, it was an easy conversion.The author relates tales of the saints Patrick, Bridgit, Brendan, Columcille, and Columban.Indeed, these early saints were capable of incorporating Christianity to such an extent that Christ could be referred to as the "Great Druid".Celtic Christianity emphasized nature and monasticism.Indeed, many of the Celtic saints were responsible for bringing monasticism to the British Isles.The relationship between the Celtic Church and Rome is more complicated.While the Celts always adhered strongly to such orthodox Christian beliefs as the existence of Purgatory and the truth of the Trinity, their church structure was somewhat different from the Roman Church.Nevertheless, the Celts sought to maintain unity with the pope at Rome, although they often remained somewhat critical of his personal faults.Following this discussion of the early Celtic Church and Celtic monasticism, the author turns his attention to the crises the Celtic Church underwent.The author discusses not only the changes that took place in the church during the Middle Ages, but the subsequent events of the Protestant Reformation and Cromwell's persecution which completed devastated the Irish.Finally, the author turns his attention to Ireland's "Darkest Hour".Here, he emphasizes the poverty of this nation and the results of famine.Many of the Irish became immigrants to the United States, Canada, or Australia, fleeing their land of woe.However, they preserved their Catholic spirituality as they went.This spirituality emphasized obedience to Rome, the Rosary, the adoration of Mary and the saints, prayer for the "poor souls" in Purgatory, and the Irish wake and funeral.However, with the rise of the modern age, new possibilities for spiritual growth remain for the Celtic peoples and in particular for the Irish.The author believes that Celtic spirituality offers a vision of hope for the Roman Catholic church in the contemporary period.It is unfortunate however that he places so much of an emphasis on the changes in the church that took place at the Second Vatican Council as opposed to traditional Catholic spirituality.

This book provides a thorough introduction to the spirituality of the Celtic peoples and to their profoundly Christian vision for the future.While the book is marred by a leftist denial of the traditional Catholic faith, it nevertheless makes some good points regarding the early Celts and the profound healing power of their spirituality for the modern age.

Lots of History, But...
The cover blurb of this short book by an American Benedictine monk promises Celtic Spirituality "introduces a mysterious and extraordinary spiritual world (that) developed among the Celtic peoples sixteen centuries ago."Fr. Timothy's book tells something of pre-Christian and early-Christian Celtic social structure, customs and worldview and provides a few examples of Celtic prayers.But this book is primarily the HISTORY (i.e., names, dates, administrative structure) of Christian institutions in Celtic lands and not an exploration of Celtic Christian beliefs and practice or, more specifically, how those beliefs and practices shaped the Celtic people before they came under Norman and English domination.

Fr. Timothy emphasizes that Ireland was the only early-Christian culture in Western Europe never controlled by the Roman Empire.The Celtic Church, while strictly Trinitarian in belief, celebrated God's gifts of nature and humanity in a relatively non-legalistic manner.Then he recounts the history of the Roman church eventually dominating the native Irish, until the 1840s Potato Famine horror destroyed both the economy and any remaining traditional Celtic social structure and laid mid-Nineteenth Century legalistic, conservative, hierarchical Roman Catholicism over impoverished, dysfunctional Irish families.Fr. Timothy asserts the result, today's image of "Irish Catholic", is a foreign, inauthentic Irish Christianity far removed from its Celtic roots.

All of that may be true and interesting, but I finished the book still not knowing exactly what Celtic Christianity is and how, other than making pilgrimages to contemporary retreat centers scattered through Ireland and Britain, one might pursue modern day Celtic spirituality.

Although Ireland's lack of Roman domination is mentioned several times and Fr. Timothy mentions Eastern Orthodox Christianity in passing a couple of times, his Roman Catholic-centered world view never lets him, if you'll allow me a newly popular but already overused phrase, connect the dots.Since St. Patrick and his peers brought Christianity to the Celts at a time, around 400 AD, when all Christians were still "Orthodox" and other books demonstrate direct connections between the Celtic Church and the Eastern Christian monasteries of the Desert Fathers, it seems logical to conclude that Celtic Christianity was the local version of what still lives on as Eastern Orthodoxy.

There is a fairly long bibliography (virtually all for books published in the 1990s) and a list of organizations sponsoring Celtic retreats, revival, etc. (although not a single Internet address is provided).A few black and white photo reproductions are unremarkable.

I enjoyed reading Celtic Spirituality, and recommend it as a short history of Christian Church administration in Celtic cultures but feel one needs to look elsewhere to learn more about Celtic (Orthodox) Christianity itself.

Celtic Christianity, A Sacred Tradition, a Vision of Hope.
A gentle & interesting book for those exploring Celtic &/or Irish roots, & history. It provides valuable insights into understanding and recognising the Celtic traits and spirituality within us. A worthwhile read for Catholics, who, like myself, sometimes wonder!Definitely worth asecond read (or more)! ... Read more

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Product Description
There has been a revival of all things Celtic in recent decades, producing everything from Irish folk music to a rise in pagan mysticism. By contrast, Tracy Balzer's book, Thin Places: An Evangelical Journey into Celtic Christianity is written to introduce contemporary Christians to the great spiritual legacy of the early Celts, a legacy that has remained undiscovered or inaccessible for many in the evangelical tradition. Thin Places not only reveals the deeply scriptural, sacramental faith of the Celts, but also provides ways for us to learn from this ancient faith expression, applying fresh and lively spiritual disciplines to our lives today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Thin Places: An Evangelical Journey into Celtic Christianity
This book is well written, easy to read, stimulating and unique.I plan to order additional copies to share with my friends.

Thin Places
Absolutely incredible book.Must read for spiritual formation and current application to Celtic Christianity.Product arrived in a timely fashion in perfect condition. ... Read more

Product Description
This text provides an examination of Celtic Christianity, a religion which flourished in Britain during the Dark ages, and which, in its profound respect for the dignity and sanctity of nature, had far more in common with Buddhism than with the later institutional Christianity of the West. The author describes the essence of the Celtic spirit, and how it manifests itself in Celtic Christianity's reverence for the earth, creatures, sea and sky - an aspect which has parallels with the Native American tradition, the Aboriginal tradition, and Britain's native Druidic shamanism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Ever Wondered??
I have been studying Celtic Spirituality for many years, but mostly from the pagan perspective.On a whim, I decided to check out this book, and I was pleasantly surprised.

I hadn't realized that Celtic Christianity is basically a spirituality of Love, and seeing God in all things.The Earth is precious simply because God made it, and the ancient Celtic Christian peoples practiced devotion rather than religion.

In reading this book, I got a much clearer view on how Christianity morphed and changed over the last 1500 years, and in ways that weren't always for the best.

The book also contains bits and pieces of the most beautiful Celtic poetry, including some from the Carmina Gadelica.

I got quite a bit out of this book, and just to let you know, it is a bit academic.Of course, I enjoyed it anyway :)This book is a great starting point for anyone interested in history of Christianity and the Celtic peoples.Though at a mere 112 pages, it is just that... a starting point.

The Natural Elements of Celtic Christianity +++
I find the following description quoted from the back side of this great little book to be quite true -- "The Elements of Celtic Christianity provides a thought-provoking examination of the spirit religion which flourished on the islands of Britain during the Dark Ages, and which was notable for its great simplicity, austerity and profound respect for the dignity and sanctity of nature." I also find the following paragraph to be an interesting sample of this great little book [quoted from page 103] -- "Celtic spirituality is 'green' through and through, and quite unselfconsciously. It approaches everything in personal terms, again unconsciously. It was never necessary to articulate the proposition that a personal Creator would be unlikely to create anything that was not -- in some sense -- a person. There are no 'things', for everything is a person. The insights of a Teilhard de Chardin, that consciousness is inherent in the hydrogen atom, is wholely consistent with the Celtic vision of things and, indeed, of the Celtic experience of things."

Excellent summation of Celtic Christianity
So many web definitions and recent books on celtic spirituality and christianity have so much fluff and confusion.

This book is well written, let's you know what the author thinks and who disagrees with him.

great for anyone interested in celtic spirituality

Concise, Poignant & Almost Academic
Duncan's presentation is fast paced and to the point.It mixes academic research with some clearly identified personal opinions. The main thrust of the book is that St. Augustine is responsible for forcing the Romanization of the Church in Celtic lands.His influence carried over into the reformation -- Luther was an Augustinian monk.Duncan claims that Augustine's renounciation of human sexuality was the result of his attempts to deal with his personal demons, including the putting away of his concubine.Duncan, an Anglican priest, is understanding of Augustine and tries not to portray the 'Doctor of the Church' as a villian, but as a human.

Personally, I found this book answered many of my questions about the Celtic Church.It presents the issues and history of the Celtic Church in a context that is, in my opinion, fair and not idealistic or 'a romantic faery tale'.It is for the serious reader and has a theological tone.

Not bad, for a basic overview
This book gets into a basic analysis of what is and is not Celtic Christianity for those that only know Celtic from green beer in March and the PBS "Gimme Money" Riverdance special.

Now, this isn't tosay it is simplistic, or dull.It is quite well written, but is also shortenough to be inserted into a larger collection (The 'Elements Of' series). Thus, the style of writing reflects the entire series more than thematerial really deserves.

All in all, it's a good start for those thatwish to learn a little more about the differences between post AugustineIrish Catholicism and the older Christianity of Patrick. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

At Last Some Sense
Writing on the subject of Celtic Christianity is beset with sentimentalism plus a generous dose of wishful thinking. Bradley's book is a sobering reflection on some of this writing - including his own! The author of "The Celtic Way" has had cause to stop and consider the scholarly accuracy of his previous work, something which takes great courage.

The result is this overview of a succession of Celtic revivals spanning from the 7th - 20th Centuries, including Victorian Celtic Romanticism. It is interesting that the first revival Bradley refers to is from the period which other popular commentators tend to include within the Age of the Celtic Church itself: 7th-9th Centuries. Yet Bede's nostalgia for a past era of holy and simple saints has a very familar ring to it!

The book concludes with the current revival and a whistlestop tour through the popular and scholarly writings that have sprung up recently, plus the wider cultural mainfestations of this such as Celtic music. [I too have played my part in this collusion of popular Celtica as singer and songwriter for the band eve & the garden(eatg).]

One discovery he makes is that despite much research by himself and his colleagues, there appears to be no reference to the term "Wild Goose" (representing the Holy Spirit)which pre-dates George Macleod, founder of the Iona Community in the 20th Century!

All is not lost in terms of the application of certain distinctive themes to the Church today, as Bradley's follow-up "Colonies of Heaven: Celtic Models for Today's Church" (Darton Longman & Todd, 2000) attests. The sobering appraisal of "Making Myths", however, stands as an initial guard on what can and cannot be said about the British Church in the early centuries of Christianity.

The one problem I would mention is that I would have preferred a more indepth analysis as to the possible reasons for the current revival - or maybe that's just because that's the essay question I'm currently working on!!

So if you have a tendency to go misty eyed and sentimental over the possibility of re-establishing the true church of the ancient British Isles, then you must, absolutely must read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Celtic Christianity the form of Christian faith that flourished among the people of Ireland during the Middle Ages has gained a great deal of attention lately. George G. Hunter III points out that, while the attention paid to the Celtic Christians is well deserved, much of it fails to recognize the true genius of this ancient form of Christianity. What many contemporary Christians do not realize is that Celtic Christianity was one of the most successfully evangelistic branches of the church in history. The Celtic church converted Ireland from paganism to Christianity in a remarkably short period, and then proceeded to send missionaries throughout Europe.


North America is today in the same situation as the environment in which the early Celtic preachers found their mission fields: unfamiliar with the Christian message, yet spiritually seeking and open to a vibrant new faith. If we are to spread the gospel in this culture of secular seekers, we would do well to learn from the Celts. Their ability to work with the beliefs of those they evangelized, to adapt worship and church life to the indigenous patterns they encountered, remains unparalleled in Christian history. If we are to succeed in reaching the West . . . again, then we must begin by learning from these powerful witnesses to the saving love of Jesus Christ. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Thoughtful, Interesting, and Could Really Lose the Last Chapter
"The Celtic Way of Evangelism" by George G. Hunter III is an interesting, somewhat informative, trite and simplistic study of early Celtic Christianity and its historical role in missions and evangelism.

The book begins strong with a solid synopsis of Patrick, the "Apostle to the Irish" and does a decent job of telling the high points of Patrick's life and ministry. Hunter does an equally good job in describing the community and lives of early Celtic Christianity, expressed in their loves for men and in their hospitality towards strangers. Hunter additionally goes to great lengths to articulate the Celtic Christian's superb ability to relate to the culture around him and to contextualize the Gospel of Jesus to a lost and dying world. He describes the Celts' love for art, music and story and he speaks of the Celtic Christian's ability to craft music and narrative in such a way as to present the Gospel message to the barbarians of their day in the British Isles and to the lost on the European Continent in a meaningful and powerful way.

Hunter spends much of the last half of the book postulating how contemporary Christianity can communicate the Gospel message in the Celtic Way. By itself, this is not a bad goal. Hunter rightly notes the emergence of the post-Christian "New Barbarians", making a semi-direct correlation between the New Barbarians of today and the barbarians of yesteryear. He notes in these New Barbarians the same worshipful regard for nature, the same disbelief in the God of the Bible and the same self-destructive behaviors of the barbarian. This is not necessarily a wrong correlation to make nor is it unwise to not only learn from past mistakes, but to learn from past successes and ask ourselves how we can use those means to communicate the Gospel. The problem in this book is with Hunter's approaches to evangelism and Gospel Communication. Instead of asking himself first what the Bible says about missions, Hunter considers the task from a uniquely American and Pragmatic standpoint and asks the dangerous question: "What Works?".

This faulty approach leads Hunter to trivialize the comparison of the Celtic vs. Roman ways of Christianity and because the Celtic Way "worked" in the British Isles, in Hunter's mind it so dominates Roman means so as to leave Roman methodologies impotent to affect true change (no matter that Roman Christianity ended up winning and "working" in the long run). Hunter does make a valid point in his comparison, namely that it is better to aim for a people's heart rather than the outward trappings of culture and society. Yet his pragmatic approach to applying the Celtic Way negatively colors his valid points and leaves the reader feeling his postulations are somewhat lacking.

The book is a good read and is, at the beginning especially, fairly thought-provoking. Hunter's analysis of the Celtic Way is beneficial and it will cause the reader to desire to study the topic further. Still, the lack of thought given to the Biblical Way of evangelism and Gospel communication is disappointing at best and a dangerous precedent for the serious evangelist.

Good evangelism- lousy Celiticism
This book is an excellent treatise on evangelism, from an authority on the subject.Those who seek to win souls on a large scale can gain much insight from this book.

However, the Celtic history is of the 'fluffy bunnies' sort. For the most part the book is accurate, if superficial, but there are two glaring inaccuracies.Firstly, this book assumes that there was a "Celtic Church" in the same way that there is now a "Coptic Church" and a "Russian Orthodox Church".This is not the case- there were Celtic churches within the Western Church, which was not yet centralized at Rome. Furthermore, the author's Protestant bias causes him to misinterpret St. Patrick's view of the Apostolic Succession.

Started Well...
I usually don't pick up books that fall under the broad category of church leadership or church growth, but the premise of this book intrigued me.Hunter's concept is that the lessons learned by St. Patrick's conversion of Ireland can serve as useful road markers as we approach our contemporary world.In many ways, though many of the belief structures are different, Patrick's pre-Christian (pagan) Ireland is not that different from our pre-Christian (pagan) culture today.And in his analysis of what Patrick and the Celtic missionaries did, Hunter shines.I enjoyed the bits of historical information, but they ultimately served the purposes of expressing the values Patrick and his cohorts had, and how valuable they could be today.Among the big ideas are the importance of identifying with a culture and learning to communicate in their ways including the use of art, imagination, and poetry.

This book's strength lies in the combination of historical analysis and communication theory.Its weaknesses are shared by most of the work currently done in the broad fields of church growth and church leadership literature.First of all, it showed a degree of myopia to the analysis of cultural trends and their coherence with the Gospel.Instead of being encouraged to exegete a culture and make wise decisions, the book encourages the reader to make just about any decision to communicate the Gospel.We are to speak the love of Christ, but we also need to do it with integrity.

The second shortcoming came at the very end of the book.In the last chapter Hunter spent an inordinate amount of time talking about ministering to people with addictions, and about becoming a "Twelve Step" kind of church.His basic point was that successful missions ministered to those who are typically overlooked, but the application to addicts was overdrawn.There are a lot of people groups and sub-cultures "overlooked" in our world.Why focus so closely on just one of them?As a kind of mission that is illustrative of reaching out, it was helpful, but too much time and attention was paid to the topic of addicts - it just didn't fit the flow of the rest of the book.

An Important Message for Contemporary Christians
George Hunter turns to the past to confront contemporary Christians with a clarion call to salvage Christianity in 21st-century America.In a brief work he outlines the techniques utilized by Saint Patrick to spread the gospel of Christ to the Irish, and then the manner in which the Irish descendants used quite similar methods to inform and convert numerous pagan tribes throughout modern-day Scotland and England.He shows how these same techniques can and should be used to witness to the increasingly secular, unchurched population of the United States, which might nominally be Christian, but realistically has become syncretized with pop culture and pantheism.A worthwhile read if for no other reason than to make you ponder this current situation.

Not Even Close...
What an exercise in wishful thinking!

Hunter's intentions are great, and his vision of what the church should be is definitely contagious and attractive, but he should not claim that this model is taken from the "Celtic" form of Christianity. First of all, most historians agree that if there is such a thing as a "Celtic" faith, it is almost entirely a modern contruct, stemming from the romantic notions of the nineteenth century. Secondly, his admitted lack of historical knowledge, while it allows him to postulate pretty much anything he wants about the Celts and their saints, leaves him rather baseless as far as factual support is concerned. Finally, his source material (which he proof-texts very dexterously, by the way) is composed almost entirely of popular sources, which academically are in the same boat he is.

By all means, let's pursue a more community-oriented, less institutional, more intuitive form of Christianity, but let's not support it by referencing a past that probably never existed. ... Read more

Product Description
Mirroring the ancient formulaic prayers to the elements found in the Celtic tradition, along with the wondrous invocations and declarations of the bards of the Scottish, Irish and Welsh traditions, Celtic Devotional provides a mystical doorway through which the modern person can re-invest their life with meaning within the twilight times of dusk and dawn.

Celtic spirituality emphasizes the appreciation of nature and all forms of life--a popular and universally appealing philosophy that, along with other related pagan traditions, is having a renaissance. Beautifully illustrated and designed, this book will appeal to readers searching for ways to practice spirituality, offering blessings, prayers and devotions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Meditative, sweet, good.
Skillful daughter, Creative Son, Grandfather counsel, Grandmother wisdom.... I had this book for a long time and used it often - need a new copy now and will definitely replace it. There's something gentle and contemplative about it, with joyful, respectful and inclusive names for the "spirits" you're praying to. The book is separated into seasonal prayers and meditations, with a morning and evening prayer for each day of the week and each Celtic season of the year. I also really like the "solar question" and "lunar meditation", which is a neato idea and really helpful. There's a general air of goodness and kindness throughout the book, it's definitely on my "food for the soul" list.

Celtic Meditation Review
hello everyone,
I recently purchased this book so that my wife and I can be on the same page. I have found it very helpful! It has taken some usage and instruction as it is not as straight forward as I am used to, but it is working real well. This gives us a common spiritual topic first thing in the morning which has been a hard time for communication for the both of us. I highly recommend this book for all Pagan and Wiccan believers.

Draining
Yes this book is a illuminating and has a rustic charm, many people have said wonderful things about it but has anyone ever actually done the devotions day in and night out?

I did. After only a few weeks it gets so damned repetitive and boringly abstract that I found myself drifting off into some ludicrously wasteful vision of sacchirin mud. This book is neither Christian, Pagan or Mystical and the author relies principally on non-descript terms for deity/divinity/divine powers; for example, who is the 'Mystic and Encompassing Counsel'? And who is 'The Keeper of Deep Places'?

The author's answer is this: "This book is for people of a lively questing spirit who want to lay down a personal pattern of spiritual practice but who do not wish to practice this within a specific religious framework."

What! This is such contradictory dribbling; the greatest foundation for any spiritual practice is a solid set of beliefs, whatever your personal background or religious persuation it is imperitive to come from somewhere and hold the capacity to direct your prayers or devotions toward something in which you have faith.

The author is making money out of selling sparkles and fluff!

Wonderful Book
This is a book that will help you on your pathway. It is written with much wisdom and knowledge. I have only had it for a few days and already it has helped me in my time before I start the day and at night it helps me with the unwinding of the day. Thank you Caitlin for writing a wonderful book.

Celtic Devotional: Daily Prayers and Blessings

Does not claim to be a Christian resource
I found some helpful ideas to perhaps incorporate in my daily prayer life, like the solar and lunar questions for reflection, but mistakenly thought this book was about Celtic Christianity. It is not, nor claims to be. My bad. Just a heads up to anyone looking for a Celtic Christian devotional. This work explores pre-Christian Celtic spirituality, as stated in the introduction. Nothing about the book is distinctly Christian. Celtic Christians were very Trinitarian, including references to all members of the Christian Godhead almost to the point of seeming superstitious. There are no references to Christian deity here, but rather general references to whatever God one might have in mind, making it applicable to anyone, but also rendering it more new age in it's disposition. The Celtic Christians came to use the Christian year like the church around the world. This book, however, follows instead the seasons of the solar and lunar year...nature, etc..., which, as I said, is more in tune with the pre-Christian habit of the Celts. There is also in this book mention of such items as a "wand," obviously not something used by Christians in their practice of "spirituality." I only say this to let people interested in the Celtic contribution to Christianity to know this is not about that, not to knock the book. After all, it does not claim to be such. It is a well made, beautifully designed publication, just not what I was looking for, appearing to be more of a new age/wiccan orientation. ... Read more

Product Description
This lively and original account of early Celtic Christianity - which was of far greater importance in the development of Western culture than we commonly realize - is told against the background of European history of the first seven centuries A.D. It focuses on the lives of Saints Brendan, Columba, and Columbanus, who lived active and effective lives in the cause of the early Church. Brendan, one of the founding fathers of Christianity in Ireland, was known in legend as a voyager and was thought to have reached the Western Hemisphere long before the Vikings. Columba took Celtic Christianity to Scotland and helped to re-establish it in Wales and in the North and West of England. Columbanus was the great Irish missionary to continental Europe, where he and his followers helped to convert the heathen invaders from the East. When Rome, in the person of St. Augustine, Pope Gregory's apostle to the Angles, penetrated again to England, a showdown between Roman and Celtic Christianity was inevitable. The dramatic confrontation occurred at the Council of Whitby in 664. Rome, with its organization and authority, won, and Celtic Catholicism went into eclipse. But some of its influence persisted all over Europe, and it had a large share in shaping the culture that ultimately emerged from the dark ages. This book's fascination is the picture that it gives of the movements of peoples, the shaping of new countries, and the development of ideas during those too-little-known centuries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A more complicated read.
The author goes into greater detail discussing the history of Celtic Christianity than some of his peers. With historical documentation being limited, he uses some supposition, but uses it well.

I'd make it the second book that I read on the subject, after, possibly, "Celtic Christianity" by Joyce.

A challenge to fullness from the far shore of ancient Christianity
Lehane proves a good, entertaining guide to the Celtic Church in its creative centuries of independence. His account highlights a fresh, innovative movement of self-motivated evangelists, which at first owed little or nothing to the state church of the Roman empire. In Ireland, the first native Christians assumed it natural to have female priests and bishops. They set up "double monasteries" of both men and women, and the head of the whole monastery was often a woman. So in 664, the council of Whitby took place in a Celtic double monastery, with both sexes under direction of Abbess Hilda.

Lehane explores the social world and accomplishments of this great religious movement. Then he shows how its open spirit came to clash with the imperial church's requirements for control over women and other subordinates. In Lehane's account the dreams of the old Celtic Church seem to come alive and challenge our imagination.

-author of Correcting Jesus

This is a good book!
I read this book prior to Cahill's "How the Irish Saved Civilisation" which is better known due to its run on the bestseller list.I found that reading this book first was a good choice, because its deep background made Cahill's book a better read.In fact, "Early Celtic Christianity" proved to be an excellent read because it allowed a friend (a Cahill reader) and I to compare and contrast the two different views of this interesting point in history.Largely about the same era, this book focuses particularly on three of the more important saints of Ireland -- Brendan, Columba, and Columbanus, and because of this has the distinct advantage of being able to concentrate on some of the smaller details of their lives, and how that effected the turning points of the day, including the christianization of Scotland and the controversial Council at Whitby.While Cahill tends to be more secular and political in his approach, Lehane is more religiously and historically oriented, leading to a more intimate view of the culture.I also found it refreshing that he was careful to present well documented materials as facts and rumors and legends as theories, rather than muddying the two together.It invites you to make your own decisions on how to interpret.A good read all around.A great second read for those who enjoyed Cahill.

If you have read neither book, I recommend both, making this one the first.It presents a firmer foundation (in my humble opinion) and gives Cahill's quicker and lighter view of Columbanus a strong background. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

All-Inclusive Approach to Celtic Christianity
This book is an admirable, if somewhat diffuse, introduction to the subject of Celtic Christianity.However, the reader has to realize that when Mr. Mackey refers to "Celtic Christianity" he means the term in a generic sense, i.e., Christianity as it has been, and currently is, practiced in areas inhabited by people of Celtic ancestry.

As a result, this is not a book about subliminal Druidic influences, nor is it a book about prayer and praise in the tradition of Patrick, Brigid and Columba.What it is is a collection of essays on a variety of topics, which gives the book a rather scattered approach that some readers (including readers like myself) may find undesirable.However, the information contained in the book is on the whole quite interesting and illuminating.St. Patrick does, of course, figure in the book, most prominently in the first two essays on his autobiography and the lorica.There is also a very complete treatment of the Culdee communities in a later essay.

The rest of the essays tend to take us far away from what is usually associated with "Celtic Christianity" nowadays.There are essays on the Reformation in Scotland, and the Methodist movement in Wales.There is an essay on James Joyce and the whole modernist movement in Irish literature from the religious viewpoint, material on modern poetry in Irish, and a particularly interesting essay comparing the work of Douglas Hyde and Alexander Carmichael in collecting religious poetry in Ireland and Scotland in the nineteenth century.

In general, the book is an interesting read, and I recommend it for the serious historian of Celtic culture in the varieties it has evolved over the last 1500 years.Particularly recommended to those who prefer the reasoned academic approach over the murky Celtic twilight mists found in so much literature in this genre. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Discovering Celtic Christianity
This book is a great combination of a travel log, background information on the Celts and personal spiritual challenges.Each chapter deals with a specific location, saints and gives good information on them.Then at the end of the chapter there is a time of personal applicationof thechapter's content.There aren't any religious barriors or personal agendasthat came through in the book.The final comment is the chapters are smallenough to fit into a busy lifestyle, but long enough to cover the topic. ... Read more

Product Description
Christ in Celtic Christianity gives a new interpretation of the nature of Christianity in Celtic Britain and Ireland from the fifth to the tenth century. The written and visual evidence on which the authorsbase their argument includes images of Christ created in and for this milieu, taken from manuscripts, metalwork and sculpture and reproduced in this study. The authors challenge the received opinion that Celtic Christians were in unity with Rome in all matters except the method of Easter reckoning and the shape of the clerical tonsure. They find, on the contrary, that the strain of the Pelagian heresy which rooted itself in Britain in the early fifth century influenced the theology and practice of the Celtic monastic Churches on both sides of the Irish Sea for several hundred years, creating a theological spectrum quite distinct from that of continental establishments. MICHAEL W. HERREN is Professor of Classics and Distinguished Research Professor at York University (Toronto), a member of the Graduate Faculty at the Centre for Medieval Studies in the University of Toronto, and an Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy; SHIRLEY ANN BROWN is Professor of Art History and a member of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University. ... Read more

Product Description
Intro...

In dealing with the subject of 'Celtic Religion' the first duty of the
writer is to explain the sense in which the term 'Celtic' will be used in
this work.It will be used in reference to those countries and districts
which, in historic times, have been at one time or other mainly of Celtic
speech.It does not follow that all the races which spoke a form of the
Celtic tongue, a tongue of the Indo-European family, were all of the same
stock.Indeed, ethnological and archaeological evidence tends to
establish clearly that, in Gaul and Britain, for example, man had lived
for ages before the introduction of any variety of Aryan or Indo-European
speech, and this was probably the case throughout the whole of Western
and Southern Europe.Further, in the light of comparative philology, it
has now become abundantly clear that the forms of Indo-European speech
which we call Celtic are most closely related to those of the Italic
family, of which family Latin is the best known representative.From
this it follows that we are to look for the centre of dissemination of
Aryan Celtic speech in some district of Europe that could have been the
natural centre of dissemination also for the Italic languages.From this
common centre, through conquest and the commercial intercourse which
followed it, the tribes which spoke the various forms of Celtic and
Italic speech spread into the districts occupied by them in historic
times.The common centre of radiation for Celtic and Italic speech was
probably in the districts of Noricum and Pannonia, the modern Carniola,
Carinthia, etc., and the neighbouring parts of the Danube valley.The
conquering Aryan-speaking Celts and Italians formed a military
aristocracy, and their success in extending the range of their languages
was largely due to their skill in arms, combined, in all probability,
with a talent for administration.This military aristocracy was of
kindred type to that which carried Aryan speech into India and Persia,
Armenia and Greece, not to speak of the original speakers of the Teutonic
and Slavonic tongues.In view of the necessity of discovering a centre,
whence the Indo-European or Aryan languages in general could have
radiated Eastwards, as well as Westwards, the tendency to-day is to
regard these tongues as having been spoken originally in some district
between the Carpathians and the Steppes, in the form of kindred dialects
of a common speech.Some branches of the tribes which spoke these
dialects penetrated into Central Europe, doubtless along the Danube, and,
from the Danube valley, extended their conquests together with their
various forms of Aryan speech into Southern and Western Europe.The
proportion of conquerors to conquered was not uniform in all the
countries where they held sway, so that the amount of Aryan blood in
their resultant population varied greatly.In most cases, the families
of the original conquerors, by their skill in the art of war and a
certain instinct of government, succeeded in making their own tongues the
dominant media of communication in the lands where they ruled, with the
result that most of the languages of Europe to-day are of the Aryan or
Indo-European type.It does not, however, follow necessarily from this
that the early religious ideas or the artistic civilisation of countries
now Aryan in speech, came necessarily from the conquerors rather than the
conquered.In the last century it was long held that in countries of
Aryan speech the essential features of their civilisation, their
religious ideas, their social institutions, nay, more, their inhabitants
themselves, were of Aryan origin. ... Read more

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All things Celtic explored!
This is a definitive work on the Celtic Way of life.Nothing is left out.I found it highly satisfying. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Almost-Lost Gems
Eriugena was the single unique voice of his time.This book is a phrase-by-phrase commentary on the Gospel of John.At times he seems to be splitting hairs along with sentences, but students of religion should read everything they can find by this author. ... Read more

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This study guide for Christian groups looks at some of the insights that come from Celtic spirituality and challenges us to look afresh at our own relationship with God, to each other and to God's world. ... Read more

Product Description
The history and development of Celtic Paganism and Celtic Christianity specifically in Wales, but also in relation to the rest of the British Isles including Ireland, from the Iron Age to the present day-a study of the transition between the old pagan religions and Christianity. This can be clearly seen in the history of early Christianity in Roman Britain and in the later development of Celtic Christianity when pagan and Christian beliefs co-existed, albeit in an uneasy and sometimes violent relationship. The influence of Celtic Christianity on the Arthurian legends and the Grail romances is also addressed. 169 pages.

PAGANISM; RELIGION; CELTIC; CHRISTIANITY; HISTORY; NEW AGE; SUBJECT: OCCULT ... Read more

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FROM THE AUTHOR
On the surface the recent interest in things Celtic by modern Christians might be seen as following another fleeting, fashion rehash. It certainly seems contemporary culture is grabbing the Celtic Tiger by the tail; Celtic anything is in. The strides of this economic ôtigerö in the late 20th Century Ireland astounded international onlookers almost as much as the deft steppers of Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, etc., so one can expect all manner of strange causes to jump onto the Celtic bandwagon. That accusation might well be leveled at the theme of this book, Celtic Christianity Yesterday, Today, and for the Future: Gleaning Wisdom from the Primitive Protestants. Some may understandably query, ôWhat in the world has Celtic Christianity to do with Protestantism?öMy unabashed answer to this is simply, ôIn relating to the world û everything.ö After studying the history of the faith one could even go so far as to claim that the ancient Celtic church was quite Protestant to its core, as I intend to show.

Thomas CahillÆs widely successful, How the Irish Saved Civilization (Doubleday, N.Y. 1995), did much to raise popular consciousness about the contributions of the Irish. That tome was valuable; it covers the period from the fall of Rome to the rise of Medieval Europe, but I do not intend to limit my scope to that period alone, nor to the role of just the Irish, important as they were to Celtic Christianity. Though it is mentioned nowhere in CahillÆs title, let us make no mistake that it was the Celtic Church of the British Isles and Ireland, and not a secular culture, that deserves credit for, as he puts it, ôsaving civilizationö. Might there be anything we moderns can glean from such an ancient approach to the faith and the world as that held by the Celtic saints? It is not only getting later on the prophetic clock; this could also be our last, best chance for renewal before a new Dark Age issues in ôThe Beastö or the ôMan of Lawlessness.ö The Gospel must go forth worldwide first, which involves us all. 1 John 2:18 begins, ôLittle children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall comeàö so diligence and vigilance are essential. We have much to gain by studying both the milestones and reverses experienced by our primitive Protestant Celtic brethren. The church today, as it is, seems ill prepared to meet the threats and challenges of the 21st Century.

Be warned that the writer has not excised occasional, strong, (yet eschatologically and Biblically sound) metaphors like ôadulteryö and ôharlotryö in reference to aspects of the church, be they Protestant or Catholic. Touching on sensitive religious and historical ground, we wish to affirm our love for sincere people who happen to be of these persuasions. Many may be friends or family. It is not they, but their church hierarchies that have much to answer for, especially when those churches are hyper-hierarchical. We also admire those who question the anti-Biblical practices in their denominations. After all, who would not respect St. Francis (a protester with a budding Celtic-lifestyle if ever there was one). It is my hope that Roman Catholic (western papal) people become more catholic (small æcÆ) and less Roman. For that matter, it wouldnÆt be a bad idea if Greek Orthodox (eastern patriarchal catholic) Christians took scripture above tradition as the yardstick of true orthodoxy. The Irish especially, as they discover the facts, might even reclaim their native ecclesiastic heritage that latecomer-Rome usurped. Perhaps then all sides in PatrickÆs adoptive land might assist centuries of hate to abate.

The subject of Celtic Church history and spirituality, therefore, is more than just antiquarian whimsy or speculation. It has everything to do with the future vitality of evangelism. To put it in epic Churchillian language, our last, best hope for renewal as we enter what looks like, öàa new Dark Age, made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science.ö If we do not heed the lessons of the Celtic path and Church history, we run the risk of becoming as socially relevant and spiritually potent as Shakerism, which has become anachronistic, if not extinct. We will never be taken seriously if we are not shaken out of our lethargy and start to live lives worthy of the glorious Gospel we espouse. Celtic Christianity might be the means through which a latter-day Reformation may blossom, a magnetic force to be reckoned with into the New Millennium. As with any mixture so potent as Celtic Christianity and Evangelicalism, there is potential for great dynamic revival, and misuse. It is precisely because of these real opportunities and pitfalls that I believe a specialized book on this subject, mainly with Protestants in mind, is essential at this time. Trends sadly indicate that the god of this World has been very successful in subverting Christians and converting them to his way of life.

The first section of this book gives us an overview of the early rise of the Celtic Church from what may appear at times to be just misty speculation. This should come as no surprise though, when one considers the millennia that have passed. Many great oral and written records, extensive and reliable, (referred to in extant sources, and thus known at one time to exist) have been lost. Often it was sad misfortune, but sometimes it was through the calumnious mischief of parties whose later claims of primacy would be totally destabilized if those records were allowed to survive! Enough exists or is now coming to light, however, from which we can form a true picture of probable events and persons. The writer is prepared to find that he has exposed himself to the charge of deficiency in literary precision, but considers that to be a matter of relatively small importance. He offers his entire work of compilation and comment simply, commending it to the kind judgment of the reader.

The second section offers a critique of our modern culture and our predicament as Christians in bondage to it. If one intends to deal with a serious affliction, one must first identify it as precisely as possible through its symptoms, and seek appropriate treatment. May the diagnosis appear thorough enough without sounding like a digression or worse still, a diatribe. Surely, God considers our sickness to be quite serious; may His Spirit convict us of our chronic condition. The Celtic way can offer a potent Christian antidote.

In final sections I reveal more Celtic Christianity history and practice that is certain to inspire and challenge us. These vital history lessons can greatly profit us today that their loss might be our gain that the same mistakes be not repeated by our modern church on into the 21st Century.

Some treasures of the Celtic Way of Christianity are detailed and put into clearer perspective. Not all that the Celts did would be sensible or even advisable to us today, but we can still employ much and gain inspiration from their example. While remaining on our guard against Pantheism, we can benefit from the Celtic Christian philosophical perspective, for example. There is great potential for misunderstanding when speaking of joining creation in worshipping God. Celtic Christians were not ôat one with the creationö worshipping it as if it were the Creator. They were ardent Trinitarian Monotheists who sang with creation in declaring GodÆs handiwork. They werenÆt afraid of it, or abusers of it, or disconnected from it in the way many of us tend to be. Why are we so alarmed at the thought of feeling at one with the earth (GodÆs created system) and forget what Jesus warned us about, which was being at one with the world (manÆs created system). This worldly oneness is something we are hardly aware of, yet a growing sense of spiritual poverty in the midst of material abundance is keenly felt. We moderns are desperately in need of the help of our ancient brothers for a deepening of our own devotions and lives, as well as for enriching our corporate worship in service to God and man.

We must redeem the time and ensure that as the Celtic Path is recovered, it is done in a way that is Biblical. Only when tempered by the Word and the Holy Spirit can Celtic Christianity bequeath to us its powerful spiritual legacy as God would intend. We might then fulfill its original mission begun so boldly. That mission was ChristÆs Great Commission in spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in this world. That will only happen externally if ChristÆs Kingship is first allowed to expand completely within us. Our Lord offers to us an exciting opportunity and challenge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good content
This book takes a good look about Celtic Christianity, and although the author is a little critical, he brings up many valid points.I wouldn't base your entire views of Celtic Christianity on this book, but it is definitely a worthwhile read.Of course, I am a little biased, because the author was my English teacher in middle school. :) ... Read more