I went a long walk today on a small island, up and down the high craggy cliffs that give you that feeling in your knees and belly (I love them, Michaela less so!) Most of the time that I was not caught up in wonder at what I was seeing, I was thinking about Celtic Christianity.

Why? Well, for several reasons I suppose. Firstly, I am watching the decline of faith in our culture with great interest. It could be said that what we are seeing is the end of Christianity as we have known it, and the question of ‘what next?’ is very much on my mind. In part this has made me interested in looking backwards as well as forwards, in this post for example, to a period before Christianty had yet become a religion. This looking backwards could also take me to the period before Christianty got in bed with empire, and to ponder the very different kind of faith that thrived for many centuries in the Celtic world.

I have also joined the stream of Celtic Christianity because of my associate membership of the Iona Community.

The other reason is because I am reading this book as part of my retreat;

The basic thrust of the book is to take us on a jouney though the history of Celtic Christianity, using key teachers as our guides, including these fine people;

Pelagius, one of the church fathers who fell out with Augustine (over original sin and things like that) and was eventually kicked out of the church, just as Mediteranian Christianity was concentrating is power in Rome.

Brigid of Kildare, who illuminates the interrelationship of all things and reminds us of the power of the sacred feminine to overcome those seeking to control us.

John Muir, who encourages us to see the holiness and beauty of wilderness and what we must do to protect these gifts.

…and many others.

The story here is rather fascinating, because even though the Celtic Church ceased to be a thing back in the 6th C (Synod of Whitby in 633 BCE) the ideas that formed and shaped Celtic Christianity never did. The thing is, perhaps when we need them most, ideas are reborn. If so, Celtic Christianity is very much worth a look.

Here is a great chat that gives some good background;

As for the book, I highly recommend it, not just because it introduces us to some fascinating people, but also because it reminds us that other ways are possible.

…probable even.