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Celtic Christians

Introduction to Celtic Christianity
 - by Caedmon Greene


Celtic Christianity was that form held by much of the population of the British Isles from about the end of the fourth century, until some time after the year 1171. Like any church it varied in form, from place to place, and time to time. However there is a constant stream that runs through that identified it as an unique entity. The classic period of Celtic Christianity ran from the fifth through the ninth centuries, in the "traditional" Celtic Lands (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany) on the continent (France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany) and beyond (Iceland, the Farroes, and other North Atlantic islands perhaps in Russia and North America).

Celtic Christianity was characterised by extreme holiness, a love of God and man, and wanderlust from the need to bring the light of Christ to the world. Also, many of the issues that the Celtic Christians dealt with are amazingly contemporary - things like the position of women in the Church, nature and our environmental surroundings, and dealing with others of different customs and beliefs (both pagan and Christian). Much of its attraction comes from how it dealt with these problems, taking the best from older traditions while still standing firm in the truth.

Tradition holds that the faith was brought to the British Isles by Joseph of Arimathea and Aristobulus in A.D. 55 (some argue it was as early as A.D. 35) [Some] modern scholarship rejects this, and place the introduction in the middle of the second century. Little is known of the first several centuries, however, Christianity was firmly established in Roman Britain by the time of the council of Arles (314) as two British bishops were in attendance. (There is also a possibility that British bishops were at Nicaea).

The true flowering of Celtic Christianity occurred after the Romans left Britain and they found themselves alone, surrounded by hostile barbarians. This is the time of the great celtic Saints: Patrick, David, Brigid, Columba, Brendan, Columbanus, and many, many others. This period was characterized by great holiness, love of learning and nature. It reached it's peak in the seventh century in the Columban monastic federation of Iona. Its decline began soon after when, in 671, it lost Saxon Northumbria to the Roman observance.

This was by no means the end. Celtic Christianity survived for the next five centuries. Due to many forces, demographic changes, Viking raids and settlement, and the expanding Roman rite; Celtic Christianity slowly retreated. Yet this was the period when the Celts reached the pinnacle of their artistic genius; combining mediteranean plaitwork, barbarian zoomorphs, and their own native spiral and key patterns to create metalwork, illuminated manuscripts and stonecarving that amazes us even today. (Some examples include the Kells and Lindisfarne Gospels, the Ardagh Chalice, the Tara brooche and the Linsmore Croizer.)


Source: International Revival Network: www.openheaven.com.
May be freely copied provided source and/or copyrights are included with the text.

Turn off the Pipes if you care to.

A PRAYER FOR GRACE


I am bending my knee

In the eye of the Father who created me,

In the eye of the Son who died for me,

In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,

In love and desire.


Pour down upon us from heaven

The rich blessing of Thy forgiveness;

Thou who art uppermost in the City,

Be Thou patient with us.


Grant to us, Thou Saviour of Glory,

The fear of God, the love of God, and His affection,

And the will of God to do on earth at all times

As angels and saints do in heaven;

Each day and night give us Thy peace.

Each day and night give us Thy peace.



ACHANAIDH GRAIS [12]


Ta mi lubadh mo ghlun

An suil an Athar a chruthaich mi,

An suil a Mhic a cheannaich mi,

An suil a Spioraid a ghlanaich mi,

Le gradh agus run.


Doirt a nuas oirnn a flathas

Trocair shuairce do mhathas;

Fhir tha 'n uachdar na Cathair,

Dean-sa fathamas ruinn.


Tabhair duinn, a Shlan'ear Aigh,

Eagal De, gaol De, agus gradh,

Is toil De dheanamh air talamh gach re,

Mar ni ainghlich is naoimhich air neamh;

Gach la agus oidhche thoir duinn do sheimh,

Gach la agus oidhche thoir duinn do sheimh.



Collected in the Highlands of Scotland and

Translated by Alexander Carmichael from the Gaelic




"Pasce Oves Meas"
Feed my sheep



THE SHEPHERD OF THE FLOCK WAS BORN

That night the star shone

Was born the Shepherd of the Flock,

Of the Virgin of the hundred charms,

The Mary Mother.


The Trinity eternal by her side,

In the manger cold and lowly.

Come and give tithes of thy means

To the Healing Man.


The foam-white breastling beloved,

Without one home in the world,

The tender holy Babe forth driven,

Immanuel!


Ye three angels of power,

Come ye, come ye down;

To the Christ of the people

Give ye salutation.



Kiss ye His hands,

Dry ye His feet

With the hair of your heads;

And O! Thou world-pervading God,

And Ye, Jesu, Michael, Mary,

Do not Ye forsake us.




The Celtic Way To Christ






























































Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the Prince of Peace be upon you

'Feuch air fear coimhead Israil
       Cadal chan aom no suain.'

   (The Shepherd that keeps Israel
     He slumbers not nor sleeps.)




Gum beannaicheadh an Tighearna thu, agus gun gleidheadh e thu:
Gun tugadh an Tighearna air a aghaidh dealrachadh ort, agus biodh e gràsmhor dhut:
Gun togadh an Tighearna suas a ghnùis ort, agus gun tugadh e sìth dhut.


May the Lord bless you and keep/protect you,
May the Lord reveal His face unto you and have mercy.
May the Lord turn His Face unto and give you peace.