Celtic Christianity - use with care

The journalist Clifford Langley writes about religious matters for the London Times. He felt strongly that that it is time for a backlash against Celtic Christianity. 

"It is truly the myth whose time has come. But its very convenience, its extraordinary ability to meet so many current needs, should make us suspicious. For it is also, to use an old Celtic expression, phony baloney—a legend still in the process of being invented. … It will be all things to all men and score high in the ballyhoo department. A touch of scepticism would be timely."

There is some truth in what he says but I believe we also have to acknowledge that what is called Celtic Christianity has enriched the faith of many. We must not lose perspective. While we recognise that there may be some helpful truths in ancient prayers and verses, we must not forget that they also come from a time where the understanding of the world was very different to our present day world-view. We cannot jump back centuries and inhabit the mindset of iron age people, if we really could know what that was. The dangers and trials we face day to day are very different to those faced by people in centuries past. Life was different - very very different then and we kid ourselves if we imagine that we can simply transfer their way of looking at the world into our lives.  I enjoy elements of Celtic spirituality in my Christian practice but I don't pretend that this is anything other than a contemporary way of looking at the world. 


I took the photo in the grounds of Iona Abbey, Scotland.

Spring - a poem

LINES WRITTEN IN EARLY SPRING.

by William Wordsworth.

I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it griev'd my heart to think
What man has made of man.

Through primrose-tufts, in that sweet bower,
The periwinkle trail'd its wreathes;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopp'd and play'd:
Their thoughts I cannot measure,
But the least motion which they made,
It seem'd a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If I these thoughts may not prevent,
If such be of my creed the plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?

 Image courtesy of James Barker at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

St Patrick's evening prayer

Night can be one of the terrors of childhood. People are often afraid of the dark because they don't know what is going on around them. There may be nothing harmful near but noises that in the day mean nothing, can sound terrifying in the dark. And so it was in the tradition of the Christian church that special prayers have been said for protection during the night hours, when we surrender consciousness to the mystery of sleep. The service of compline is the last service of the day in the traditional monastic daily cycle of prayer in which the participants ask for protection from all the dangers and perils of the night. St Patrick is attributed with the following song for use in the evening before bedtime and has been translated from the ancient Irish.

AN EVEN-SONG  -  PATRICK SANG THIS

May Thy holy angels, O Christ, son of living God,

Guard our sleep, our rest, our shining bed.

Let them reveal true visions to us in our sleep,

O high-prince of the universe, O great king of the mysteries!

May no demons, no ill, no calamity or terrifying dreams

Disturb our rest, our willing, prompt repose.

May our watch be holy, our work, our task,

Our sleep, our rest without let, without break.

From the book "Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry" translated by Kuno Meyer (1911)

Image courtesy of Photokanok at FreeDigitalPhotos.net