Origins

The word 'Keltoi', or 'Celt', was coined more than 2,500 years ago to describe a tribe of people at the head of the river Danube in what is now central Germany. According to classical writers, they were barbaric and primitive - head hunters with a passion for heavy drinking - and carried out savage religious practices such as human sacrifice.

St. Aidan on Lindisfarne

The community in Ephesus which was pastored by the apostle John escaped persecution by fleeing to Lyon in Gaul, which we now know as France. This community were strongly influenced by the apostle and the gospel which he wrote. In the 4th Century, Lyon became the centre for Celtic Church.

St. Ninian was born in AD360 by the Solway Firth. He went on a pilgrimage to Rome as a young man and was made a bishop by the Pope. On the way home he met Martin of Tours and was deeply influenced by the monastic tradition with its regular routine of work, prayer, fasting & worship. Later he returned to Whithorn on the west coast of Scotland and, from there, spread Christianity as far north as Caithness. The community he founded attracted a man named Patrick of Dunbarton who, from there, went on to evangelise Ireland.

Synod of Whitby (AD664)

The northern parts of the British Isles were strongly influenced by the Celtic tradition while the southern parts were influenced by the Roman Church with its centre at Canterbury. At Whitby in AD664, a Synod was held to sort out differences between the two traditions, including the dating of Easter. At this point, the Roman Church gained dominance and became the established church of the land, with Celtic Christianity remaining in some parts of the north and at the extremities and in rural parts.

Celtic Cross

The main feature of the Celtic Cross is the circle. It is believed that this circle originates from the time when Patrick evangelised Ireland. For the Celtic Church, evangelism was not about overthrowing the traditions and customs of the people they met, but baptising their ways in the gospel of Jesus. Therefore, when Patrick found that the Irish were worshippers of the 'sun god', he incorporated the symbol of the sun into the cross, forming what we now know as the Celtic Cross.

For Celtic Christians, the circle reflects the victory of Christ at the resurrection over the whole world.

Many crosses also have ornate carvings to reflect the craftsmanship and artistry of the Celtic Tradition.

Thin Places

There are places where the division between earth and heaven is small and they can be referred to as 'holy ground'. Celtic Christians look upon places like Iona and Lindisfarne (Holy Island) as such places. These are places where God seems especially close and prayer is easy.

Characteristics of Celtic Christianity

Nature / Creation : Celtic Christianity is very close to nature. All things created and blessed by God and creation is a sacrament; a disclosure of God's nature and glory. Creation is not seen as mechanistic or a system, but living organism. Creation is held in trust and we are accountable to God for what we do with it. This is a message which more Christians today are taking seriously. Celtic Christians understand the rhythm of nature and pray according to times and seasons, light and dark.

Incarnation : God is in all aspects of life and so Celtic Christianity has a prayer for everything - getting up in the morning, milking the cow, tilling the fields and so forth. Many of the prayers are like poems so that they can be remembered by heart and recited when at work. They pray regularly morning, noon and evening.

Celtic Art : Celtic artwork shows the way God is entwined into all aspects of life. There is no beginning and no end, reflecting the eternal nature of God.

Evangelism : The Celtic method of evangelism was probably the most effective method known to these lands. They did not seek to impose their customs and traditions upon people but to take what was already there and baptise it in Christ. Hence the Celtic Cross incorporating the circle of the 'sun god'. Rather than building churches, they would meet with people in their existing meetings places and share the gospel with them there. Meetings would often take place in the open where natures natural rhythms would infiltrate the worship. Evangelism was about building relationships with people more than confronting them with a set of beliefs. Doctrine followed later.

Trinity / Holy Spirit : many Celtic prayers are Trinitarian in nature. They saw the Holy Spirit, not as a dove of peace, but as a wild goose; strong, untamed and unpredictable, just like John 3:8. When geese fly in formation, the leader will be replaced by another goose when he gets tired. Leadership is therefore shared by all in the Celtic Tradition. When St. Columba set sail from Ireland in a boat without sail or oar, he was at the mercy of the wind (God's Spirit). Eventually he landed on the island of Iona which became a stronghold of Celtic Christianity.

Hospitality : Celtic Christians have open hearts and open homes. To this day, there are places in Scotland where the family would set the dinner table before they went to church. A spare place would be set in case they met a stranger. This person would then be invited back to lunch with them.

Breastplate : Celtic Christians believe that God shields us, like a breastplate. St. Patrick wrote the following prayer entitled St. Patrick's Breastplate:

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith
Christ's incarnation
His baptism in Jordan river
His death on Cross for my salvation
His bursting from the spiced tomb
His riding up the heavenly way
His coming at the day of doom

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three