On Celtic Christianity and other things....
"God is a circle, whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is everywhere," Saint Augustine.
Lots have been on my mind of late, pertaining to my own path, which I generally keep very close to my heart.
At one end, W and I are engaging in what our faith life is going to look like, evolve into after the ceremony of our marriage. He has, for the most part, been hugely supportive of my dual path, and a gentle reminder to keep my face on Godde. It's important to him that we both maintain our own spiritual identities, and that any conversions that could or may happen have to be because the person seeking said conversion wants it truly in their heart and not because their partner expects it or wants it of them. As such, he remains a Lutheran at heart, and I remain one who was reared in the RCC with very pagan leanings. The boy loves to brag on what a 'bad' Catholic I am........because it's the ceremony I love and and seek and enjoy, and my personal theology rarely lines up with what is a clearly broken hierarchy.
Not so long ago, really, I fell in love with a unique brand of Christianity, that embraces nature and combines the best of Christ's teachings with the local beliefs of these people. But Because this brand of belief was wiped out by the Roman church in the middle ages in favor of Roman doctrine, it is both often difficult to find modern followers or places of worship in this vein. This is what has often been historically labeled as Celtic Christianity --- or the Christianity that hold a uniquely Irish/Celtic flavor in faith and symbolism and in practice, oftentimes. As a theology and practice, because it is one that stresses personal faith over group faith, I often find myself keeping these thoughts to my heart while finding myself seeking communal worship either with the Catholics or Lutherans or often at a nondenominational church. I most often lean toward going to those churches which hold on to the essentials of faith but allow freedom in what is considered the nonessentials.......nonessentials, as example include preferred method of baptism or views of sacraments, or freedom to have any leaning toward Mary, or even personal interpretations of specific bible verses. Where there is freedom in the nonessential of faith, it is much easier for me to be open about my personal practices and mystical worldview.
So what exactly describes Celtic Christianity? This is the best summary which I could find:
It is highly Trinitarian in its approach to God.
It lacks emphasis on a Satan-figure, or any other figure which represents the culmination of forces of evil, in favor of Personal Responsibility.
It stresses Community in the way as taught by the Desert Fathers.
It stresses the concept of Pilgrimage, and acknowledges life as a it's own pilgrimage and journey.
It acknowledges that Thin Places do exist, where magick still happens and worlds can touch.
It stresses the concept of the Soul Friend, or Anam Cara, who is both a spiritual leader and a friend in the closest meaning of the word.
There is much emphasis on Contemplative Prayer, spending time with God for its own sake.
One should also seek living in Rhythm with Nature, through both observing the seasons and rites of passage.
It is theologically different in its beliefs that
Creation is essentially GOOD.
We are made in God's image, and born without sin.
Sin is a habit and a sickness, however, that every one learns and it slowly corrupts us.
We have freedom of will to choose between Good and Evil. Wrong deeds, however, are still condemnable.
We are to continually seek spiritual maturity, perfection in our inner lives even after the time of Noble Wonder which follows one's conversion.
We are to live spiritually in BOTH Mind and Body.
This is an individualistic kind of spirituality with an immanence for the OTHER WORLD.
I once described in my personal journal that the Celtic Christian life is a journey toward union with the Divine, whose invisible face is everywhere and who gave us the deep faith of a transforming love through Christ and developing what has been described as a Christ Consciousness. Earth is a divine manifestation of the mother of life. And the mystical experience of our inner journey is a quest through the otherworld of our psyche and our center.....sometimes referred to as The Land of Eternal Youth, the Tir na Og, which is as much a state of mind as it is a place we can one day see with our own eyes.
Graydon Snyder describes, "The Jesus tradition of the Irish stressed self-denial, dependence on nature, and spiritual maturation. The Irish-Latin tradition NEVER stressed the political power of Jesus. It did not seek hierarchical obedience and creedal unity. Instead, it was a missionary good news, not the "Grace" of Augustinian Christianity but the CHOICE of a life pleasing to God."
Celtic Saints whose biographies reflect a dual history in Christianity and in the pagan myths which found their way into local legends of these people include Saint Brigid of Kildare, Saint Columba of Iona, Saint Patrick of Ireland, Saint Kevin, and Saint Brendon.....just to name a few.
Obviously, some of these beliefs fly in the face of mainstream Christianity which did put the wop on these ideas as a whole starting in the 7th Century with the Synod of Whitby in Northumbria, England. This has made it difficult to live a Celtic spirituality in many modern churches, which ignore tradition or anything that fails to fit in their limited worldview of "'has to be 'biblical' " only. That, and the concept of Original Sin is a hot one embraced to the core by most, if not all churches in the west (even though it's not in the bible), yet it is lacking in Eastern Orthodoxy as the west defines it (......this is another journal entry entirely)
Obviously, while I walk this path, W does not, and our friendly debates have kept us honest in our perceptions and beliefs. As a Lutheran, he very much believes in Original Sin and that the world is fallen and that we are fallen and broken since birth, whereas I cannot but see the goodness that God created for humanity to bask in, that humanity is essentially good, we just make really bad decisions. But he lets my faith be personal and contemplative.
I am not one to vocalize my differences in belief with other Christians, and have often felt more accepted by my Pagan friends for the flavour of my faith than by other church-goers, especially since I do essentially live in the bible belt. I act out my beliefs in private ways, often it leaks out in my respect for others' personal beliefs (I refuse to proselytize, which angers many of my peers).....
but......i think I've been trying to put this out there for a while now.
I also found this gem of a parish website who also sums up Celtic Christian Spirituality nicely: www.allsaintsbrookline.org/celtic.html
Lots have been on my mind of late, pertaining to my own path, which I generally keep very close to my heart.
At one end, W and I are engaging in what our faith life is going to look like, evolve into after the ceremony of our marriage. He has, for the most part, been hugely supportive of my dual path, and a gentle reminder to keep my face on Godde. It's important to him that we both maintain our own spiritual identities, and that any conversions that could or may happen have to be because the person seeking said conversion wants it truly in their heart and not because their partner expects it or wants it of them. As such, he remains a Lutheran at heart, and I remain one who was reared in the RCC with very pagan leanings. The boy loves to brag on what a 'bad' Catholic I am........because it's the ceremony I love and and seek and enjoy, and my personal theology rarely lines up with what is a clearly broken hierarchy.
Not so long ago, really, I fell in love with a unique brand of Christianity, that embraces nature and combines the best of Christ's teachings with the local beliefs of these people. But Because this brand of belief was wiped out by the Roman church in the middle ages in favor of Roman doctrine, it is both often difficult to find modern followers or places of worship in this vein. This is what has often been historically labeled as Celtic Christianity --- or the Christianity that hold a uniquely Irish/Celtic flavor in faith and symbolism and in practice, oftentimes. As a theology and practice, because it is one that stresses personal faith over group faith, I often find myself keeping these thoughts to my heart while finding myself seeking communal worship either with the Catholics or Lutherans or often at a nondenominational church. I most often lean toward going to those churches which hold on to the essentials of faith but allow freedom in what is considered the nonessentials.......nonessentials, as example include preferred method of baptism or views of sacraments, or freedom to have any leaning toward Mary, or even personal interpretations of specific bible verses. Where there is freedom in the nonessential of faith, it is much easier for me to be open about my personal practices and mystical worldview.
So what exactly describes Celtic Christianity? This is the best summary which I could find:
It is highly Trinitarian in its approach to God.
It lacks emphasis on a Satan-figure, or any other figure which represents the culmination of forces of evil, in favor of Personal Responsibility.
It stresses Community in the way as taught by the Desert Fathers.
It stresses the concept of Pilgrimage, and acknowledges life as a it's own pilgrimage and journey.
It acknowledges that Thin Places do exist, where magick still happens and worlds can touch.
It stresses the concept of the Soul Friend, or Anam Cara, who is both a spiritual leader and a friend in the closest meaning of the word.
There is much emphasis on Contemplative Prayer, spending time with God for its own sake.
One should also seek living in Rhythm with Nature, through both observing the seasons and rites of passage.
It is theologically different in its beliefs that
Creation is essentially GOOD.
We are made in God's image, and born without sin.
Sin is a habit and a sickness, however, that every one learns and it slowly corrupts us.
We have freedom of will to choose between Good and Evil. Wrong deeds, however, are still condemnable.
We are to continually seek spiritual maturity, perfection in our inner lives even after the time of Noble Wonder which follows one's conversion.
We are to live spiritually in BOTH Mind and Body.
This is an individualistic kind of spirituality with an immanence for the OTHER WORLD.
I once described in my personal journal that the Celtic Christian life is a journey toward union with the Divine, whose invisible face is everywhere and who gave us the deep faith of a transforming love through Christ and developing what has been described as a Christ Consciousness. Earth is a divine manifestation of the mother of life. And the mystical experience of our inner journey is a quest through the otherworld of our psyche and our center.....sometimes referred to as The Land of Eternal Youth, the Tir na Og, which is as much a state of mind as it is a place we can one day see with our own eyes.
Graydon Snyder describes, "The Jesus tradition of the Irish stressed self-denial, dependence on nature, and spiritual maturation. The Irish-Latin tradition NEVER stressed the political power of Jesus. It did not seek hierarchical obedience and creedal unity. Instead, it was a missionary good news, not the "Grace" of Augustinian Christianity but the CHOICE of a life pleasing to God."
Celtic Saints whose biographies reflect a dual history in Christianity and in the pagan myths which found their way into local legends of these people include Saint Brigid of Kildare, Saint Columba of Iona, Saint Patrick of Ireland, Saint Kevin, and Saint Brendon.....just to name a few.
Obviously, some of these beliefs fly in the face of mainstream Christianity which did put the wop on these ideas as a whole starting in the 7th Century with the Synod of Whitby in Northumbria, England. This has made it difficult to live a Celtic spirituality in many modern churches, which ignore tradition or anything that fails to fit in their limited worldview of "'has to be 'biblical' " only. That, and the concept of Original Sin is a hot one embraced to the core by most, if not all churches in the west (even though it's not in the bible), yet it is lacking in Eastern Orthodoxy as the west defines it (......this is another journal entry entirely)
Obviously, while I walk this path, W does not, and our friendly debates have kept us honest in our perceptions and beliefs. As a Lutheran, he very much believes in Original Sin and that the world is fallen and that we are fallen and broken since birth, whereas I cannot but see the goodness that God created for humanity to bask in, that humanity is essentially good, we just make really bad decisions. But he lets my faith be personal and contemplative.
I am not one to vocalize my differences in belief with other Christians, and have often felt more accepted by my Pagan friends for the flavour of my faith than by other church-goers, especially since I do essentially live in the bible belt. I act out my beliefs in private ways, often it leaks out in my respect for others' personal beliefs (I refuse to proselytize, which angers many of my peers).....
but......i think I've been trying to put this out there for a while now.
I also found this gem of a parish website who also sums up Celtic Christian Spirituality nicely: www.allsaintsbrookline.org/celtic.html