The Celtic Way of Doing Church

"First, a host of New Barbarians substantially populate the Western world once again; indeed, they are all around us. Many of them are "secular"; that is they have never been substantially influenced by the Christian religion; they have no Christian memory and no church to "return" to. Many have never acquired a "church etiquette" (they would not know when to stand, or where to find Second Corinthians, or what to say to the pastor after the service)...these populations are increasingly simlar to the populations that the movements of Patrick, Columba, and Aidan reached as the New Barbarians become increasingly postmodern" (pg. 96)

I first read George Hunter's The Celtic Way of Evangelism (2000) in 2002. The book made a big impression on me, and was one of the first books that got me hooked onto Celtic Christianity. This is an important book, and I often go back and reread sections just to make sure I'm reading it right. There is something distinctive about Celtic Christianity, and Hunter's book does an excellent job in explaining  what that "distinctiveness" is.  Hunter begins his story by focusing on the uniqueness of Patrick's mission to the Irish. The "single greatest lesson" is that Patrick went out of his way to understand everything he could about the Irish. He took an active interest in the Irish people, taking the time to learn and understand their language, their habits, their thought forms, and their culture. I've lived in other cultures and these graces are not easy ones. Patrick demonstrates an amazing humility, and  understood that to be effective and make a real impact, he had to be both genuine and sincere. Patrick had all these qualities and more

Secondly, Celtic Christianity was more of a movement, a way of life, an "experience" instead of a religion of Empire, or something linked to an institution or church building. Moreover, the movement stressed the importance of the laity and not the clergy. Hunter remarks that the Roman visitor would have encountered a faith group which was more imaginative, less brain centered that Latin Christianity.  The Celts also had a creation based theology which stressed the "immanence" and "providence" of God.  A major reason for these differences were the Celtic roots in Desert and Monastic Christianity. Celtic Christian communities were focused around the monastery and abbot instead of the bishop and cathedral. Monastic communities tended to be less individualistic and more community orientated. Hunter believes the Celts communities were better integrated and focused not only on the "utlimate" issues of life, but also the "middle-level" issues of life, including life's daily struggles.

Hunter also explores the "missionary ecclesiology" of this ancient church and identifies five themes. First, the Celts took a relational, and team approach when sharing their faith story. Before sharing the message of the gospel, they first tried to relate to the people, identify with the people, and engage in friendship, ministry and witness. What a sharp contrast to the confrontational evangelism often practiced in the church both then and now. Second, monastic communities helped prepare people to live with depth and compassion. The Celtic communities were places of great learning, an Open Univeristy with ongoing adult education hundreds of years ago. Hunter also asserts that Celtic Christianity helped prepare people through a "fivefold" structure of experiences including almost every realm of life. These stages included voluntary periods of solitary isolation, time with a "soul-friend" (spiritual direction), time in small groups in a monastic setting, participation in the common life such as meals and prayers, and an environment where people were seeing ministry all around them. These were vibrant, rich faith communities, where learning, art, poetry, and storytelling were all valued.  Hunter also notes how important hospitality was in the Celtic monastic community. Celtic communities were welcoming ones. Within many of the monasteries, a place was always set for a guests and seekers who come to the community.

The sharing of one's faith is important and needs to be done tactfully. As the Christian Church huddles, and reviews its standing in the world, it would be wise to look to lessons of the past, and learn how one church, the Celtic church,  took new and bold steps centuries ago. For instance, there are several clear "takeaways" people can apply to their own churches. In true Celtic fashion, how welcoming is your church to newcomers and strangers? And second, if you have congregations with different ethnic backgrounds, what is being done to help understand their culture? If you're looking for a blueprint on how "to do" church in our own day, you'll find The Celtic Way of Evangelism worthwhile to read.

The genius of St. Patrick

St. Patrick's day is just around the corner. And yes, we celebrate St. Patrick's Dat, even on Oahu. Patrick has been on my mind of late. I attended a St. Patrick's dinner Saturday night, having the most delicious corned beef, cabbage, and potatoe salad. Man, was that good! At Church on Sunday, I turned my attention to the life of St. Patrick. From time to time I like to preach on the lives of the Celtic saints, as it reminds us our of important Celtic tradition. Let me share with you some of what I said.

Patrick was born in the fourth century, although scholars are not sure exactly where; some say England, while other mention Scotland or Wales. We do know Patrick came from a family where religion played an important part. His father was a deacon, and his grandfather was a priest. As a youngster, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland where he was a slave for six years. This must have been a traumatic experience for the young lad, being taken from persons and places he held dear. To get through this time of crisis, Patrick began praying, and this is what he said in his own words:

"Tending flocks was my daily work, and I would pray constantly during the daylight hours. The love of God and the fear of him surrounded me more and more-and faith grew and the Spirit was roused, so that in one day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and afte dark, nearly as many again".

Patrick has numerous dreams his whole life (see my article on Jung and dreams for more) which he took seriously. One night Patrick was guided in a dream to escape and return to Britain. Mysteriously and providentially, Patrick was able to locate a boat and sail back to Britain.

The next phase in Patrick's life centered around his theological training and education. Here too, scholars are not clear just how long a period we are talking about here. In my studies, I've seem estimates as much as 20 and 30 years. Fortunately theological studies are not quite as comprehensive these days!! During this time, Patrick met and befriended a holy man (who also happened to be a Bishop in the Church) named Germanus. Patrick was taken with Germanus's learning and piety, and as many would do, remained with his friend, soaking up his wisdom and piety. It was a formative time, one of Patrick's defining moments. Germanus was Patrick's soufriend, a key element in Celtic Christianity. And then again through a dream, Patrick was invited to move on and return to Ireland to "come back and walk amogst us once more". And Patrick did go, to a country far out of the mainstream of European life. His friends and contemporaries must have thought he had lost his mind.

I won't go into the many miracles that Patrick was involved in. Many others have done that. And you should read those accounts yourselves. I recommend Celtic Spirituality (1999) which contains the main texts in the Patrick Tradition, including Confessio and The Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus. Personally, I am attracked to Patrick because of his wonderful personality which STILL comes through the pages of his writings. His personality seems larger than life, and there seems to be nothing he cannot do. He's God's man, so what else do you expect? Moreover, Patrick wisely immersed himself in Irish culture, learning the language, soaking up the stories, and thought forms, and used these to help spread the saving message of the Christian faith. Like so many others, Patrick could have in a paternalistic way stuck to what he was familiar and comfortable with, but he wisely chose not to. By becoming "Irish" Patrick was able to have an impact in a foreign land that is unparalled anywhere by anyone.

So on Wednesday, St. Patrick's Day, pause for a moment and think about what Patrick means to you.