Celtic Christianity Today - On Line Survey

Are you interested in:
Celtic Spirituality, Celtic Worship, Celtic Prayers, Celtic Saints, Celtic Christianity?


If you are, we would like you to help us by going to celticchristianitytoday.co.uk and completing our online questionnaire.


We are investigating the particular appeal of Celtic Christianity and the type of people to whom it appeals.
This project is part of an ongoing research programme being undertaken by Professor Leslie J. Francis and Revd Gill Hall.

Did it!
('twas a bit long, but persevered!)

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Its way too long and repeatative - I gave up.

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Goodness is stronger than evil,
love is stronger than hate,
light is stronger than darkness,
life is stronger than death,
victory is ours through him who loved us.
(++Desmond Tutu)

Celtic Christianity is a way to integrate my faith and the rest of my life with the world around me. It helped save my faith.

So what exactly do you take 'Celtic Christianity' to mean? Presumably not standing waist deep in the freezing waters of the North Sea while you say your daily prayers in the style of St Cuthbert.

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Goodness is stronger than evil,
love is stronger than hate,
light is stronger than darkness,
life is stronger than death,
victory is ours through him who loved us.
(++Desmond Tutu)

It was long, but worth completing.

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Christianity is not a notion but a way

Hi Ebia,

My first encounter with anything called 'Celtic Christianity' was via the Northumberland Community website and related books. I would call this a kind of Evangelical Christianity with a Celtic flavour. To be honest we probably don't know so much about the Christian practices of the Celts, although we do have some writings to give us some idea. We do know that the Celts were a peolpe who lived close to the land and to nature, very much like the Old Testament Jews and even those of Jesus' day. The Celts, however, had many deities while the Jews were encouraged to worship only one God. When Christianity was introduced to the Celts they adapted it to their traditional practices and readily replaced one female deity with St Bride/Bridget and suchlike. Also, I understand that their first introduction to Christianity was not via Rome and so was more in tune with their love and respect for nature.

For me Celtic Christianity is about a holistic approach to the world around and even the wider universe. It is also about a holistic and healthier attitude to myself. I found the most helpful book was J Phillip Newell's 'Christ of the Celts'.

Compared to what we do know of the lives of the Celtic saints - which were extraordinarly disciplined and austere, I always find such stuff very wishy-washy and (like a lot of "celtic" stuff like Cornish culture) little more than a romantic reinvention of what we would like 'Celtic' to represent.

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Goodness is stronger than evil,
love is stronger than hate,
light is stronger than darkness,
life is stronger than death,
victory is ours through him who loved us.
(++Desmond Tutu)

I agree. The introduction of Christianity to the Celts, i.e. the Irish, was by a Catholic Bishop, St. Patrick.

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.
I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.
I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.
I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.
I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.
Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

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Gone Forever.

Personally I find my idea of Celtic Christianity far more practical and relevant to 21st century life than any other form of Christianity I have come across, and I have been to various churches and read widely about what different denominations and other groups of Christians have to offer.

Celtic Christianity as described by J Phillip Newell and members of the Iona Community is about being aware of the damage human beings are doing to the Earth and beginning to live in a way that is more thoughtful of the effects of our actions and that is more equitable when using the world's resources. In my life this works out by buying local and fairly traded produce as much as possible/practicable. It has also given me renewed enthusiasm for growing my own fruit and vegetables and to growing everything in my garden organically.

There is so much in the Bible that encourages us to take care of the Earth God made and to treat our fellow human beings, all made in the image of God, justly and with care for their needs and well being.