St Patrick?

[costlygrace]

I was wondering how St. Patrick is viewed by Baptists, in general (and the others here). I am thinking about writing about his life, for other teens, but I certainly wouldn't want to cause offense over that! So anyway, I thought I would ask you guys about how you think he is viewed out there among your circles.

God bless!
costlygrace

 

[GreenEyedLady]

Many have said St. Patrick was a Baptist. I have not read up on him, but I know there are articles and books about him being a Baptist.
GEL

 

[SumTinWong]

Well you both have me stumped here. I heard an "Adventures in Oddessy" program on Patrick, but other than what i heard of him on there I have no idea who he is or if he was a Baptist. really doubt if he was though considering he died in 493 and there was no Baptist church at that point in time.

 

[ps139]

Somewhat little known fact: St. Patrick was not Irish, he was Italian. He was a missionary to Ireland, thats why he is so associated with Ireland.

 

[nyj]

Somewhat little known fact: St. Patrick was not Irish, he was Italian. He was a missionary to Ireland, thats why he is so associated with Ireland.

Actually, Patrick was originally a slave in Ireland. Patrick was born in Britain and was kidnapped and brought into slavery in Ireland where he became a shepherd. During his time shepherding he grew in his relationship with God, and upon his release from slavery, vowed to bring Christianity back to those who had enslaved him, which he eventually did.

 

[ps139]

I did not know that thanks nyj

 

[ZiSunka]

I was wondering how St. Patrick is viewed by Baptists, in general (and the others here). I am thinking about writing about his life, for other teens, but I certainly wouldn't want to cause offense over that! So anyway, I thought I would ask you guys about how you think he is viewed out there among your circles.

God bless!
costlygrace

I think Patrick was a great man who made many sacrifices to bring the Word of God and the Good News to a nation that desperately needed it. What's not to love about him? We should all be so dedicated to Christ and to the gospel.

 

[costlygrace]

I think Patrick was a great man who made many sacrifices to bring the Word of God and the Good News to a nation that desperately needed it. What's not to love about him? We should all be so dedicated to Christ and to the gospel.

That's how I feel.

 

[costlygrace]

Actually, Patrick was originally a slave in Ireland. Patrick was born in Britain and was kidnapped and brought into slavery in Ireland where he became a shepherd. During his time shepherding he grew in his relationship with God, and upon his release from slavery, vowed to bring Christianity back to those who had enslaved him, which he eventually did.

Correct. Among other things, he is an excellent example of forgiveness for those who had so mistreated him.

 

[Atomagenesis]

And he was Catholic!

 

[ZiSunka]

And he was Catholic!

Whatever that meant back then!

 

[GreenEyedLady]

Not every one believes that he was catholic. Just because the Catholic church says someone was catholic doesn't always mean they really were.
This is a good link. I have not read all of it, but I have heard some things about it.
http://www.reformedreader.org/history/patrick.htm
Patrick, in his own "Confession" tells us that he was a Briton, not an Irishman. He first saw the light of day in the town of Dumbarton on the River Clyde in the south of Scotland about the year 389 A.D. His father was a Christian deacon and his grandfather a clergyman in the ancient church of Britain, which had never come under the yoke of Rome. These facts in themselves practically crush the claims of the papacy.

At sixteen years of age, our hero was captured by a band of Scottish slave-dealing pirates who sold him to the Druid chieftain, Milcho, who reigned in the north of Ireland. For six years Patrick herded the cattle of this ruthless pagan chieftain. In his "Confession" he tells us: "When I was a youth, I was taken captive before I knew what I should desire or seek, or what I ought to shun."

It was during this time of servitude in the bleak forests of northern Ireland that Patrick turned from his frivolous ways and came into a knowledge of Christ as his own personal Saviour. Of that period he says, "Frequently in the night I prayed and the love of God and His fear increased more and more in me." Possibly it was while a hidden onlooker of the weird Druid ceremonies that he was inspired of God to become a missionary to these heathen people.

He relates how, after six years, he managed to escape from his master and, after a tortuous journey over sea and land, returned to his people in Britain. It must have been a beautiful homecoming as his mother embraced him once again and his father, in amazement, learned of the lad's experiences. They had long before given him up as dead.

Like the great apostle Paul, he received a clear and personal "Macedonian call" from the Lord of harvest to preach the Gospel in the land of his former captivity. Patrick described his call in these words: "Again, I was in Britain with my parents, who received me as their son, and besought me to promise that, after the many afflictions I had endured, I would never leave them again. And then, truly, in the bosom of the night I saw a man as if coming from Ireland, whose name was Victoricus, with numerous letters, one of which he gave me, and I read the beginning of the epistle, containing the Voice of the Irish.

"And while I was reading the beginning of the epistle I thought in my mind that I heard the voice of those who were near the wood Focluti, which is near the western sea. And they shouted thus: 'We beseech thee, holy youth, to come and live amongst us.' And I was greatly pained in my heart, and could not read very much more; and thus I was proved. Thank God, that after many years the Lord performed to them according to their entreaty."

From these words it is evident that his call to go as a missionary to Ireland was not from any Pope or representative of the Roman Church. If our hero has been an agent of Rome, surely Popes Sixtus or Leo, who were his contemporaries, would have informed the Roman constituency of the astounding work being performed by Patrick and his co-laborers.

Dr. J. Lewis Smith, in his scholarly treatise, "Patrick of Ireland Not A Romanist," says, "We have in hand now 140 letters of Pope Leo the Great and we have not found a line written by him or any other Pope or any other man rejoicing over the wonderful additions to the Roman Church by Patrick and his disciples." 2

Patrick, like Paul, "had the mighty ordination of the nail-pierced hands." The Book of Darrow, one of the oldest of Irish manuscripts, says nothing about his being an ecclesiastic of Rome and in his letter to the Christians under Coroticus and in his "Confession" Patrick makes no mention whatsoever of his being consecrated as a diocesan bishop.

 

[GreenEyedLady]

There are always 2 sides to every story. One cannot rely on just one source to find truth.
GEL

Like the great apostle Paul, he received a clear and personal "Macedonian call" from the Lord of harvest to preach the Gospel in the land of his former captivity. Patrick described his call in these words: "Again, I was in Britain with my parents, who received me as their son, and besought me to promise that, after the many afflictions I had endured, I would never leave them again. And then, truly, in the bosom of the night I saw a man as if coming from Ireland, whose name was Victoricus, with numerous letters, one of which he gave me, and I read the beginning of the epistle, containing the Voice of the Irish.

"And while I was reading the beginning of the epistle I thought in my mind that I heard the voice of those who were near the wood Focluti, which is near the western sea. And they shouted thus: 'We beseech thee, holy youth, to come and live amongst us.' And I was greatly pained in my heart, and could not read very much more; and thus I was proved. Thank God, that after many years the Lord performed to them according to their entreaty."

From these words it is evident that his call to go as a missionary to Ireland was not from any Pope or representative of the Roman Church. If our hero has been an agent of Rome, surely Popes Sixtus or Leo, who were his contemporaries, would have informed the Roman constituency of the astounding work being performed by Patrick and his co-laborers.

Dr. J. Lewis Smith, in his scholarly treatise, "Patrick of Ireland Not A Romanist," says, "We have in hand now 140 letters of Pope Leo the Great and we have not found a line written by him or any other Pope or any other man rejoicing over the wonderful additions to the Roman Church by Patrick and his disciples." 2



Patrick, like Paul, "had the mighty ordination of the nail-pierced hands." The Book of Darrow, one of the oldest of Irish manuscripts, says nothing about his being an ecclesiastic of Rome and in his letter to the Christians under Coroticus and in his "Confession" Patrick makes no mention whatsoever of his being consecrated as a diocesan bishop.

Dr. Hamilton, in his book, "The Irish Church," says this of Patrick's confession letter: "There is not a faint Roman tinge about it. It is . . . thoroughly evangelical." And Dr. Todd says: "The confession of St. Patrick contains not a word of a mission from the Pope Celestine." 3

We are certain that Patrick was a product of the Celtic Church, noted for its purity of Biblical doctrine, and not an "obsequious tool of the Romish system." Yes, we are positive that Patrick's call to go to "Ireland as a missionary was from God Himself and not from Pope Celestine.

 

[ps139]

Thread closed for staff review.

 

[BT]

Thread reopened after CPR review.

This thread is now open for discussion. Please remember the forum specific rules and avoid debating etc. if you are not Baptist/AnaBaptist. Fellowship posts are ok.

 

[costlygrace]

I think Patrick himself would have simply wanted to be called a Christian--a follower of Christ!

 

[ZiSunka]

I think Patrick himself would have simply wanted to be called a Christian--a follower of Christ!

 

[Lucky_Skunk]

Don't know a lot about him. However, I do admire a lot of the saints in my Congregation. One of my favorites is Dr.Charles Stanley of First Baptist Atlanta, GA.

 

[Diane_Windsor]

And he was Catholic!

Correct! Patrick was a member of the Universal (i.e. Catholic) Church, but he was not a Roman Catholic. Lambslove, this should answer your question about what "Catholic" meant during those times.

As for the OP, as a person raised Baptist I have always had a strong affection for Patrick, however; I was also born on March 16th and I have Irish roots as well .

 

[Organist]

Those are interesting stories about St. Patrick. I had no idea it was such a rich history. It is far from the St. Patrick's day we see celebrated here (green beer and all) nowadays. Too bad, it would be better to know what was closer to the truth, I think.