Celtic Service
Sunday, December 16, 20186:00 PM
Christ Church Parish
26 Christchurch Lane
Saluda, VA 23149
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Traditional Celtic Service with music by Spencer & Beane.
WHAT IS CELTIC CHRISTIANITY?
Celtic Christianity was a significant part of the church in
the British Isles from the 4th to the 7th centuries. It had a
resurgence in the 19th century and continues to captivate people
today.
It focuses on experiencing God more than learning
about God. One author described it this way: It is like the
difference between learning about honey and tasting honey. We can
learn that honey is made by bees and that it is sweet and golden
in color - all valuable information - but we don’t truly know
honey until we have tasted it. In the same way, we can learn
about God through the scriptures, but we can’t really know the
fullness of God until we have experienced the Divine presence.
Celtic Christianity has its spiritual roots in the New
Testament, specifically with St. John, the apostle. St. John was
portrayed as leaning against Jesus at the Last Supper, according
to author Philip Newell. He became an image of the practice of
“listening for the heartbeat of God.” So Celtic spirituality
espouses listening for God “at the heart of life,” Newell says.
Celtic Christians see the goodness and the beauty of
God within creation and within people because the scriptures
say that humans are created in God’s image. Celtic Christians
see all of life as sacred and God as the Life within all life.
The Episcopal Church has its roots in both the Roman
and the Celtic traditions.
+ Fr. Stuart
