The Celtic Church in Britain
By David Currie
Primitive Christianity in Britain is best known for the Celts, an Indo-European language group of migrants who spread across Europe and into Britain from Austria. Theses migrants generally settled in Cornwall, the South West of Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Important aspects of the life of the Celts reveal that they were the first in Britain to embrace Christianity and that they were intent on following the faith and practise of the primitive Christians of the New Testament who were indeed the foundation peoples of the Christian church. While it is not certain the exact year that Christianity first came to Britain it is confirmed that the original Christian beliefs and practises were maintained well after the Italian mission of Augustine in 597AD.
While
some legends state that Jesus Himself came to Britain, it is probably more
correct that some of the followers of Jesus made their way to Britain after
being driven out of Palestine by hostile Jews.
With the occupation of Britain by the Romans, many European and Eastern
Christians brought their brand of Christianity to Britain. However early the church was founded in
Britain, it is quite clear that it produced some excellent leaders such as
Patrick of Ireland, Columba who eventually strengthened the ties of Christendom
in Scotland, David of Wales and Aidan of England to name just a few.
Most
of the information that is known about the Celtic church in Ireland commences
with the age of Patrick. This early
leader was born in Kirkpatrick, Scotland in 389 and eventually after a term as
slave in Ireland and then in exile on the Continent, he returned to Ireland
where he had first been as a slave. He
ministered to the spiritual needs of that country in quite a remarkable
way. There was some evidence, but not
authenticated or thoroughly documented, that Patrick also returned for a short
time to Scotland. However, Columba went
to Scotland after ministering for some time in Ireland, where he had founded a
number of monasteries and churches. He
founded the settlement at Iona which has since been one of the most hallowed
spots on Scottish soil. During the 7th
and 11th centuries, 48 Scottish kings were buried on Iona. Some of their tombstones can be seen
today. A second 'Iona' was established by Aidan at the 'Holy
Isle of Lindisfarne'. This 'Isle' in
north England became a marvellous base for the promulgation of the gospel in
England and in parts of the Continent.
Let
us now have a look at some of the beliefs of these early Christians who became
so prominent around the British Isles,
Both
the Old and New Testaments were accepted as the Divine Word to be read and the
teachings of which were to be practised.
They did not use the Apocrypha, which later was included in the Roman
Catholic scriptures. The emphasis was
on Biblical authority and this led them to a literal application of the great
laws of life laid down in Scripture.
An
early Celtic church leader, Cassian, encouraged his people to put away all
other books, even commentaries and the like, and devote the whole of their
reading to the Scriptures. On one
occasion, it is recorded that two men, Germanus and an abbot by the name of
Nestorus, were talking together.
Germanus enquired as to the best way to expel from the mind the notions
of pagan authors. Nestorus replied,
"Read the Scriptures with the same zeal that you read the heathen books
and your thoughts will be pure."
What a good example for today as we read the Scriptures.
Ireland
became a centre towards a deeper study of the Scriptures. It is recorded that Finnian founded a school
at Clonard (now Clonmacnoise) which at
one time attracted something like 3,000 students from all over the Continent as
well as Britain. They came to study as
we read the Scriptures. A 17th century
poet, B. Moronus eloquently pictured the trend:
"Now haste Sciambri
from the marshy Rhine;
Bohemians now desert
their cold north lands;
Avergne and Holland,
too, add to the tide,
Forth from Geneva's
frowning cliffs they throng;
Helvetia's youth by
Rhone and Saone
Are few; the
Western Isle in now their home.
All these from many
lands, by many diverse paths
Rivals in pious zeal,
seek Lismore's famous seat."
The
attraction of the Scriptures was considerable.
This was the same platform upon which Paul and all the apostles
stood. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
This
central doctrine of the Christian faith was taught with great strength. The doctrine of righteousness only through
Faith in Christ and not in or through works was taught with clarity. The sinner could claim no other goodness
than the goodness of Christ.
Most
of the early Celtic churches, included a recitation of the Commandments in
their services. Patrick had profound
respect for the Ten Commandments and believed that through the grace of Christ
it was possible for men to keep all of the law of God. Both Patrick and Columba used in a
particular way the first five books of the Scriptures as a basis for much of
their preaching.
By
belief and practice the Celts were believers in the Ten Commandments. For instance, the seventh day Sabbath of the
Commandments was kept in Ireland, England and Scotland as well as Wales. One letter by Colambanus stated, "We are bidden to work on six days, but
on the seventh which is the Sabbath, we are restrained from every servile
work. Now by the number six the
completeness of our work is meant, since it was in six days that the Lord made
heaven and earth. Yet on the Sabbath we
are forbidden to labour at any servile work, that is sin." The context from which this passage comes
reveals that the writer believed that Saturday was the Sabbath. Later, came the Roman influence to keep
Sunday, but this is another matter.
In
Scotland, many of the Celts observed the Sabbath from sunset Friday to sunset
Saturday, until the 13th century. It is
recorded of David of Wales, that the keeping of the 'Sabbath for him was from
sunset to sunset.' He began his
'sabbatic devotion at Friday sunset.' This was the "eve of the Sabbath". Miurchu recorded that "Patrick and
Victricius met every seventh day of the week for prayer and spiritual
converse." This is scriptural and
we would expect a Bible based people to keep the Sabbath.
Let's
explore more of the reasons why the Sabbath was celebrated by the Celts and yet
came to a position of dishonour by the rest of Britain when they became
Christians.
1.
The early Christian church first attracted the attention of many Jews
who became converts. In this way the
earliest church was from among the Jews.
These Jews did not keep the Sabbath because they were Jews, but in
honour of creation and in obedience to the fourth commandment.
2.
Gnosticism and Mithraism soon raised tensions in Christian
thinking. Most Gnostics
"celebrated the Sunday of every week, not on account of its reference to
the Resurrection of Christ, for that would have been inconsistent with their
Docetism, but as the day consecrated to the sun, which was in fact their
Christ." (A. Neander, General
History of the Christian Religion and Church II, p 194) G. L. Laing (Survivals
of Roman Religion p 148) continues in this vein "Our observance of Sunday
as the Lord's day is apparently derived from Mithraism. The argument that has sometimes been used
against this claim, namely that Sunday was chosen because of the resurrection
on that day, is not well supported.
Many historians support the view that in the Roman Empire where
anti-Semitism did not exist, then
Christians continued keeping the seventh day Sabbath.
3.
The Celts did not face anti-Semitism in Britain. They were on the periphery of the Roman
Empire. So for some centuries thy
remained Sabbath keepers without very much opposition. Sabbath keeping in Scotland outlived that in
Ireland. Particularly with the
missionary movements which spread out from the Island of Iona as well as from
the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne which was a little south of the Scottish border.
There
is no record of Patrick saying anything about Sunday meetings or worship on
that day. However, centuries after his
death, folk stories were perpetuated about Patrick's Sunday keeping activities
in order to encourage the Irish to keep the Sunday as the Sabbath. But even these sometimes refer to a special
significance that Patrick attached to the Sabbath. In the "Hymn in Praise of St. Patrick," an Angel is
talking to Patrick. "Thou shalt
have out of (Hell's) pains seven every Thursday and twelve every
Saturday".
David
of Wales was another Celtic leader. Of
Him it is recorded, "From the even of the Sabbath, until the light shines
in the first hour, after the break of day on the Sabbath they employ themselves
in watchings, prayers and genuflections except one hour after morning service
on the Sabbath;" The 'eve of the Sabbath' was Friday sunset. The Sabbath was held to be a day of blessing
in Wales as well as in Ireland and other Celtic lands.
Traces
of Sabbath observance in th Faroe Islands and Iceland have been found according
to O.A. Anderson in his Monumenta Historica Norvegiae, p 89. In this work, he discusses that the earliest
inhabitants adhered to Judaism. This is
no doubt a clear reference to their Sabbath keeping. In fact it is known that the missionary minded Celts spread out
from Iona in the Hebrides, and from Lindisfarne, not only to the Continent of
Europe but to the harsher climes of Iceland and the Faroes.
It
is quite possible that the memory of David of Wales and his Sabbath keeping
lingered on and with a keen interest in Bible Study, many of the Welsh again
emerged as Sabbath keepers in the 17th and 18th Centuries. (NB Bryan W. Ball. "The Seventh-Day Men" p 223-244.) There was a significant emergence of Sabbath
observance in many parts of Britain at this period of history.
It
is most interesting that more than a century earlier Finland was a great
concern to King Gustavus 1 Vasa of Sweden, who ruled Finland. He sent off an epistle to the Finns urging
them to stop keeping the Sabbath and instead put their energies into Sunday
observance. It was his successor King
Gustavus 2 Adolphus (1594-1632), who
actually invoked the death penalty against Sabbath keepers. However, Norlin in his work, Sevneska
Kyrkans Historia states that several persons "readily gave their life
rather than change their opinions."
The Lutheran bishop L.A. Anjou wrote,
"This zeal for Saturday-keeping continued for a long time."
It
is clear that as the Scriptures were read with great interest at this time -
people were once again to "Remember the Sabbath of the Lord" rather
than a day that was introduced by Constantine and later emperors of Rome.
Today
we have the challenge of keeping the Sabbath as the Lord intended in spite of
materialism and secularism. The Secular
world is indeed often attracted to a day that brings rest from the pressures of
life and can be a day of peace and joy.
This could be one of the greatest challenges of modern Sabbath
keepers. Herald again the day that God
gave to man and blest it in a way that no other day has been blest! If God hallowed it, rested on it and blest
it, it must have significance for every age and particularly the current age.
Let
us notice one or two other beliefs adhered to by the Celts in the British
Isles.
Baptism
was by immersion and the glossator saw in it a symbolic fulfilment of Christ's
death and burial and resurrection.
"When we pass under baptism, it is the likeness of His burial and
death to us." This is a commentary
on Romans 6: 1-6. Patrick taught that
before baptism a person must be taught and then after baptism the teaching must
continue. Matthew 28:19, 20. Over and over again, one can see the strong
adherence to the original Biblical teachings by the Celts.
When
Augustine led his Italian band from Italy to Britain he also practised baptism,
but there was a difference to the method used by the Celts. In 601, at his request, the king of Kent
drove 10,000 to the sea and had them baptised at sword point. No wonder so much paganism came into the
Christian church. People accepted Christianity
under pressure rather than through conversion.
Patrick
said, "We look for His coming soon as the Judge of the quick and the
dead." The final event in the last
days on earth was believed to be the Second Advent of Christ. Their ardent prayers generally included the
soon coming of the Saviour, whom they expected to come in glory and receive His
people unto Himself.
The
impressive story of the Celts help us today to understand just how far we may
have strayed from the original Christian church. Their belief and practice was scriptural and supported by
Christians worldwide. God still wants
His people to live according to His Word.
Reader
friend of mine, trust in God, read His Word and follow its teaching and you
will not only know His truth but be abundantly blest.