CELTIC MISSIONCELTIC MISSIONThen and NowThen and Now

c. 650 ADc. 650 AD

ROMAN MISSIONROMAN MISSION Pope Gregory I (540-604)Pope Gregory I (540-604)

– order in chaosorder in chaos– mission not maintenancemission not maintenance– the evangelistic monasterythe evangelistic monastery

Augustine (? - 604)Augustine (? - 604)arrived 597 with 40 monksarrived 597 with 40 monksconverted king – used ruined church converted king – used ruined church 10,000 baptised by 59810,000 baptised by 598

ROMAN MISSIONROMAN MISSIONSuccessSuccess – – 597 597

CanterburyCanterbury//London/RochesterLondon/Rochester

FailureFailure – – 616 change of king – 616 change of king – persecution: only Canterbury leftpersecution: only Canterbury left

SuccessSuccess – – 625+ Paulinus in midlands625+ Paulinus in midlands

FailureFailure – – 633 Penda kills Edwin -633 Penda kills Edwin -only SE left only SE left (still Abp of (still Abp of CanterburyCanterbury))

ROMAN PrinciplesROMAN Principles Top downTop down Monastic - BenedictineMonastic - Benedictine Aimed at positions of powerAimed at positions of power Copied RomeCopied Rome Centralised administrationCentralised administration

Theodore (602-669-690)Theodore (602-669-690) VigorousVigorous Theologically AugustinianTheologically Augustinian

CELTIC MISSIONCELTIC MISSION

Mission to Ireland/ Mission to Ireland/ SW Scotland/ WalesSW Scotland/ Wales

Ninian (c.400) Palladius (c.435)Ninian (c.400) Palladius (c.435)

Patrick (c.470) Dyfrig (c.500)Patrick (c.470) Dyfrig (c.500)

Mission to Picts/Anglo-SaxonsMission to Picts/Anglo-Saxons

Columba (d.597) Aidan (d.651) etcColumba (d.597) Aidan (d.651) etc

Mission to ContinentMission to ContinentColumbanus (d.615)Columbanus (d.615)

PeregrinatiPeregrinati the Celtic wanderersthe Celtic wanderers Iceland, Poland, Kiev, Taranto....Iceland, Poland, Kiev, Taranto.... settle...farm...pray...evangelisesettle...farm...pray...evangelise form new monasteryform new monastery set off againset off again

The Three PilgrimagesThe Three Pilgrimages

1. To wander and waste time1. To wander and waste time

2. To want to go on pilgrimage but 2. To want to go on pilgrimage but be stopped by responsibilitiesbe stopped by responsibilities

3. To leave your country for Christ3. To leave your country for Christ

(Book of Lismore 15 C)(Book of Lismore 15 C)

CELTIC StructureCELTIC Structure Initially normal diocesan patternInitially normal diocesan pattern Dual monasteriesDual monasteries Change to Monastic pattern - 6CChange to Monastic pattern - 6C

– abbots ruled monasteriesabbots ruled monasteries– monk bishops main evangelistsmonk bishops main evangelists

Revert to diocesan pattern - 8CRevert to diocesan pattern - 8C

CELTIC principlesCELTIC principles Community basedCommunity based Theologically non-AugustinianTheologically non-Augustinian

Pelagian ?Pelagian ? Monasteries self-governingMonasteries self-governing

abbots chose successors??abbots chose successors?? Leaders are evangelistsLeaders are evangelists Strict discipline Strict discipline (Penitentials)(Penitentials) CharismaticCharismatic

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY‘The Invisible Monastery’‘The Invisible Monastery’ Paul CouturierPaul Couturier

A monastery has:

People committed to each other

Common standards of life

Times to meet together for worship

The Missionary MonasteryThe Missionary Monastery

• Danger: retreating into the ‘safety zone’

•The Outward/Inward pulse of natural breathing

• Examples of Missionary communities – Augustine, the Celts, Francis, the Jesuits, Taize, Lee Abbey, Scargill etc. etc.

Missionary Communities Missionary Communities

1. The Spiritual CommunityMeeting the spiritual explorations of non-Christians

Teaching them to pray

Helping them to Jesus

Leading them into full discipleship

Missionary CommunitiesMissionary Communities

2. The Incarnational Community

Serving the community in a geographical area

Danger of becoming an amenity ‘on tap’

The traditional missionary model

Missionary CommunitiesMissionary Communities

3. The Network CommunityThe homogeneous community of the like-minded ministering to an area of existence

The importance of the para-church

The danger of introspection/self-satisfaction

Missionary CommunitiesMissionary Communities

4. The Focused CommunityServing some Christian aim (in broadest

sense)

Working together to bring Christ through social action, education, the healing ministry

Danger of forgetting the essential foundation

Missionary CommunitiesMissionary Communities

5. The Evangelistic Community

Evangelism is the sole aim of the community

It should be foot-loose and light-footed (Luke 10)

The dangers of exhaustion/triumphalism etc.

What is Church?What is Church?

Not to be restricted to the ‘incarnational model’

All forms of Christian community should be called ‘church’ with all that means of

support

prayer

spiritual and financial accountability

intercommunication etc.

QuoteQuote

‘Second millenium denominationalism will become Third millenium monasticism’

Martyn Atkins

THEOLOGYTHEOLOGY Celts pre-Augustine (354-430) + Celts pre-Augustine (354-430) +

Luther, Calvin etc.Luther, Calvin etc.

temptation externaltemptation external world good though spoiltworld good though spoilt human element in salvationhuman element in salvation predestination uncertainpredestination uncertain unsophisticatedunsophisticated sacramental – St John favourite gospelsacramental – St John favourite gospel

PelagianPelagian????? ????? Orthodox Orthodox ????????????

EVANGELISMEVANGELISM Living among people – Living among people –

especially rulersespecially rulers PreachingPreaching BaptisingBaptising Discipling – education for allDiscipling – education for all Centred on monastery Centred on monastery Bishop ledBishop led

The CHARISMATICThe CHARISMATIC

They expected:They expected:

God to be activeGod to be active Miracles Miracles Healing Healing Personal guidancePersonal guidance God to work through themGod to work through them To confront evil – spiritual warfareTo confront evil – spiritual warfare

WHY did it die out?WHY did it die out?? ? attraction of authority attraction of authority ? decline of monasteries? decline of monasteries? lack of leadership? lack of leadership? the big battalions won? the big battalions won? pressure towards unity? pressure towards unity? too chaotic ? too chaotic ? impact of political events (e.g. ? impact of political events (e.g.

tribal warfare, Vikings)tribal warfare, Vikings)

Why is Celtic Why is Celtic Christianity Christianity

attractive today?attractive today?