Admittedly, I find all of this stuff bizarre – as bizarre as all of the rest of the stuff going on politically, the manufacturing of strife among all lines possible, and throughout all institutions: religious, racial, “gender”, age, political, you-name-it…
We read in Thomas Cahill’s book on “How the Irish Saved Civilization” how ancient Irish practiced a different kind of Christian religion until subsumed by the Romans. Would be curious about your thoughts on that question (if you have any, as it seems that modern day Ireland has become disillusioned with religious institutions – hopefully not to the point of abandonning spiritual practice in private life?)
The Irish/Celtic Christianity was based around monasteries and monastic practice which emanated from Syria, Palestine and Egypt. These provided the first evangelists who were desert fathers. There are many townlands and locations with “Dysarght” in the name, which is a term associated with desert or solitary places. You will find Tau crosses in these locations as well. There was a thriving commerce and cultural exchange between the Mediterranean and Ireland going back to Phoenician times. There was a confluence of European mystery schools blended with Christian esotericism in Ireland. Much of the fruits of God’s creation of nature were considered sacred as were the sacraments and liturgy in pre Roman Christian practice. This form of Christianity were the “snakes” which Patrick a Roman Christian came to eradicate, hence the the story of St Patrick banishing the snakes.
A friend Dara Molloy wrote a book about the Roman Church assault on the original Christian church, as it was experienced in Ireland and Western Europe, called “The Globalisation of God” which goes into this topic.
The Celtic church lasted until the 7th Century and the Synod of Whitby in England when it began to weaken, but trundled on in Ireland for another 500 years or so faded in the first two centuries after the Norman invasion 1169 in Ireland who enforced Roman Christianity…https://www.amazon.ie/Globalisation-God-Celtic-Christianitys-Nemesis/dp/B0H3MBQN7J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=O0RYA1VHEO2N&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kXQzfPrQIWEzRIqSUORck6Gjh_sWlnoJ2BBVCtvdpy9beIjB83ab4DaLS3d7gxVO2S86UUdDBzQT3FqY-tEHcbL1ZNWLp0Ary8uQrFWAN9qZGBibUNvuvBE-F9BmvhFELyEeT-Dxqy9IzgbtAgYkqORm80pihoil0hMLGSVERlxyBOE_-NqJzfUzlD3nYUoas9tvL9RU_UGzeSka-_0sFIoycxWcKfXbG76LC05RfC7vfuJsWMoVD4YTgbNS5a-hhawOHxdbK5S07K8Z_VT5UDdT-ZtXtD4_S3n8JnKnHVw.rpz52UcVgk4mquFgmWfcj_ssk7hpeWVxP4xh5EF2DEs&dib_tag=se&keywords=globalisation+of+god&qid=1788281598&sprefix=globalisation+of+god%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1
Many thanks, Mark, for your thoughts, and also the book tip.
It sounds like this may probe a somewhat different aspect of ancient Irish history, as compared with Cahill’s book.
Cahill’s book was a mainstream-sanctioned book, and thus we read with that in mind.
And I imagine that your friend’s book probably has more free thinking on the question, given its independence from mainstream, and therefore different insights to offer. (We do enjoy reading books of free thinkers).
The “diversity” question has become very muddled in all of the western countries that are all being pushed to become “communistic” and thereby actually erase true “diversity” (which, itself, depends on different communities being able to practice their own traditions without interference – and in order to do that, they each need Lebensraum — and massive migrational deluges just prevent any group’s traditions from flourishing peacefully and even harmoniously unless the land question comes into the equation).
Interestingly enough, in an “alternative” news story that we viewed recently, a reporter made an attempt to ask how different people regarded a very loud horn blowing from a Muslim community centre in Saskatchewan (it sounded like it was perhaps a kind of beta test, on the reaction of the community, so to speak). A priest from the nearby Cathedral welcomed the horn-blowing and basically said “to each his own”.
When you mention how God’s creation was considered sacred in the old Celtic traditions, that is really in my realm of interest right now – exploring different thinkers who are probing that question. Right now, we’re being steered into the realm of artificial world and some are trying to render that sacred. The sacred silicon. I like to contemplate the Sacredness of Life, of God’s Creation, and what is needed for Life to flourish.
You might enjoy John O’ Donoghue’s works. Ex priest and PhD in philosophical theology from Univ of Tubingen.
Books (A selection):
- Anam Cara (1996)
- Divine Beauty: The Invisible Embrace (2003)
Posthumous publications:
The Four Elements: Reflections on Nature (2010)
Walking on the Pastures of Wonder (2015)