Reigniting the Flame

Reflections on Celtic Christianity

It wasn’t too long ago that I met with Rev. Brent Williams at Colonial Presbyterian Church for their Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan service. Given the historical context of this service, it stands as an oddity among our kindred across the pond. After all, it was a service with strong Jacobite overtones, a regime largely supported by Catholics and Episcopalians. Despite this context, it has gradually evolved to become a celebration of Scottish-American faith and heritage. Such an event would naturally be set with everyone wearing kilts or sashes, along with a pipe band that played masterfully and set the mood for the service.

At the request of Rev. Williams, I had supplied several prayers to him in Gàidhlig with an accompanying translation. Many of these prayers were derived from the Gàidhlig BCP – an apt inclusion given the occasion – and modernized through the efforts of Dr. Adam Dahmer. Functioning on roughly five hours of sleep, I offered each prayer with a cumbersome recitation borne from exhaustion and anxiety. Regardless of my recitation, it made an impact on the congregation that neither Rev. Williams or I expected: they received it warmly and wanted to know more. For some present, they had never heard Gàidhlig before and were enraptured by the sonorous nature of the language. Whether it was their ancestors whispering wholesome temptations in their ear, or an awakening of cianalas within their souls, several came up to me and began asking questions regarding the language and where to learn it.

This service – along with many others held at Episcopalian parishes, Presbyterian parishes, or even Highland Games – is an indication that Celtic Christianity is present among the people and is not simply the intellectual pastime of a few dedicated scholars. Just within a two-hour driving time, I have encountered several churches that hold a “Celtic contemplation service” for their community. Not as a gimmick used to improve church attendance, but as an act of pastoral service that aids in connecting people with their ancestral faith. The resultant of these services is the production of communities within communities, often connecting people over long distances.

With the emergence of Celtic Christianity beyond publications and into churches, I cannot help but feel conflicted over this trend. While it is a net positive that so many are returning to their faith in a meaningful way, I’ve observed an ever-growing reduction of the term rendered functionally inert. Much like how the Zen Buddhist tradition fueled a market of pop self-help books, such as “Zen and the Art of Tired Cliches,” it seems the same is occurring here as well. Neo-Celtic Christianity, with its harmless and nature-oriented veneer, is used as a prop to address contemporary and anachronous issues much like a solution in search of a problem. I am half-expecting the next installment to address how the archetypical Celt would repair one’s motorcycle piously.

While I indulge myself in the same frustration shared by my esteemed colleagues across the pond, I don’t see the Neo-Celtic trend as wrong in itself. I see it as a point of spiritual transition, where many who have grown disillusioned by toxic churches and have left for more nurturing communities. While some clergy are audacious enough to claim they are “reawakening” the Celtic faith – often burring indigenous Gaels and Britons who never lost it – there are many like Rev. Williams who are humble enough to acknowledge their limitations and look to connect people for the good of the community. To rebuild a cultural expression of faith once lost to the diaspora, it takes several experienced or learned voices to contribute to the effort.

If I have learned anything from my ministry work within these communities, it’s that they are willing to learn and grow if offered an introduction in earnest. I currently see authentic Celtic Christianity in its infancy particularly within the diaspora. Rather than harshly judge them for their eccentricities, it is more fruitful to guide them with an inviting demeanor and introduce them to Celtic traditions that their ancestors once held dear. If there is one thing I have learned from this experience and many others, it’s that those within diaspora are willing to learn if given the opportunity. Even if it’s learning Gàidhlig one prayer at a time, the seed will grow into a beautiful tree.