What Makes Celtic Christianity "Celtic"?

For the past couple of years, I have consistently engaged in various circles relevant to the topic of Celtic Christianity. An expression of the Christian faith that has enamored many in the US and abroad, it offers an alternative to the polarized dichotomies plaguing the Church today. For others, it serves as a way of reconnecting with one’s ancestry and heritage as many in diaspora attempt to rebuild after centuries of cultural dilution for the sake of social mobility. As I have engaged in these circles, there’s often a question regarding the nature of Celtic spirituality and what it means to live it.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, answers to this question can range from a more nature-oriented approach to Christianity to a series of practices and beliefs grounded in documented history. However, with enough time and study you become jaded with these answers. Celtic spirituality isn’t any more nature-oriented than any other expression of faith, but rather it is the more modern approach to Christianity that has made humanity the king of creation rather than the caretaker.

At the same time, historical practice is such a complex web of influences that it can be difficult to tell what is uniquely local or something adapted from the Greeks or Romans. This is particularly true for liturgy and theology, as the former is shown to be highly influenced by the Gallican and Roman churches and the latter isn’t that different from the rest of Europe. Even for the unique positions for various theologians, such as Eriugena, where it is difficult to assert what is based on his Irish upbringing or something distinct to him.

And for something like Celtic Christianity, distinctions are the name of the game. As Oliver Davies said in Celtic Spirituality, “Again, it must be stressed, the issue is a particular patterning of emphases, which cohere theologically into what we might describe as a distinctive spirituality.” In other words, it is necessary to focus on the things that make Celtic Christianity unique and not what was commonplace within the rest of the Christian world.

That includes the holidays held dear by the Gaelic and Brittonic peoples, the saints who built them up and empowered their faith, the use of poetic traditions indigenous to the people, the languages they have spoken since time immemorial, and the traditions that were passed down among individual communities. This last point is particularly important, as many communities were opposed due to sectarianism and social rivalries and thus end up developing their own customs and traditions.

While this may seem discouraging to some, I hope that this serves as a palate cleanser to many who have either become jaded or wishing to dig deeper into Celtic Christianity. If one is stuck in the cultural status quo, I suggest using the traditional language present in Irish and Welsh poems to mend the divide between church parties. For those looking for a more ancestral connection, try finding out the approximate area where your ancestors came from and try to connect with the local people. This will offer the opportunity to connect with the people, learn their dialect, and their time-honored ways of serving and worshipping God because ultimately that’s what matters most.