About Celtic Christianity

Christianity took root in Celtic communities very early, was enriched and nourished in uniquely Celtic ways, and gained strengths and weaknesses not found in other cultural expressions of Christianity. Christianity's growth among Celtic communities:

• Gildas (an early British historian) said the Gospel came to Britain in the last year of Tiberias (AD 37 -- perhaps as a result of the scattering described in Acts 8:1-4).
• Legends about Joseph of Arimathea's influence in Glastonbury (AD 63) may well have risen from certain actual events that appear to be more plausible than not.
• Tertullian wrote (ca 200 AD) that parts of Britain, unconquered by the Romans, had been conquered by Christ.
• Origen (ca 240 AD) makes mention of British Christianity.
• British bishops participated in the Council of Arles (314 AD).
• The Roman Conquest of Great Britain was never complete nor permanent. North and west of the Roman occupation, and in many pockets throughout Great Britain and the British isles, Celtic culture successfully resisted the Roman incursion. And within that culture, Christianity flourished in specifically Celtic ways, in contrast to Roman ways.
• Celtic Christian missionaries (including Patrick, Brigid, Brendan, Kieran, Columba, Kevin and others) established Celtic Christian communities, not only the British isles, but in continental Europe.
• In 596 Rome sent Augustine to Britain to bring Christianity to the Angles. When Augustine came ashore, he was greeted by Christians. Not Roman Christians, but Celtic Christians.

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