cELtic cHRiStiAN : SEVEN diStiNctiVES
“Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all that is within me, bless His holy Name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things;
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
-Psalm 103:1-5
“The wind blows where it will, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it is coming from, or where it is going;
even so is everyone
that is born of the Spirit.”
-John 3:8
“Eisd ri gaoth nam beann gus traoigh na h-uisgeachan.”
“Listen to the mountain wind, until the streams abate.”
-Old Gaelic Saying
cELtic cHRiStiAN: SEVEN diStiNctiVES - AN ANciiENt CELtic cHRiStiAN MiNdSEt fOR tOdAy
The Celtic Christian viewpoint, or way of looking at the world, held by both ancient (5th-12th Centuries) and contemporary Celtic Christians, is not exclusive.
That is, one can have the distinct Celtic Christian mindset while remaining Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Mennonite, Anglican, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or a member of any other Christian Communion.
But what exactly did the ancient Celtic Christians believe and teach doctrinally?
They believed exactly the same as any ancient, medieval, or contemporary believing Christians do: the Christian Faith as stated in the universally accepted Nicene Creed.
These same Nicene faith beliefs are clearly stated in the prayer: St. Patrick’s Breastplate, also known as The Deer’s Cry, or The Lorica.
(It is posted in the Dropdown of our PRAYER Category)
cELtic cHRistiAN: SeveN DiStiNctiVES - HOpE, EquALity, MyStERy, ENViRONMENt, HolLSM, iMMANENcE, SiMpLicity
1. Hope – Looks first for the good rather than the evil in all things.
“And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”
-Genesis 1:31
“And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
-I Corinthians 13:13 __________________________________________________________
2. Equality – Of men and women, clergy and laity.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” -Galatians 3:28
“You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” -I Peter 2:5 __________________________________________________________
3. Mystery – The Infinite God cannot be fully comprehended or explained by finite man.
“Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light which no one can approach to; who no one has seen, or can see: to Him be honor and power everlasting. Amen.”
-I Timothy 6:16
“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” -I Corinthians 4:1
“And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
-I Timothy 3:16
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? …For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Him be glory forever. Amen.” –Romans 11:34-36 __________________________________________________________
4. Environment – Stewardship of God’s Creation.
“Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to tend and keep it.” -Genesis 2:15
“You made Him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet: all sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field; the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.” -Psalm 8:6-8
“Also, it is required in stewards that they be found faithful.” -I Corinthians 4:2 __________________________________________________________
5. Holism – Awareness of the sacred in all times and places; refusal to compartmentalize life.
“And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” -Deuteronomy 6:6-7
“For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” -Romans 14:8
“Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one, all things in Christ; both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:” -Ephesians 1:9-10 __________________________________________________________
6. Immanence – God is present with His Creation.
“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Him be the glory forever. Amen.” -Romans 11:36
“That they should seek the Lord…though He is not far from every one of us: for in Him we live, and move, and have our being;” -Acts 17:27-28 __________________________________________________________
7. Simplicity – Emphasis on the “main and plain” basic essential doctrines: “Mere Christianity,” The Nicene Creed.
“But I fear, lest by any means…your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” -II Corinthians 11:3
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, in accordance with the Scriptures:”
-I Corinthians 15:3-4
“And I, brothers and sisters, when I arrived to you, I arrived not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” –
I Corinthians 2:1-2 __________________________________________________________
A Memory Aid:
“He-Me-His” – An acronym composed of the first initials of each of the words:
Hope, Equality Mystery Environment Holism, Immanence, Simplicity
Source: This List we call Celtic Christian: Seven Distinctives is from the website of the Gospel Community Rivermont Church Lynchburg, Virginia. Formerly: Rivermont Avenue Baptist Church (Southern Baptist).
Copyright 2004 Rivermont Avenue Baptist Church. All Rights Reserved.
We have slightly rearranged the List for Memorization purposes, also adding supporting Scripture Verses with their Verse References, and a Memory Aid Acronym.
See Original List on our webpage:
Celtic Baptists (Features Category)
sAyinGS Of tHE dESERt FAtHERS: (AbbA iSidORE, a HERMit, & AbbA NiLuS):
“If you fast regularly,’ said Abba Isidore, ‘do not be filled with pride. Do not think highly of yourself because you do this. It is better to not fast, than to to be puffed up in yourself.'”
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“A certain Hermit was visited by a Brother. As the Brother was preparing to leave, he said, ‘Abba, forgive me for preventing you from keeping your Rule (of fasting).‘ The Hermit answered, ‘My Rule is to welcome you with hospitality, and to send you away in peace.'”
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“Abba Nilus once said, “Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger.”
-Sayings of the Desert Fathers
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