Celtic History, Part II

Celtic History, Part II Audio


Notes from Anglican Studies, Week 2
Celtic History, Part II
Cheryl Sedlacek
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Opening Prayer
    A prayer for the New Year from the Celtic Tradition

Review (refer to week 1 notes)

A deeper exploration of the methods of St. Patrick in Ireland
     Monastic method of evangelism
        Welcome, worship, community, service, work, study
        Soul friend - discipleship by peer relationship

How did St. Patrick communicate his message and why did it spread
      150 tribes - 30 were converted during Patrick's ministry
       The rest were converted by disciples of Patrick in the next two generations after his death!

Theory of Public Communication - Aristotle delineated three elements...
Ethos of the Communicator / Logos of the Message / Pathos of the People or Audience

ETHOS:
  Patrick was deeply acquainted with the lifestyle of the Irish because of his captivity there for 6 years.
  He went into the villages, and on Easter Eve he lit a competing "New Fire" on the hill across from the
       druids in the villages.

(discussion of Eater Vigil and the service in regard to the light in the church)  Patrick used the Easter Vigil Liturgy from history to speak to a new way of life for the Irish people.  The kindling of "new fire" is the first act of the Easter Vigil, which then proceeds into the church - 4 a.m. on Easter morning is the time for the vigil (Sunrise Service) until the light breaks in at sunrise!  He used the liturgy, He knew his people and the culture of Ireland,

St. Patrick's Breastplate - prayer for safety
   (click here for YouTube version of the Hymn and the words as translated for the hymn)

The use of nature to teach - Shamrock

Ethos of the Communicator = Intelligence, Character, and Good Will
   St. Patrick cared for the Irish and they knew it
 

LOGOS - The message of the Gospel - It was good news to the Irish people!!

PATHOS - People can receive things from a left or right brain way.
     Irish were a predominantly right brained people - art and music and creative ways of communication
     Jesus himself used the pictures from life which teach us in parables
     Paul was more left-brained, logical, lots of words.

[DISCUSSION OF PATHOS IN OUR OWN CULTURE]

We need to have our own A-Ha moments!!  God has put seeds in every culture that lead us
to faith in Him!  Patrick was a pioneer of indigenous and inculturated evangelism.  It was the
reason that there was so great a success in the evangelism of Ireland.

The Roman way of evangelism wasn't only "when in Rome do as the Roman's do";  it was
"when your anywhere ... do as the Roman's do!"

Our culture is one, like the Irish, that responds well to the right-brained, community and fellowship
model.  Danger of communication in 146 characters - phones, computers and facebook, etc.  We are
in danger of losing the Ethos.

Examples of Celtic writing and visual symbolism
   (St. David)
   (Celtic knots and crosses)
   (Celtic prayers and blessings)

Middle issues:  prayer for the common things of life

More Resources
Celtic Blessings:  Prayers for Everyday Life
Celtic Prayers from Iona
Celtic Daily Prayer

Missionary Readings:
Eternity in Their Hearts
Peace Child
Transformation Video, Part II