More Research: How the Irish Saved Civilization during the Dark Ages; and Celtic Spirituality
Above is the stack of books I’ve pulled off of my shelves and have sitting on a chair within easy reach to assist me as I write!
Thomas Cahill’s book, How the Irish Saved Civilization, is a fascinating read. Cahill relates how, during the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome, the monks in Ireland preserved the writings of the past. The first section on the fall of Rome which sets the context for the rest of the book, is not an easy read, but the rest was well worth the struggle to get to it.
Celtic spirituality truly is a spirituality for the laity (non-ordained, non members of vowed religious communities). It is rooted in everyday life with blessings for everything, prayers to be said throughout the day, a great appreciation for nature and for community. Esther De Wall, in her book, The Celtic Way of Prayer, provides a wonderful introduction to Celtic spirituality, including many ancient prayers and traditions.
A Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book by William John Fitzgerald includes many of these ancient prayers and Celtic traditions and makes them accessible for the contemporary Christian. He captures the “flavors and characteristics of prayer, devotion, and worldview that have come down to us from the golden age of the Celts, approximately 500-700 A.D., when Ireland became known as the ‘land of saints and scholars.'” Precisely the time period covered in Cahill’s book. What came out of that time “was a unique way of looking at the world and communicating with the divine that we now call ‘Celtic,'” Fitzgerald writes in his introduction.
If you are interested in learning more about Celtic spirituality, I will be writing about it in this month’s newsletter. Just sign up in the yellow box on the right. It provides another way to unlock the extraordinary from the everyday!
Also in this month’s newsletter will be two proposed covers for my next book, An Irish Slip Step. Be among the first to check them out and give your input. Sign up today!
Do you have other resources to recommend? Please include them in the comment section. I would love to hear from you.
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