A Generous View of Life
The feeling comes across that these are people who are driven by ideas. - Professor Martin Carver
I ran across this quote describing Irish monks in an article recommended by a reader entitled The Long Search by William Dalrymple that disusses Celtic Spirituality and its origins. Believing the quote to be an appropriate description, I understand the more why I am drawn to Celtic spirituality. While I believe that we should ultimately be driven by our passion to know Christ and make Him known, the question then becomes, "how do we do that?". I have believed and have come to know that living with a closed mind, convinced that your worldview is the sole repository of truth, displays a limited profile of the wonderful fullness that is the body of Christ. We need a wide-angle lens for this panoramic view of God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. In that respect it is life changing and life giving to be "driven by ideas."
I understand that to be driven by ideas means to be driven by possibilities. I much prefer to live in a dynamic world of optimism rather that the static world of pessimism. Few things thrill my soul as much as ideas. I am intoxicated by wonder. I cannot fathom the lives of those who never change or never aspire to be better than what they are. These Irish monks fascinate me. For while they lived contemplative lives, they were very missional, treking to the far corners of the world bringing books and ideas back with them. The worth of other people and cultures is valued as means through which God can teach us something about Himself. This is evident in the Prayer of St. Patrick included in the Morning Prayer:
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
Some quotes from the article that describe well the distinctives of Celtic Spirituality bear including here:
"Celtic Christianity was less authoritarian, more colourful , more in touch with nature than that practised elsewhere in Catholic Europe." Gilbert Markus
"You have I think a much less hierarchical approach …I think they had a more generous view of God…you get this sense of belonging to a great party where God is dancing, and I think Patrick's creed sums that up beautifully." Martin Palmer
"Celtic Christianity had a certain vitality, a simplicity and a faithfulness that is what people wish they could find in the Church today." Andy Raine, Northumbria Community
"People do not trust institutions that have hidden agendas and try to standardise and fit you into their structures, in a way that violates something that with, is within you. And I think in the Celtic tradition, there is this tremendous sense of the presence of God in all creation, There is also a strong emphasis on the contemplative, which appeals to people who just can't cope with the overload of modern society. And there is also I think specially from the Irish mission, a, going with the flow so that there's a sense of life and Christianity being about a journey, in which every day is fresh." William Dalrymple
"This was a more collective form of Christianity. It was a more gentle kind of Christianity. It didn't try to solve everything. It quite liked to leave mysteries for people to ponder on, rather than solutions, which gave you an answer." Martin Palmer
I pray that we all have a "generous view of God," but also that we have a generous view of life, that we live with eyes wide open to wonder and hearts bowed in thankfulness.
I ran across this quote describing Irish monks in an article recommended by a reader entitled The Long Search by William Dalrymple that disusses Celtic Spirituality and its origins. Believing the quote to be an appropriate description, I understand the more why I am drawn to Celtic spirituality. While I believe that we should ultimately be driven by our passion to know Christ and make Him known, the question then becomes, "how do we do that?". I have believed and have come to know that living with a closed mind, convinced that your worldview is the sole repository of truth, displays a limited profile of the wonderful fullness that is the body of Christ. We need a wide-angle lens for this panoramic view of God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. In that respect it is life changing and life giving to be "driven by ideas."
I understand that to be driven by ideas means to be driven by possibilities. I much prefer to live in a dynamic world of optimism rather that the static world of pessimism. Few things thrill my soul as much as ideas. I am intoxicated by wonder. I cannot fathom the lives of those who never change or never aspire to be better than what they are. These Irish monks fascinate me. For while they lived contemplative lives, they were very missional, treking to the far corners of the world bringing books and ideas back with them. The worth of other people and cultures is valued as means through which God can teach us something about Himself. This is evident in the Prayer of St. Patrick included in the Morning Prayer:
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
Some quotes from the article that describe well the distinctives of Celtic Spirituality bear including here:
"Celtic Christianity was less authoritarian, more colourful , more in touch with nature than that practised elsewhere in Catholic Europe." Gilbert Markus
"You have I think a much less hierarchical approach …I think they had a more generous view of God…you get this sense of belonging to a great party where God is dancing, and I think Patrick's creed sums that up beautifully." Martin Palmer
"Celtic Christianity had a certain vitality, a simplicity and a faithfulness that is what people wish they could find in the Church today." Andy Raine, Northumbria Community
"People do not trust institutions that have hidden agendas and try to standardise and fit you into their structures, in a way that violates something that with, is within you. And I think in the Celtic tradition, there is this tremendous sense of the presence of God in all creation, There is also a strong emphasis on the contemplative, which appeals to people who just can't cope with the overload of modern society. And there is also I think specially from the Irish mission, a, going with the flow so that there's a sense of life and Christianity being about a journey, in which every day is fresh." William Dalrymple
"This was a more collective form of Christianity. It was a more gentle kind of Christianity. It didn't try to solve everything. It quite liked to leave mysteries for people to ponder on, rather than solutions, which gave you an answer." Martin Palmer
I pray that we all have a "generous view of God," but also that we have a generous view of life, that we live with eyes wide open to wonder and hearts bowed in thankfulness.
1 comment:
Hey Lyndon, isn't this Celtic stuff just amazing? I'm enjoying reading your posts on the subject...makes me want to visit Ireland! Say...that's an idea...!
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