The island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland has an important place in the history of Christianity in Great Britain. The conversion of pagan England was brought about by two distinct missions; one from Rome that landed in Kent in 597 - St Augustine, and the other brought from Ireland to Iona and later to Northumbria by St Columba.
St Columba (Columcille) journeyed across the Irish sea to Iona in 563AD and established a monastery there. During the century following the establishment of the monastery of Iona, the Columban church played a leading role in the expansion of Christianity in northern Britain. Converting at least some of the picts and introducing the faith to Anglo-Saxon Northumbria by St Aidan.
This mission also had an important effect on the development of learning and art producing much literature, manuscript illumination and sculpture. Iona was an important part of this - infact the Book of Kells may well have been written and illuminated on Iona during the middle or second half of the 8th century. This period was brought to an end by the onset of Viking raids shortly before 800AD, although religious life continued on the island, the influence of the monastery was much diminished.
In Northumbria, Aidan established a monastery on Holy Island or Lindisfarne as it is also known. This was to become the cradle of Christianity in north-east England through succeeding generations, a place where nature, work and prayer interwove. On hearing of Aidan's death, Cuthbert vowed to continue his work in spreading the gospel throughout Northumbria. Cuthbert led a life of solitude but was called to preach widely by his monasteries. In 661AD he became Prior of Holy Island.
The church at that time was united (no denominations) in a goal to see
the light of the gospel shine brightly over the whole of these islands,
with a zeal that has rarely been seen since. The importance of prayer and
seeing Godﾕs involvement in every aspect of life was clearly understood.
There was a love and thirst for scripture, for living a holy and simple
lifestyle, a deep respect for nature and for people. Their way of evangelising
was by getting alongside folk, understanding them and preaching by the
example of their lives. This important time in our history is an inspiration
to the members of Iona both in their music and in their own lives.
<ケルティック・クリスチャニティについてお勧めの書籍＞
RESTORING THE WOVEN CORD by MICHAEL MITTON
Published by Darton Longman & Todd,
1 Spencer Court, 140-142 Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 4JJ (1995)
This book has been re-titled for the USA "The Soul of Celtic Spirituality"
and is
available from:23rd Publications, 185 Willow Street, PO Box 180, Mystic,
CT 06355. (Jan 96)
CELTIC FIRE by ROBERT VAN DER WEYER
(also published by Darton Longman & Todd)
EXPLORING CELTIC SPIRITUALITY by RAY SIMPSON
Published by Hodder and Stoughton, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH
(1995)
DAVID ADAM has written several books including
THE EYE OF THE EAGLE (which was used for many of the ideas behind Journey
into the Morn). It is published by Triangle, SPCK, Holy Trinity Church,Marylebone
Road, London NW1 4DU, UK and distributed in America by:Abingdon, 201 8th
Ave South, PO Box 801, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Tel: 001 615 749 6301
＜関連サイト＞
http://www.seumas.mull.com/alphaindex.html
http://www.iona.org.uk
http://www.zynet.co.uk/mull/iona.html
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