An Invitation to Celtic Wisdom: A Little Guide to Mystery, Spirit, and Compassion

McColman (The Big Book of Christian Mysticism), member of a Lay Cistercian contemplative community under the guidance of Trappist monks, concisely describes Celtic Christianity in this inviting book. Claiming that Celtic sects are often overlooked in Christian texts and considered to be more myth than serious theology, he lays out the lore of the early peoples of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany. McColman takes short dips into Celtic folklore, Gaelic prayers, and Irish poetry, and charts Celtic spirituality’s deep roots in mysticism and storytelling. With traditions such as the three lents (three separate lent periods) and “thin places” (places where the sacred and profane meld), the early Christian Celts structured rituals around hospitality, monastic rites, and everyday compassion. Living at the so-called “edge of waiting” between the physical and spiritual worlds, the Celts honored the mystery of God and viewed the island Éire as situated as the edge of the known world—a fact McColman believes contributes to Celtic emphasis on contemplative prayer and worship of the land. This sound overview of Celtic Christianity will appeal to those with little prior knowledge of Celtic traditions. (Nov.)