Digging for Celtic Treasure
"In the busyness and confusion of our twenty-first century world, Celtic Christianity, with its holistic approach to finding God in all of life and its inclusive attitude to both men and women, offers a spirituality for our time." So says Liz Babbs in her new book, Celtic Treasure, Unearthing the Riches of Celtic Spirituality.
This little gift book packs a lot of information into eight chapters without losing the sense of simplicity that is a hallmark of Celtic Christianity. In 79 beautifully illustrated pages Liz covers:Unearthing Celtic Treasures---Liz shares her story of pilgrimage to some of the ancient sites where Christianity was birthed in England, Ireland, and Scotland.Celtic Saints---This chapter offers an overview of various Celtic saints who helped change the course of history in Europe.Prayer and Solitude---Liz explains the Celtic way of incorporating prayer into all aspects of life and includes some of her own prayers as examples along with some of the ancient Celtic prayers.God and Creation---Celtic Christians were not pagans, but because their way of life was so tied to the earth and the elements, they emphasized worship of the God of Creation, requested his power for their protection, and honored his eternal Word reflected in nature.Celebrating Creativity---Liz highlights the types of stories, art, poetry, music, dance, and songs of the era of Celtic spirituality and how this love of creativity has influenced our era.Valuing Community---This is one of my favorite chapters because the Celtic Christians understood that relationships were the heart of the Gospel and carried over into eternity future. Community balanced with solitude brought maturity for these Christians.Generous Hospitality---Liz shares how in the Celtic tradition, strangers are to be received as Christ.Celebrating Life---The concluding chapter of Celtic Treasure reminds us that life is a celebration of the God who brings us joy.Quotes, prayers, and pictures enliven Celtic Treasure and left me longing for my own pilgrimage to Britain and Ireland. For now, I will be content to be a Pilgrim of the Heart by learning to practice what this little book teaches.Liz Babbs is an award winning author and speaker living in Nottingham, England. I invite you to join me next week in a three part interview with her on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
In Him together, Susan Gaddis