The Arrival of Celtic Christianity to the Isle of Iona, Part 1

In 563, an Irish monk named Columba sailed in a primitive coricle, (like a circular canoe) from Ireland, and set foot on a one by three mile isle of Iona, Scotland. Its east side is located across the Iona Sound from the much large Isle of Mull, which is ferry ride to the Scottish mainland. The western side faces the Atlantic Ocean. If you cast off from Iona and head west, the next landfall 2,300 miles away on Newfoundland.

Columba brought 12 companions with him. A monastery was established on Iona. Eventually, others were built across Scotland, each becoming learning centers and the recovery of portions of the Bible.

 Columba's mission was to bring Christianity to Northern Scotland. His method of evangelization was to build a monastery near a Celtic community. The monks established relationships with them and treated them with kindness and respect. They won them over by example, not by intimidation and fear. They even adapted the Celt's customs and ceremonies that were compatible with Christianity. The Celts believed that nature reflected the divine nature of God. 

The Celts were known for their languages who lived in Scotland and parts of southern England where there was little Roman influence.

Celtic Christians believed that nature had the divine essence of the divine. Nature was the "second Bible" along with the written one. In other words, they lived taught Genesis 1:27-31 which says that "God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them.... God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good." 

 

Celtic Christianty emerged in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Northern England where the Roman Empire little or no influence. 

Augustine of Canterbury was sent by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 to establish a Roman mission in Britannia.  

Roman Christianity was hierarchical consisting of the pope, bishops, and priests.  The clergy were the authorities in Christian doctrine and theology. To be a Roman Christian meant that you obeyed the clergy. Only the priest could teach and interpret the Bible. The laity were forbidden from having a Bible. 

Obedience to the priest was mandatory under the threat of excommunication or hell. The only way back to the fold was to recant by confessing one's sins. Only the priest could forgive sins by granting absolution, forgiving sin, or otherwise.