Celtic Christianity Book Review

Reading Report Form

Book Title: The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West Again

Author: George G. Hunter III

Synopsis of content: This book is about St. Patrick, who was once a slave in Ireland and then became a missionary to Ireland in 432. He and his team evangelized 30 or more Celtic tribes by establishing monastic communities throughout Ireland.

Significant Quotes:
Contemplative prayer is the way we fulfill St. Paul’s counsel to “pray without ceasing”. It is an on going, or very frequent opening of the heart to the Triune God, often while engaging in each of the many experiences that fill a day.

Reflection:
I enjoyed reading about St. Patrick and his successes spreading the Gospel to the Celtic tribes in Ireland. I liked the idea of monastic communities. I hope that missionaries today are establishing a similar type of community in the areas they are serving. These communities resembled New Testament communities in my mind, a movement, God’s people and not a building. The author also stated that Celtic Christianity stirs the imagination. I could see why he said this after I read some of the Celtic poems and blessings he transcribed in this book.

At work, a few days after St. Patrick’s Day, I went to lunch with my office. At the lunch table, I sat next to a co-worker named Patrick, who is Irish and Catholic. I asked him about his St. Patrick’s Day and how it went. We started talking and during the conversation, I talked about this book. He seemed interested and I recommended it to him for future reading.