| Translated and Introduced by Oliver Davies With the Collaboration of Thomas O’Loughlin Preface by James Mackey
A volume of The Classics of Western Spirituality: A Library of the Great Spiritual Masters
“There is something peculiarly attractive about the Christianity of the early Celtic-speaking peoples, which continues to exercise a considerable fascination on many today. The vivid and complex gospel illustrations, which are perhaps the best known and most frequently reproduced creations of the Christianity of the insular world, suggest a self-confident, brilliantly original civilization in which the skills and ingenuity of the individual artist are given a prominent place. The intricate, interweaving designs and natural motifs convey the impression of a religion that is in close dialogue with nature rather than withdrawn from it, and the rich adornment of the biblical text is a reminder of the great status accorded to the Word of God. If we were to explore further, we would find that such gospel books were often believed to have a mystical power as objects of incarnate grace and that the understanding that the presence of God could be felt and discerned in the natural and human landscapes of our world was widespread among Christians from Celtic cultures. God was present to them in images and signs, in poetry and art, in sacrament and liturgy; and their own response to God was no less direct, for it was commonly a physical one, expressed at the level of the body in the embrace of a life-transforming penance. Indeed, it is these two themes, penance and creativity, that are the guiding motifs of Celtic Christianity. Both speak of incarnation, and of the affirmation and transformation of life, since creativity is the mark of the Spirit and penance is the gate to glory.” —“An Introduction to Celtic Spirituality”
CONTENTS
Preface I. INTRODUCTION An Introduction to Celtic Spirituality The Concept of a Celtic Spirituality The Origins of Celtic Christianity Celtic Christianity: Mission and Maturity Toward a Celtic Spirituality The Sources: Introduction to the Translated Texts Hagiography (“The Patrick Tradition” by Thomas O’Loughlin) Monastic Texts Poetry Devotional Texts Liturgy Apocrypha Exegesis Homilies Theology A Note on the Selection and Translation II. THE TEXTS Hagiography: 1. The Patrick Tradition (by Thomas O’Loughlin) i. Patrick’s Declaration of the Great Works of God (the Confessio) ii. The Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus iii. The Sayings of Patrick (the Dicta) iv. The Life of Patrick by Muirchú v. Patrick’s Breastplate (by Oliver Davies) 2. The Brigit Tradition i. Ultán’s Hymn ii. The Life of St. Brigit the Virgin by Cogitosus iii. The Irish Life of Brigit 3. The Voyage of Brendan 4. The Life of St. David by Rhigyfarch 5. The Life of Beuno 6. The Life of St. Melangell Monastic Texts: 1. The Preface of Gildas on Penance 2. The Penitential of Cummean 3. The Rule for Monks by Columbanus Poetry: Irish Poems 1. A Hymn of Praise 2. The Lord of Creation 3. The Scribe in the Woods 4. My Speech 5. All Alone in My Little Cell 6. Grant Me Tears, O Lord 7. On the Flightiness of Thought 8. Three Wishes 9. The Saints’ Calendar of Adamnán 10. A Prayer to the Archangels for Every Day of the Week Welsh Poems 11. Almighty Creator 12. Padarn’s Staff 13. Glorious Lord 14. Praise to the Trinity 15. Praise to God 16. Alexander’s Breastplate 17. Praising God at the Beginning and End 18. The Advice of Addaon 19. Elaeth’s Englynion 20. The Song of Elaeth 21. The First Word I Say 22. Maytime Is the Fairest Season 23. Fragment of the Dispute Between Body and Soul 24. To the Trinity 25. Lord of Heaven 26. The Deathbed Song of Meilyr the Poet 27. Meilyr Son of Gwalchmai’s Ode to God 28. The Deathbed Song of Cynddelw 29. The Loves of Taliesin 30. Poem to the Virgin Mary Devotional Texts: 1. May Your Holy Angels 2. O God, Lord of Creation 3. The Breastplate of Laidcenn 4. The Broom of Devotion 5. Litany of the Virgin and All Saints 6. Litany of the Creation 7. May This Journey Be Easy 8. The Path I Walk 9. The Prayers of Moucan 10. The Protection of the Father and the Son Liturgy: 1. The Tract on the Mass in the Stowe Missal 2. Two Eucharistic Chants From the Stowe Missal (by Thomas O’Loughlin) 3. Communion Hymn 4. Hymn at the Lighting of the Paschal Candle Apocrypha: 1. The Evernew Tongue (1–22) 2. The Creation of Adam 3. The Power of Women 4. The Vision of Adamnán Exegesis: 1. A Mystical Interpretation of the Beati (Psalm 118) 2. Gloss on Psalm 103 Homilies: 1. Sermons of Columbanus i. Sermon Five ii. Sermon Eight iii. Sermon Eleven iv. Sermon Thirteen 2. Catechesis Celtica: Commentary on Matthew XVI, 24 3. An Old Irish Homily 4. The Cambrai Homily 5. Three Sunday Catecheses (by Thomas O’Loughlin) Theology: 1. On the Christian Life by Pelagius 2. “The High First-Sower” (the Altus Prosator) by Columba (by Thomas O’Loughlin) 3. Homily on the Prologue to The Gospel of John by John Scottus Eriugena 4. The Food of the Soul Abbreviations Notes Select Bibliography I. Principal Printed Sources of the Translations II. Other Primary and Secondary Sources Index
Item Number: BKPP341 Publication Data: New York, NY/Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1999 Format: softcover Number of Pages: xxii + 554 Dimensions (l × w × h): 22.8 cm × 15.3 cm × 3.6 cm ISBN-10: 0‒8091‒3894‒8 ISBN-13: 978‒0‒8091‒3894‒4
$31.95 (USD)
|