Celtic Spirituality

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This seminar will study texts and figures from the Celtic-speaking regions of the British Isles during late antiquity and the early Middle Ages (from approximately the fifth century on), particularly in various monastic movements. Since this material can only be understood in the context of the general growth of monasticism in the early church we begin with an overview of that material and themes in monastic spirituality and theology that they created. Then we turn to specific theological, liturgical and spiritual texts often now grouped together as Celtic spirituality. At the end of the course we will consider reasons for various revivals of interest in Celtic spirituality, assessing both the scholarly shortcomings of some of these revivals but also the insights and practices brought to view in them that are of genuine value for the needs of the church and world today. The focus will be on close reading and discussion of texts, with a final paper on a topic worked out with the instructor.