“The early Christians of Ireland developed an expression of the faith characterized by deep devotion and fascinating stories,” Newman said. “It offers rich insights for modern issues such as promoting a caring society, relating to the natural world and welcoming strangers.” Writers often use the metaphor of journey or pilgrimage to describe the Christian life. What distinguishes this book and its development of that theme is its invitation to readers to experience their personal faith journeys through Celtic lenses. Pilgrimage is part of the DNA of Celtic Christians. The faith spread and flourished in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Northern England between the 5th and 11th centuries because saints like Patrick, Brigid, and Columba traveled extensively, preaching, teaching, and founding monasteries. Soon small groups of Christians began to go out from these locations and begin new Christian communities. By connecting historical information with their current lives and concerns, readers will be encouraged to consider the many ways pilgrimage has shaped their personal faith. They will discover the value and contributions of fellow travelers on the faith journey and how they assist and shape that journey. By recalling how Celtic Christians celebrated and marked significant moments in their lives of faith, readers will discover ways they can develop this practice. They will affirm the importance of both offering and receiving hospitality on the faith journey, a discipline that was critical to the Celts. They will also have opportunities to deal with difficult life journeys such as transitions and opportunities for forgiveness, and the importance of blessing one another in a world that values polarization over cooperation and competition over community. With an introduction that sets the tone and introduces the theme and six chapters related to distinctives of Celtic Christianity, this book is ideal for small groups whose members want to grow together in their spiritual understandings and commitments. Rodney Newman holds degrees from the University of Tulsa and Princeton Theological Seminary. He has served as associate pastor and senior pastor in United Methodist churches in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Purcell, Oklahoma. He joined the staff at Oklahoma City University in June of 2007 where he provides pastoral care and teaches on Celtic Christianity. He has been featured on Huffington Post. A native of Coweta, Oklahoma, he lives in Oklahoma City with his wife and children. Journeys with Celtic Christians By Rodney Newman Abingdon Press Copyright © 2015 Rodney Newman All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-63088-981-4 Contents Introduction, Chapter 1: Embarking on the Journey, Chapter 2: Friends on the Journey, Chapter 3: Markers on the Journey, Chapter 4: Hospitality on the Journey, Chapter 5: Reluctant Journeys, Chapter 6: Blessings on the Journey, Benediction, Endnotes, Timeline, Pronunciation Guide, Select Bibliography, CHAPTER 1 Embarking on the Journey Embarking on a journey always arouses a degree of anxiety. Even if you can't wait for the adventures ahead, leaving the familiar to enter the unfamiliar raises questions: "What did we forget to pack?" "How will I react if something goes wrong?" "What have we not anticipated?" These questions become more pressing when traveling with small children. That's what my wife, Ann, and I experienced, anyway, as we went over checklists and buckled everyone into the van for our annual trip to Lake Okoboji in northwestern Iowa. A midway point between our home in Oklahoma and her brother's family in North Dakota, this location provided a beautiful setting for our families to enjoy a fun time reconnecting across the miles. One of my favorite photographs from those reunions is one of me sitting in a chair overlooking the lake with my daughter, Rachel, two years old at the time, sitting in my lap. We're both very relaxed, with her resting after an active day and me reading a copy of The Celtic Way, by Ian Bradley. At first glance, the photo captures a moment of affection and bonding between father and daughter. What is not evident is the ray of hope shining into my heart in the midst of a time of spiritual turmoil that had been troubling my soul. For much of my life, I had experienced God as one of guilt and shame, always watching, not so much to care for me but to wait for me to make a mistake. Following the rules, affirming certain beliefs, observing particular practices was what constituted the life of faith. I knew there had to be more. I wanted to love God, not just prevent God from rejecting me. I wanted to experience God, not just claim a correct, if distant, relationship. Some of my friends had similar yearnings, so we embarked on a journey of discovery. We read theologians outside our particular tradition. We plumbed the stories of faithful Christians in church history who had similar struggles. We challenged one another to dare