Alternative history is big business today. Who doesn’t love a good novel exploring what might have happened – if only…?
It’s a creative reimagining of the course of world events, recognising the fragility of our historical reality and the ‘truths’ that have shaped our world, exploring if what might have been happened if just one thread had been altered. What if Germany had won WWII? What if Russia hadn’t backed down during the Cuban missile crisis? What if Antony had stayed with Cleopatra?
But here’s a new one: What if Celtic Christianity had prevailed at the Synod of Whitby instead of Roman Christianity? The Synod was a historic meeting convened by King Oswiu of Northumbria in 664AD at Whitby Abbey, at which the decision was made that Britain would follow Roman Christian practice rather than Celtic practice. This was not universally obeyed – but eventually Rome won the day.
We normally look back at the two major divisions between Roman Catholic West and Orthodox East. But what if Celtic Christianity had prevailed in Northern Europe and created three branches rather than two? There were many unique forms of Christianity shaping the world before Rome and Constantinople gradually asserted their power in a Church-State synthesis.
Images of Celtic Christianity inspire a pot-pourri of miracle, myth, mystery and madness. But its roots were very real and historical. We’ve all seen ancient Celtic crosses with their strange carvings, cosmic symbolism and animal shapes, and Celtic knots are perennially popular in jewelry, art and embroidery. But what did it all mean? Who were the Celtic Christians?
When Roman Catholicism was still in its infancy, Celtic Christianity was already gaining footholds across the British Isles and Northern Europe. It wasn’t a central hierarchy like Rome, but was spread by saints and missionaries like Patrick, Columba, and Columbanus, known for incredible miracles (driving out the snakes, taming wild beasts, praying springs of fresh water into being) and feats of asceticism. Some Celtic monks lived as hermits on barren rocky islands, standing in icy water in prayer with arms outstretched until birds gathered on them.
Celtic monasteries became centres of trade, craft, arts, literature, hospitality, and travel. Some historians credit the Irish monks with saving Western civilization. Celtic Christianity was more in tune with nature, (viewing fellow creatures as God’s instruments), more egalitarian, more tolerant of pagan practices, perhaps more loving. One can only ask, what if…?
