Neo-Celtic Christianity or Contemporary Celtic Christianity are terms used to describe a religious movement to re-assert or restore beliefs and practices that its adherents believe to have originated in Celtic Christianity. Celtic Christianity is a term originally applied to a variety of Christianity which evolved in the British Isles during the first millennium of the Christian era, and particularly during the first half of the first millennium. The revivalist movement traces its origins to

Jules Ferrette Jules Ferrette, also spelled Julius Ferrette (22 April 1828 – 10 October 1904 or in 1903), was allegedly bishop of Iona; he is allegedly the founder of the Ancient British Church. Biography Ferrette was born in Épinal, France, possibly of Pr ...

(Mar Julius) and Richard Williams Morgan (Mar Pelagius), who established the

Ancient British Church The Ancient British Church was a British religious movement supposedly founded in the 19th century by Jules Ferrette ( Mar Julius) and Richard Williams Morgan (Mar Pelagius). The Ancient British Church ceased to exist in 1944. Foundation Jules ...

in 1858. Morgan-Guy, John., Book review of "A short biography of the Reverend Richard Williams Morgan (c:1815–1889), the Welsh poet and re-founder of the ancient British Church. An enquiry into the origins of neo-Celtic Christianity, together with a reprint of several works by Richard Williams Morgan and Jules Ferrette, etc. By G. H. Thomann. Pp. iii+133. Solna, Sweden: St Ephrem's Institute, 2001, £10 (paper)." in The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Volume 54, Issue 01, January 2003, pp 97 - 194.
/ref> Contemporary Celtic or neo-Celtic Christianity portrays a gentle, tolerant, 'green', meditative, egalitarian and holistic form of Christian faith and practice. Such a 'Celtic' form of Christianity is seen by some as representing a survival or restoration of an early 'pure' form of Christianity which they hold as having existed in the British Isles long before missions such as

Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North A ...

's mission to Canterbury in AD 597 introduced and overlaid Roman forms of Christian faith and practice. Some consider that the transition from the 'old religion' (i.e. from pre-Christian Celtic beliefs) to Christian faith and allegiance was an easy, smooth and harmonious transition, and that neo-Celtic Christianity or contemporary Celtic Christianity holds a distinctive and unique place within Christianity in that it has allegedly preserved or restored an ancient body of esoteric divine wisdom unknown in other branches of Christianity.

Reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is ...

is widely regarded as a Celtic belief in neo-pagan,

New Age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars consi ...

, and

druidic A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Wh ...

circles. Even in some neo-Celtic Christian circles (contemporary Celtic Christian circles), belief in reincarnation may be retained. The origins of some contemporary Neo-Celtic beliefs can be traced to the works of Bishop Thomas Burgess, which were further expounded in works such as Richard Williams Morgan's book '' Saint Paul in Britain''.

References

{{Reflist, 2 Christian new religious movements Celtic Christianity History of Christianity in the United Kingdom

See also

References