The future of Catholicism, some say, lies buried in the past – before the year 1000.
Nonhierarchical and nonsexist, the early Celtic Church existed at the fringes of Western Christendom.
With no cellphones or Internet, Celtic Catholics sometimes went 150 years with no formal word from Rome.
But when they did communicate, those ancient Celts – like American Catholics today – frequently conflicted with Rome over issues connected with sexuality and church governance.
“Celtic Christianity is a good model for national Catholic churches,” says Marcus Borg, author of best sellers such as “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time.”
“It’s deeply Christian, but without the structures of authority that are part of the Roman Catholic Church.”
Borg recently returned from leading a Celtic pilgrimage with John Dominic Crossan, co-director of the Jesus Seminar, and author of best sellers such as “The Historical Jesus.”
The renowned scholars focused travelers on a key question: What does Christianity look like when it’s not in direct communion with Rome?
Catholics, both Celtic and Roman, shared the same Latin Masses. But distance allowed the Celts freedom to shape their own practice and doctrine.
“On these marginal islands, who could know for sure what was in, what was out in Rome, let alone in the other ancient centers of Christianity?” writes Thomas Cahill in “How the Irish Saved Civilization.”
The Celtic Church featured independent rules and liturgies, and even had its own Irish saints and prayers.
Eventually, however, Celtic Catholics exchanged autonomy for Roman authority. A vestige of their spirit remains, even now, on a distant continent.
“American Catholics have a very healthy disinclination to go along with all the church’s teachings,” says Borg. “They have a healthy affirmation to what the Spirit says to them in their own lives.”