Celtic Fire: The Passionate Religious Vision of Ancient Britain and Ireland [Paperback]

Robert Van De Weyer (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This modest anthology offers excerpts from saints' lives, histories, legends, prayers, morality plays, proverbs, and poetry. The texts, conflated from the various available sources, have been recast into modern English by the editor, who also adds a plan for a "modern Celtic pilgrimage." His introduction commends Celtic Christianity as a "spirituality for our time," since it "embraced the natural order," gave women equal status, and was suspicious of hierarchical rigidity (i.e., Roman-stratified Christianity). Van de Weyer traces these Celtic virtues to three influences: Druidic religion, which "placed great emphasis on love" (no mention of such practices as human sacrifices); the "great British heretic" Pelagius's moral self-reliance and social awareness; and the stubborn individualism of the desert fathers. While such enthusiasms seem to owe as much to Rousseau and the spirit of the 1970s as to Celtic Christianity, the freshness and variety of the texts collected here make this a pleasant addition to inspirational collections.
-Anneliese Schwarzer, formerly with "Library Journal"
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (August 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385419589
• ISBN-13: 978-0385419581
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #297,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Anthology!, April 8, 2000

By 

Richard Marting (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celtic Fire: The Passionate Religious Vision of Ancient Britain and Ireland (Paperback)

This is a wonderful anthology of early Celtic Christian writers and thinkers. Contains great information about each person and a goodly portion of their writings and philosophy. I love this book and plan to read it many more times in the future.

5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful book, March 16, 2011

By 

Hubertus Fremerey (Germany) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Celtic Fire: The Passionate Religious Vision of Ancient Britain and Ireland (Paperback)

This is not in any way a religious book to proselityze. It is a collection of charming little texts that speak out of a deep piety with regard to God's creation by putting all creatures and landscapes and events into the light of God. It is the light that matters here, which shines on seegulls and cats and human conduct without ever lecturing the reader, just making him see. Great read !

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Celtic Fire, May 10, 2009

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J. Niday - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Celtic Fire: The Passionate Religious Vision of Ancient Britain and Ireland (Paperback)

The book was sent to me as a gift. I haven't read it yet. However, I was very disappointed that it was advertised and sold as a "hardcover" which it certainly is NOT! At least I don't consider a soft paper cover as a "hardcover".