This article is part of an ongoing series exploring the eight points of the wheel of the year. It is written by a good friend of mine and member of our community, Tony Marshall Griffiths. Tony lives in the North of England but grew up in Wales. He loves the landscapes of the British Isles and … Continue reading Son of the Mother →

The early Celtic Christians, like people of every creed in medieval Europe, were a patriarchal society. The struggles of women were real and we can see many places in the Celtic texts where sexism and misogyny were standard practice. However, there were voices who spoke out for equality as well, who took to heart the … Continue reading Giving Birth to God →

Today I would like to share a more personal reflection with you. It is about chronic pain, which is something that I struggle with. It is also about prayer and apatheia. My spine is kinda wonky. As the nerves emerge from my spinal cord, they are pinched by the bone on their way out. This … Continue reading The Gift of Suffering →

Today I would like to share a guest post with you from my new friend, Dustin Ashley. Dustin is a student at Emmanuel Christian Seminary in Johnson City, Tennessee where he is pursuing an MDiv in historical theology, specializing in the history of the early Irish church. He has recently published a book called Portús … Continue reading Portús na hÉireann: Praying the Celtic Hours →

There are many aspects to what we do at New Eden Ministry. There are the Sunday reflections, like this one, which people either find on Facebook or in their email. There is my practice of spiritual direction, which happens over zoom with people around the world. There are a few special interest groups on Facebook … Continue reading The Virtual Chapel →

There is an ancient idea in the Christian tradition, which was inherited from the Greek philosophers, called apatheia. It is about the inner condition of a person who is truly able to pray. While the word sounds like the modern English “apathy,” it doesn’t actually mean the same thing at all. Apathy is a lack … Continue reading Apatheia: A Healthy Heart →

In this article I would like to share with you a teaching from John Scotus Eriugena about how we know and love ourselves completely by nature, but have become ignorant of that truth. Before we delve into that idea, however, let’s step back and look briefly at Eriugena’s trinitarian metaphysics (how he thinks the Trinity … Continue reading Self Knowledge Leads to Self Love →

This article is part of an ongoing series exploring the eight points of the wheel of the year. It is written by a good friend of mine and member of our community, Tony Marshall Griffiths. Tony lives in the North of England but grew up in Wales. He loves the landscapes of the British Isles and … Continue reading Lugh’s Day →

The Voyage of Bran is an immram tale from the late seventh or early eighth century. It was likely a source of inspiration for later imramma, including the immram of Brendan. It is a short text with a mixture of poetry and prose. The body of the story is written in prose and the substantial … Continue reading The Voyage of Bran →

I would like to share an old prayer from the Irish tradition with you. This prayer is called Fiery Creator of Fire and it was used at the lighting of the paschal candle. The prayer can be found in the Antiphony of Bangor, one of the oldest surviving liturgical texts from Ireland. This short manuscript … Continue reading Setting Your Heart On Fire →