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| 18th century map of ancient Albion |
In the latter part of the first century, a strange new
religion began emerging on the island of Albion. This odd religion had little organization in
spite of the zealous fervor of its believers.
But its foothold on the island was inexorable. Part of the oddity
derived from its arrival that coincided with the pantheistic Romans. This religion spoke of one Christ whose life,
death and resurrection serves as redemption for the whole world. It spoke of
religious law being that from Christ, rather than the law of Moses. As Christianity was being introduced to
Albion (today, the island is more commonly known as Great Britain), so was it
gathering a following on the other Gallic isles—particularly Ireland.
By the end of the third century a.d., Ireland was a
stronghold for Christianity, even while it clung hard to its pagan past. This
is important because Celtic Christianity developed concurrently but
independently of Roman Christianity. Celtic
Christianity grew in Ireland and Scotland, establishing a number of convents
and monasteries. One such monastery was
St. Columba founded on the Isle of Iona.
In the meantime, Albion was subjected to wave after wave of invaders
from the main continent. The Roman
Empire’s insidious spread through Europe brought the first of the underground
Christians. By the end of the third
century, Emperor Constantine had made Christianity legal, so Christians in
Albion were able to build churches with little fear of retribution. As the Roman hold over Albion weakened, the
next wave of invaders, the Anglo-Saxons brought their version of Christianity to
the island, augmenting the already established Roman Christianity. But it wasn’t until King Edwin of Northumbria
converted to Christianity and was baptized on April 11, 627a.d. that
Christianity gained any true legitimacy in Britain.
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| St. Aidan |
King Edwin, full of his new birth in Christianity, wanted to
evangelize his kingdom. So he petitioned
to a number of monasteries in the south to supply monks for his churches. But Edwin fell in battle and left a
succession controversy in his wake.
Eventually and with much fratricide and patricide, Oswald, a nephew who
had been exiled, became the King of Northumbria. During his exile, Oswald had spent time at
St. Columba on Iona and himself converted to Christianity—the Celtic
version. (Can you see the inevitable religious
conflict arising?) King Oswald sent to
St. Columba to provide a bishop for the episcopate of Northumbria. St. Columba sent a monk named Cormán. But his method was harsh and tactless—he claimed
the people were “stupid and unteachable.”
When Aidan, another monk criticized Cormán, suggesting that perhaps it
was his methods that were the fault, Aidan was sent in his stead.
King Oswald appointed Aidan as his Bishop, and Bishop Aidan
chose the isle of Lindisfarne as his see.
For Lindisfarne is similar to Iona, and once the Abbey was established
must have felt very much like his former home.
Lindisfarne is a tidal island and twice daily is accessible by foot via
its causeway. Once the Abbey was built
and functioning, the island became known simply as Holy Island and still referred
to as such today. Aidan did not hide out
on his island. He was brought there to
evangelize the people and so he did. He
walk among the villages of Northumbria, teaching Christianity in a way that
applied to their lives. In his early
years, King Oswald had to serve as Aidan’s interpreter because Aidan knew no
English. But it wasn’t long before the
bishop learned. He became well-loved and
accepted among the people. He accepted
twelve lads into the monastery to learn how to do what he did and to become “Northumbrian
Apostles.” Aidan walked everywhere he
went—even as far as London to the south.
He walked because every time the King gave him a horse, Aidan gave it
away to a beggar or farmer or fellow traveler.
Bishop Aidan is venerated today as the Apostle of Britain. Wherever he went, Aidan presented a practical
and attractive representation of Christianity so that it was easy for people to
convert.
Bishop Aidan, remember, was of the Celtic Christianity
tradition. Roman Christianity that had
been established in the south and to the west occasionally rubbed against the
Celtic form. Aidan’s affability while he
was alive kept conflict between the two forms fairly minimal. But when Aidan died (legend has it he leaned
against the buttress of the church in Bamborough on August 31, 651 and let the
angels guide his spirit heavenward), the differences between the two traditions
came to a head. The principal argument
was the dating of Easter. (There were numerous petty arguments, including that
of the Celtic practice of tonsure which eventually became universal.) The Synod of Whitby was convened in 660a.d.
to unify the two traditions. As a
result, the practice of Roman Christianity was established as the norm and the
see of Northumbria was moved from Lindisfarne to York.
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| ruins of Lindisfarne Abbey |
Today, we celebrate Bishop Aidan, the Apostle of Britain, on
the 31st of August.
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