Celt, Druid and Culdee

by Isabel H. Elder, Lord Brabazon of Tara P.C. G.B.E. M.C. (Foreword)

Isabel Hill Elder A study of Druidism - their origin teaching and government and their religious beliefs that prepared Britain to receive apostolic Christianity that arrived in Britain shortly after the Ascension of Our Lord. Just a few of the questions asked and answered by Mrs. Elder in this her fourth edition of this splendid book are...which is the first Christian Church outside Jerusalem? Who took Christianity to the Isles? Who were the Druids and what did they teach? Who built the roads for the Roman chariots? In this most important work she disspells the erroneous belief that Britain was uncivilized compared with Rome and that the Druids were a mischievous sect. The work and teachings of this early British Church (Culdee) for 1100 years is detailed in this remarkable book. Although declared heretical by Rome in A.D. 705 the Culdee Church struggled on as distinct from the Romans until it was eclipsed by the Roman Catholic Church in the 12th century. Mrs. Elder states what is little known but of the greatest importance...the fact that Christianity as a Church was born in England before anywhere else and that England was a professed Christian country one hundred years before Rome and in fact when Rome was still persecuting Christians. She draws attention to the singular change without any opposition from Druidism to Christianity which was understandable in that fundamentally they had no great difference in belief. An interesting point is also made as to the difference between the British Church and the Church of England. The rise and establishment of Christianity in Britain has been dealt with by many writers but in these pages new light has been thrown on the origin of the Culdees with whom rests the introduction and with their successors the defense of the Apostolic Christianity brought by those early Christians to Britain shortly after the Ascension of our Lord. Paperback 168 pages

168 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[David Holford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book in a second hand bookshop recently. Can’t remember where exactly, maybe in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney. No matter. The title caught my attention. Took a while to get around to reading, and when I did it was triggered by watching a ridiculous TV series called Britannia which purports to be a story of the coming of the Romans to Britain in the AD40s. That story depicts the Druids as a horrific group of weirdos, and I found myself wondering what the Druids were really like. This book has much to say in answer to that question, and needless to say it shares nothing in common with the TV drama.

The book tells a story of which I was only vaguely familiar. I knew there was a Celtic Church and that Celtic Christianity predated Roman Christianity, at least in Britain. But I have never read about any of this in detail. This book fills in some of the information that was missing; it all seemed a little far fetched (I knew the TV series was far fetched, but this book claims to be history, not entertainment), and I struggled to believe that it was true, but the author does quote a lot of original sources, so it is not simply a work of imagination. Of course some of those original sources were written centuries after the events they described… but just the same, myths often bear a grain of truth.

There was an idea in my head that Druids were pagan sun worshippers, akin to witches and warlocks, evil people. The author turns that idea upside down. The Druids in her book are noble men of great wisdom and learning, deep spirituality, not worshippers of idols but monotheists who had little problem accepting the gospel message when it was presented to them. My understanding of how and when the Christian message came to Britain was confused - she tells stories which are myths, and yet they are stories that have been widely believed at times - the Magi, who “returned to their country by a different way” according to the New Testament - may well have come to Britain when they left Bethlehem, and told the Druids (who were Magi in their own right) of what they had witnessed. Could this be true? I suppose it could. Joseph of Arimathea was said to have come to Britain after the death and resurrection of Jesus - of that legend I was previously aware. But the author goes on to state that King Arthur was said to be descended from this Joseph. Really?

There are so many fascinating ideas presented in this small book. There is a strong feeling that she is building a case for British extraordinariness, which was a popular idea in the 1940s when the book was written, in the dying days of the British Empire. The Roman Catholic Church comes under major attack in her account, some of which is probably justified (there was no shortage of anti Rome feeling in Britain from the time the Romans came until the time of the Reformation). But looking past this, there are no doubt some fascinating ideas, and some fascinating history here. I found a book of church history on our bookshelves, curious to see to see if there was mention of any of this. Nothing. And yet, I am triggered to read more. What else can I find on the history of the Celtic Church?

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun and enthusiastic book about English spirituality, and as much as I loved reading it...to enthusiastic.

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily the best part is the Anglo Saxon names of yore. Ethelbert 🤌🤌 Fridulph, 👏Oswy, 👏Elfric 👏 👌👌
if I ever have children, they will be bullied cuz I’m picking one of them bad boys.
So, now we know what we don’t know on the subject, meaning lots of things attributed to the druids in this book don’t have any basis. Either though carbon dating or the acknowledgment of our inability to confirm anything of the druids as a whole. Buuuuuttt this was entertaining and the level of certainty with which it’s written nearly had me convinced.

This book was my grandad’s and made me feel closer to him while reading it so inaccuracies are forgiven.