The Gnostic Celtic Church: A Manual and Book of Liturgy

by John Michael Greer

The GCC has chosen to establish what was once called a regular clergy, as distinct from a secular clergy-that is to say, something much closer to monks than to ministers. This was the core model for clergy in the old Celtic Church in Ireland, Wales, Brittany, and other Celtic nations, in the days before the Roman papacy imposed its rule on the lands of Europe's far west. Members of the Celtic clergy were monks first and foremost, living lives focused on service to the Divine rather than the needs of a congregation, and those who functioned as priests for local communities did so as a small portion of a monastic lifestyle that embraced many other dimensions. In all Gnostic traditions, personal religious experience is the goal that is set before each aspirant and the sole basis on which questions of a religious nature can be answered-certain teachings have been embraced as the core values from which the Gnostic Celtic Church as an organization derives its broad approach to spiritual issues. Those core teachings may be summarized in the words "Gnostic, Universalist, and Pelagian" which are described in this book.

Genres: Spirituality

116 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2013

About the author

John Michael Greer is an author of over thirty books and the blogger behind The Archdruid Report. He served as Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America. His work addresses a range of subjects, including climate change, peak oil, the future of industrial society, and the occult. He also writes science fiction and fantasy. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife.

Reviews

[JHM]

In terms of practices, this book is primarily for those interested in the Druidic path -- but as always, John Michael Greer's wisdom transcends the specifics of a particular tradition.

Of particular interest are his explanation of the solar and telluric energies, and the importance of even solitary ritual -- but this little book presents the bare bones of those ideas.

I'm not rating it because I'm neither a Druid nor someone interested in following the paths of practice and ordination laid out here.

[Anie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both a very approachable and a very particular book -- there are ways in which this book is very, very particular to AODA druidry, but ways in which it's also very relevant to anyone seeking prayer and ritual in their daily lives.