Patrick of Ireland: His Life and Impact

Early Church Fathers

by Michael A.G. Haykin, Aaron Matherly (Contributor), Shawn J. Wilhite (Contributor)

Patrick ministered to kings and slaves alike in the culture that had enslaved him. Patrick's faith and his commitment to the Word of God through hard times is a true example of the way that God calls us to grow and to bless those around us through our suffering. Michael Haykin's masterful biography of Patrick's life and faith will show you how you can follow God's call in your life. Early Church Fathers: this series relates the magnificent impact that these fathers of the early church made for our world today.

Genres: Church History, Biography, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2014

About the author

Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin is the Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality and Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He is also the editor of Eusebeia: The Bulletin of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies. His present areas of research include 18th-century British Baptist life and thought, as well as Patristic Trinitarianism and Baptist piety.

Haykin is a prolific writer having authored numerous books, over 250 articles and over 150 book reviews. He is also an accomplished editor with numerous editorial credits.

Reviews

[Richard Klueg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author references Patrick's two extant writings to give us an engaging picture of this man of God, with an emphasis on his doctrine. Also helpful is the description of the world Patrick lived in, a time and place relatively unfamiliar to most of us.

[Joshua Bremerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: This book is not a biography of St. Patrick. This book briefly summarizes his life and then practices theological retrieval for evangelicals. That being said, for what he hopes to accomplish, Haykin effectively highlights Patrick's Trinitarianism, he bibliocentrism, his missonary zeal, and his personal piety and life in the Spirit. I was greatly helped and inspired by this portrayal of Patrick.

It is amazing that despite only two *very small* works, Patrick has outshined even his contemporary Augustine in worldwide remembrance. Now, that is partly from incorrect and inaccurate celebration, but still, what a great honor for a man who did not seek any worldly glory. I'm thankful to have read this work.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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I came to the people of Ireland to preach the Gospel, and to suffer insult from the unbelievers, bearing the reproach of my going abroad and many persecutions even unto bonds, and to give my free birth for the benefit of others; and, should I be worthy, I am prepared to give even my life without hesitation and most gladly for his name, and it is there that I wish to spend it until I die, if the Lord would grant it to me.

THE SERIES
In case you hadn't read what I thought of the other books I've read in this series, let me start with the thumbnail description of the series I came up with:

I literally stumbled on this series, The Early Church Fathers, a few weeks ago and thought it sounded like a great idea. It looked kind of like a mix of Crossway's Theologians on the Christian Life and Oxford's Very Short Introductions (incidentally, that's what it ended up being).

WHAT'S PATRICK OF IRELAND ABOUT?
Like the other books in this series, Haykin starts with a biographical sketch of Patrick—noting the difficulties around that due to the small bibliography we have from him and the large number of myths and hagiography surrounding him. He then moves into considering Patrick's Trinitarianism, his vision for evangelism/missions. Finally, he looks at "the balance of the Word and Spirit in Patrick’s thinking and experience."

HIS LIFE

...there are a number of aspects about his life that are not at all clear- cut. There is no agreement, for example, about the date of his birth or the location of his childhood home, or about the place of his captivity in Ireland or whether or not he had formal theological education; nor is there any agreement about the dates of his ministry in Ireland.

We do know some things—mostly from his own hand—but scholars have to wade through a lot of chaff. R.P.C. Hanson is cited as summarizing it as: "Patrick’s life has become subject to a large amount of hagiographical embroidery and fictitious enhancement."

That fictitious enhancement is where a lot of what I grew up "knowing" about Patrick, and I'd wager it's the same for a lot of you.

...from the Middle Ages onwards, his mission to Ireland was depicted as one astounding miracle after another. For example, Jocelin of Furness (fl.1175–1214), the English Cistercian hagiographer, explained the absence of snakes in Ireland to be the result of Patrick’s destruction of them all on the peak of Croagh Patrick (St Patrick’s Mountain) in County Mayo. Jocelin also tells us that Patrick as an infant was baptized by a blind priest who got the water for the baptism by causing Patrick to make the sign of the cross over some earth, from which a well of water immediately issued. The water cured the priest of his blindness and enabled him, though illiterate, to read the rite of baptism. According to other miracles ascribed to Patrick, he was able to pass through doors, like the risen Christ, and could turn butter into honey.

At the end of the day, however,

Unlike the otherworldly miracle worker depicted by later biographies of Patrick, the two authentic writings from Patrick reveal a typical fifth- century bishop who was involved in preaching, baptizing, celebrating the Lord’s Supper, confirming new converts, and ordaining ministers.

Because of—or maybe despite—the dearth of information we have about him, what can be established is all the more interesting.

HIS THEOLOGY
Haykin focuses on two primary areas—Patrick's Trinitarianism and his Missiology. Thankfully, we have his two written works to learn from here.

Without any references to the shamrock (thankfully), Patrick's full-orbed Trinitarianism shines through his writings. After the last couple of entries in this series were so filled with controversy over the doctrine, it's so refreshing to read one absent it.

I also appreciated the simple and straightforward nature of Patrick's missiology and doctrine of the Church. He lived the kind of life he described and called others to. The fact that, in his mind, evangelizing the Irish was bringing the gospel to the literal end of the earth and thereby he was helping to bring in the Last Days, makes his work all the more remarkable. He didn't call people to a temporary faith, he actually established believers and churches that lasted.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT PATRICK OF IRELAND?
This is the best one of these books since the Augustine volume (maybe even better than it).

I enjoyed it—it helped increase my understanding and appreciation of the subject, and I learned a little bit about how little we know. (I read his Confessions more than a decade ago, and need to dig it out again)

I don't think I got as much from this as I did from some of the others in this series—but that's a quirk of the source material, and that has its own charm. Seeing what others have established, and what Haykin has synthesized here is the impressive bit.

[Adam Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful reflection on the life and thought of St Patrick, whose name is well-known but whose testimony much less so. It is not common for evangelical writers to venture into the fifth-century, so it was valuable for some wider historical context too. Patrick's reflections on his mission were particularly interesting to read, as he was humbled by the idea of God using him to take the gospel to (as he saw it) the literal ends of the earth. Not much is known about Patrick's life (and a lot of what is known is later fabrication), and the result is that a lot of this book sadly feels somewhat prosaic and lacking in colour. There is also quite a long discussion of sources, and some lengthy repetition even in less than 100 pages total. But worth a short read.

[JR Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to this much obscured Church Father. Less speculative than Freeman, and more updated (though appreciative) of the great R.P.C. Hanson, this little biography should become a staple in the field.


Haykin highlights Patrick’s humble stature and reliance on both Word and Spirit in his ministry. It’s very edifying, as a biography in this style should be!

Dr. Haykin obviously loves St. Patrick, and unapologetically writes from an “encomium” viewpoint. Those looking for a more nitty-gritty critical look should go for Hanson’s older work.

Those who want more romance and speculation (but quick-moving story) will enjoy Philip Freeman’s biography.

[Kyle Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin gives us a brief synopsis of the life of St. Patrick. He shows the beauty of God’s sovereignty in his conversion after being taken captive, his zeal to return to his former captives with the gospel, and his eagerness for God’s glory to go forward. We see in this brief book on St. Patrick how he was a man guided by the Bible and the Spirit. This book will leave you thankful to God for the life of St. Patrick and encourage you in a deeper zeal for Christ.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent treatment of the ministry and importance of Patrick in the life of the Church. Haykin is absolutely correct that modern-day evangelicals can learn from this servant of God concerning his love of the Triune God, His Word, and his emphasis on a missionary life. Though I have read a good amount on the life of Patrick it is safe to say that I learned even more from this brief survey by Haykin.

[Timothy Durey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book definitely contained encouraging information, but the way it was written felt disjointed. It also seemed as though the author was trying to get to more pages and simply added unnecessary words or descriptors. Instead of it being a biographical sketch, it seemed like a lecture with various pieces of information.

[Katie Hixson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative, but also repetitive (quoted the same passages from Patrick’s autobiography several times, etc.), and rather dry.

[Nicholas Abraham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very brief, accessible introduction to an important early missionary and bishop who is probably been mischaracterized more than many other figures of the past.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

St. Patrick's Day has just passed, so I found it fitting that I finish this biography on St. Patrick's life and spirituality. Patrick of Ireland: His Life and Impact is almost not really a biography, since so little is known about his life; however, Michael Haykin manages to sew what pieces of his life that we know with the overwhelming evidence of Patrick's devotion to God. Through his writings and speech, it is clear that Patrick was very immersed in the Bible and in prayer. Anything Patrick did as a missionary to Ireland he accredits all to God. Here is a Christian we can learn from! This little book will give you great insight into Patrick's spiritual life and his relationship with his Father.

[Frank Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a small booklet, which serves as an excellent introduction to the life of St. Patrick. The book is not really a biography, even as it provides a short biographical sketch. Rather in addition to providing a description of Patrick’s life, it provides a much more complete description about Patrick’s thought. The target audience of the book is conservative evangelicals, so the author completely rejects most of the miraculous elements that have become part of the mythology surrounding Patrick. He does this for scholarly reasons, as his goal was to provide a history and description of Patrick that would be accepted even by a completely sceptical scholar. All told, I rather liked the balance in the book, and intend to purchase the other books in the series as they appear.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short biography of Patrick of Ireland is only 102 pages, but it's an easy read. It's written by Michael Haykin, one of the best church historians of this generation, and is heavily documented with footnotes. Haykin has previously written about Patrick, but he's bringing his scholarship together in this short book.

There's a lot of detail about Patrick's life which is unknown, but some writers have speculated and others glamorized Patrick's life. This is a fair and balanced overview of his life and writings.

I recommend this book.

[Phil Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick the Missionary

Michael Haykin has done the Evangelical world a great service in this short and very readable book on the life of Patrick of Ireland. I have lectured on Patrick for seminary classes on evangelism, missions, and church history, and this little book will be a very helpful supplement to those lectures. Patrick truly was an extraordinary missionary, and a study of his life and methods will surely benefit evangelists and missionaries alike.

[Andrzej Stelmasiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not an exhaustive biography filled with many entertaining details, but I don't think that this was the purpose of this book. Instead, this work contains condensed biography free from speculations as much as it could be, and it is focused on the man and his thought. It is brilliant in answering question how Patrick reach the point of being a Trinity-driven missionary to the Irish. Edifying, heart warming and really relevant for our 21st century context. Thank you Dr. Haykin!

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's difficult to write a biography of a figure from the fourth century, from whom only two complete writings survive. But Haykin gives a good, though brief, introduction to Patrick's life.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good intro to his conversion, call, doctrine and mission. Used it to prepare a teaching lesson for my church. Can easily be read in on or two sittings.

[Calvert Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic primer on Patrick. It also gives sources for additional reading.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise biography of Patrick's life and theology as told from an evangelical perspective.