Columba: the Faith of an Island Soldier

by Bruce Ritchie

Columba’s name dominates the narrative of early Scottish Christianity. What was established on Iona through Columba’s astonishing leadership, and through a succession of energetic and resourceful abbots, exerted a unique influence on the development of Christianity in Scotland and beyond. Bruce Ritchie’s analytical biography is the key to understanding the real Columba, his theology, his spirituality, and the faith that drove him across the sea.

464 pages, Hardcover

Published July 29, 2019

Reviews

[David Holford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a scholarly book of history, but it is far from a dry boring tome. I found it a fascinating account of early Christianity. Columba was an Irish Christian who was exiled from his native land under apparently extraordinary circumstances - essentially, he broke an unwritten law by copying a manuscript without the permission of the owner. He was a monk, and monks copied manuscripts. His motives for this act may have been honourable, but that was beside the point. Through one thing and another his action resulted in a major conflict in Ireland resulting in the deaths of many. Columba was exiled, never to return to his native land. He established a monastery on the island of Iona off Scotland's west coast. This became a centre of mission outreach to Scotland, England and the continent. It all happened in the sixth and seventh centuries. As the back cover of the book explains, "Bruce Ritchie's detailed biography will introduce you to the real Columba, his life and the faith that drove him across the sea."

It is, indeed, a detailed biography, based on original sources, and exploring the many questions that invariably arise when trying to interpret such sources written at a time when the prevailing worldview was very different to our own. I learnt so much about how these Celtic Christians thought and lived. Anyone who has travelled to the locations of the Celtic monastic communities of those ancient times will, I think, appreciate the insight that this book gives into the lives of the people who lived there.

For me, a modern day Christian, what I found most fascinating was the understanding that Columba and his followers had of themselves as "soldiers of Christ," wrestling not with flesh and blood but with spiritual powers in the heavenly places, as mentioned by Saint Paul in his letter to the Ephesian church. In our rationalistic age many of us, including those of us who have believed the message of Jesus, struggle to come to grips with an unseen spiritual reality that impacts our daily lives. But for Columba, this spiritual reality shaped their daily lives and their mission. To quote again from the book itself,

"For [Columba] the existential issues that confronted the spread of the Christian Gospel were not the intellectual ideas of the freedom of the will or the accrual of human merit (so dominant elsewhere), but the issues of spiritual warfare against demonic powers. That was the dynamic at the heart of Columba's thinking. It pervaded his work. It shaped his worship. It informed his theology. It drove his evangelism."

This book has given me much food for thought. I would recommend it to any who are interested in the history and development of Christian faith.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably closer to 3 1/2 stars. This book is not a traditional biography. It is definitely academic and what you might call a systematic biography. It covers different aspects of Columba’s ministry, beliefs and legends. Much of it is speculative, but done very thoroughly and responsibly, presuming things based on logic and context and evidence, but not conclusively proven. I’ll admit I struggled with it due to its style and structure. Probably best suited to readers with a hard core interest in early Scottish and Irish Christianity. You will probably not get a relatable picture of Columba’s life and relationships, but you will grasp his importance and some of his weaknesses in doctrine and practice.

[Adeptus Fringilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit that I have found it quite difficult to get through this book. It's not an easy read for the casual reader. However, it is fascinating and I learned a lot about the history of the early celtic church.