Persistent Resistance: Calls for Justice from the Celtic Traditions: A Collection of Essays

by Ellyn Sanna

The Celts were activists for justice. They persuaded kings to change their policies; they stood up for women and others who were endangered by prejudice; and they worked with tireless love on behalf of all Earth’s creatures. They resisted the injustice of their day—and they persisted throughout their entire lifetimes, until their deaths. (And some would say that they are still hard at work fighting injustice from the Otherworld.) Following in their footsteps requires a mystical experience of the Divine that expresses itself in acts of tangible justice and compassion These essays build on Celtic stories, myths, and tradition to inspire and challenge us. They remind us that we cannot consider ourselves faithful to God if we are not faithful to our entire community (a community that not only includes humans, but also animals, plants, and the entire Earth). It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.—Nelson Mandela

174 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 29, 2020

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been said that all you have to do is add the label "Celtic" to a book and it will fly off the shelf. This might be a case in point -- or at least an instance of "buyer beware". I was expecting a book examining perspectives on justice from ancient and perhaps modern Celtic viewpoints in some detail. In reality, this book is only 50% "Celtic" in any significant way, maybe less. It comprises 4 types of content:

-- essays by Celtic spirituality authors
-- a short listing of activist organizations
-- quotations from activists, not necessarily with any Celtic connection
-- short bios of all those who are quoted

Just because the essay authors have written Celtic-related material in the past doesn't mean that these essays are themselves infused with Celtic spirituality. Some are, more than others. Some scatter a handful of Celtic references among thoughts that could appear in any activist collection. Some are disappointing because they offer interesting ideas without digging as deeply as I had hoped. For example, book editor Ellyn Sanna, in her Introduction chapter, writes, "The ancient Celts' connection with the supernatural Otherworld was what inspired them to be active participants in the ordinary, everyday world." A provocative statement that could have been explored with examples from the large corpus of Celtic myth, but it's just left as a given, without any supporting evidence. On the other hand, Meg Llewellyn, in "Resist!", and Lilly Weichberger and Kenneth McIntosh, in "Building a Just Society", write in detail about Brigid as an exemplar for envisioning a just life.

The extensive quotations from and bios of non-Celtic figures were a distraction to me, as a reader seeking a deep dive into Celtic source material and with plenty of other sources on justice and activism in general, but they might make this book suitable for certain other readers. It would make a lovely gift for a budding spiritual activist with Celtic roots or interests.