| Introducing the Celtic Christian Tradition |
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| Written by T. M. Moore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saturday, 03 May 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Altus Prosator (2): One God, Three Persons My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. Psalm 49.3, 4 The period in which the faith of Jesus Christ flourished among the Celtic-speaking peoples of Europe is not well known, and it is even less appreciated. Recent years have witnessed a revival of interest in Celtic Christianity, with many books, websites, and other information sources devoted to exploring and explicating the remarkable achievement and heritage of the Celtic Christians. The books and other publications offering us glimpses into this period are not all of equal value. But the widespread interest in Celtic Christianity has encouraged scholars involved in the study of the literary heritage of this period to bring some of these materials back to print in forms accessible to a general readership.
One of the surprising aspects of the Celtic Christian heritage is their fondness for poetry, not just as a form of entertainment, but as a tool for theological education and spiritual formation. Celtic peoples were by nature inclined to story and poetry. The poets and musicians of the pre-Christian Celtic peoples were esteemed and valued as of third importance behind tribal leaders and the druids. It was the most natural thing for Celtic Christian scholars, priests, and monks to turn to verse as a tool in their kit for building the Kingdom of Christ. One of the earliest and most profound of the Celtic spiritual poems is by Columba, founder of the monastic community on Iona (fl. late 6th century). It is called "Altus Prosator" and sets forth, in strict verse form, the broad outline of the story of redemption presented in the Bible. In this poem we may glimpse not only the artistic abilities of the Celtic Christians, but their theological mind and vision as well. Part 1, Stanza I: The Poet's Faith in the Triune God - Form "Altus Prosator" or "Exalted First-Sower" or "Creator" is an abecedarian poem in 23 stanzas and a concluding envoi. The first stanza begins in the same way the Bible does, and the same way that many contemporary books on Christian worldview begin, by setting forth the strong conviction of faith in the one Creator-God. Many versions of "Altus Prosator" can be found, some online and some in publications of source materials from the Celtic period. But none of these translations that I have seen attempt to capture the lyrical flavor of the original form of the poem. In the essays in this series we will be examining the major sections of "Altus" and I will use a rendering of the poem that draws from several excellent translations but in a lyric form more nearly approximating the original. Here is my rendering of the first stanza:
I
The first stanza is written in trochees (stressed/unstressed), eight feet to a line, with the fourth and eighth foot of each line rhyming. The first line begins with the first letter of the Latin alphabet, an aid to memory in a time when writing materials and literacy were scarce. If you read the stanza strictly according to the lyric, you can feel the energy of the lines pulling you on, on, on through to the end and on into the next line: duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh and so forth. The poem thus read can take on an almost cheer-like aspect, and begin to sound rather trite. Of course, such would not have been in Columba's mind. Read the poem aloud, however, following normal speech patterns, stresses, and punctuation, and the strict rhythm smoothes out and becomes a much more readable and lovely passage. Crafting a poem like this is not something one does without much effort. One of the accounts of the origins of "Altus" has Columba tossing it off in a single sitting. This is highly unlikely, given the extraordinary care and thoughtfulness invested in the lyrical form alone. This is a beautiful work of art, lovingly created to teach aspiring missionaries and lay believers the broad outline of the plan of redemption in a form they could easily remember and would delight to sing. Stanza I: The theology Celtic Christians are sometimes charged with heretical inclinations, especially the heresy of Pelagianism. This stems both from Pealgius' being a Briton - a kind of guilt by association - as well as from a few episodes of Pelagian leanings on the part of a bishop or monk here and there. In the main, however, Celtic Christian scholars, bishops, abbots, and other clergy toed the orthodox line unfailingly. That can clearly be seen in this first stanza, in which Columba carefully asserts his belief - and that of his colleagues (the first person plural of the last line) - in the historic Trinity. His language is almost Augustinian in the fourth and fifth lines, and he places his views clearly within the orthodox framework of Nicea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon in lines five and six. The starting-point for all Celtic Christian theology, spirituality, community life, and mission is faith in the Triune God and in each of the Persons of the Godhead according to His individual role in the divine economy. The plan of redemption, which "Altus" will outline, begins in eternity past with the uncreated God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is self-existent, Triune, and full of glory, and He has made a way for men to know and relate to Him, a way the remainder of "Altus" will unfold in brief. Stanza I: Singing "Altus" The trochaic nature of this stanza, and the uneven lines, make finding a familiar melody a bit of a challenge. However, if we repeat the first line again at the end, and elide without a breath the break between verses that would naturally be taken at lines four and five, Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara can carry these trochees in a contemplative and satisfying manner. Try singing Stanza I, one note per syllable, without any slurring: I
Tune:
Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara - "Children of the Heavenly Father"
All-high
God, Creator ever, Ancient One, begotten never,
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This
is definitely good news, for it means that now we can look more
deeply into the hearts and minds of those who, for the better part of
four centuries, demonstrated extraordinary faith and courage in
re-evangelizing much of Europe and creating a cultural heritage in
spirituality and the arts that continues to benefit many in our day.
