Rediscovering the Soul: Celtic Christianity & Life with God with guest Robin T. Jennings
(Click Here to Listen to the Podcast Episode)
“For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”
Matthew 16:26
“Celtic Christianity helps us to listen for the expression of our souls today and the ultimate calling of our eternal destiny.”
— Robin T. Jennings, Expressions of the Soul, p.18
Hello friends,
Welcome to Episode #2 of the Sanctuary Stirrings Spring Series, where we are exploring rich topics that help us grow in our relationship with God and with one another.
I can’t wait for you to join me for this conversation—which just happened to fall on our country’s annual Celtic holiday… St. Patrick’s Day. (There you go again, God, showing off.)
My guest this week is Robin T. Jennings, author of Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity and Life with God. His book opens our eyes to the treasure of the soul, the gifts God has for us through Celtic faith practices, and the wisdom we can receive from the Celtic spiritual giants of the past.
Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity and Life with God
We were there to talk about Celtic Christianity.
Over the past few years, I have been learning more about it. Walking alongside others who chose Celtic spiritual giants, I had heard little snippets about Celtic faith—and I was intrigued.
Things like:
• Anam Cara — soul friendship, from spiritual giant John O’Donohue
• Celtic prayer through St. Patrick, whose Breastplate prayer, I love so much … “Christ above me, Christ below me, Christ around me…”
• God revealing Himself through nature, through my spiritual giant this year, George MacDonald
Not to mention one of my favorite trips with Bryan a few years ago to southern Ireland.
I’ll never forget my first glimpse of the Emerald Isle as our plane descended. I had never seen such beauty—so much green, rolling hills, and ancient stone walls that looked like a quilt outlining the boundary lines of each property.
In every town, the colors were a feast for the eyes. Streets were lined with brightly painted buildings, and there seemed to be breathtaking chapels and castles around every corner.
And the folklore!
Celts cherish the imagination. Stories of leprechauns, trolls, and fairies saturate their culture. For a North American whose culture tends to prize facts and practicality, it was like water to a too-grown-up thirsty soul.
A Lesson in Joy
We had the greatest Irish tour guide, Marie, who shared not only the country's history but also its folklore.
I loved all their little phrases and cultural expressions. I smiled every time Marie would remind us, before getting off the bus, to make sure we had gathered “all our bits and pieces.”
I’ll never forget the Celtic music and dancing either.
On two evenings, we attended Irish dinners complete with musicians and dancers. And one night, eating dinner in what seemed like an ordinary pub on a Monday night, we noticed locals slowly filling the restaurant and turning their chairs toward a small platform at the front.
Soon, a band stepped onto the stage and began playing classic Celtic folk music while the entire room sang and clapped along.
Oh my—Celts, teach us how to live.
Their economy was terrible. A large percentage of their young people left Ireland when they came of age in search of opportunities elsewhere. Alcoholism was a serious problem, and their politics weren’t great.
Yet they were so joyful.
I remember asking our bus driver how that could be. He replied with a grin:
“Ah, sure, if we didn’t laugh, we’d be crying — and laughing is better for the complexion.”
They had dozens of witty quips like that—little sarcastic sayings uttered with a crooked smile that somehow reminded you that things weren’t really so bad.
The Surprise Topic I Didn't Expect
With these experiences, choosing a Celtic spiritual giant this year, and a trip to Scotland planned this summer, I was thrilled to talk with Robin about his new book about Celtic Christianity.
I was excited to jabber back and forth about Celtic music, growing closer to God through creation, and deepening relationships through anam cara soul friendships.
But what I wasn’t expecting was that the foundation of Celtic Christianity would center on something so essential to our humanity—yet so often misunderstood or overlooked entirely.
The soul.
This conversation opened my eyes to the gifts God wants to give us through Celtic Christianity and the treasure of the soul.
And I pray it will for you, as well.
Listen to the Episode:
Listen to the conversation with Robin T. Jennings here →
Resources Worth Noticing:
Here are a few wonderful resources mentioned or connected to today’s episode.
Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity and Life with God – Robin T. Jennings
A beautiful exploration of the soul, Christian Celtic faith practices, and spiritual giants, and how they can deepen our relationship with God.
How the Irish Saved Civilization – Thomas Cahill
A fascinating historical account of how Irish monks preserved learning and faith during the collapse of the Roman world.
Anam Cara – John O’Donohue
A beloved book on the Celtic concept of soul friendship and the beauty of spiritual companionship.
The Confession of Saint Patrick and Letter to Coroticus – translated by John Skimmer.
The powerful autobiography of Patrick’s life—his conversion, passion for Jesus, love for those who had enslaved him, and evangelization of Ireland.
Journey with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God - Lori G. Melton
Take the next step in your spiritual formation and embark on a year-long journey alongside a “giant” of faith, inspired by the author’s year of studying the life of Mister Fred Rogers, America’s favorite neighbor.
A Note About Next Week:
Next week we’ll continue this conversation with Part Two, where we’ll dive deeper into the topic of the soul—what it is, what God has to say about, how we can nurture our souls and each other’s--and continue to receive the abundant life Jesus came to give us!
So thankful to be journeying together,
Lori