Celtic Christianity is a book about making myths and chasing dreams. Written by Ian Bradley who is a Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology at the University of St Andrews, a minister in the Church of Scotland, a regular broadcaster, and author of numerous books including The Celtic Way and Columba: Pilgrim and Penitent.

He traces the course of and describes the Celtic Christian revivalism from the eight and ninth century to modern day. He projects there were six great movements in this process.

• Eight and ninth centuries when idealized portraits of Celtic saints were the rage.
• Twelfth and thirteenth centuries that produced the Arthurian legends and the Quest for the Holy Grail.
• The Reformation brought a new interest in and appropriation of the Celtic Church as a prototype of sturdy independent British Protestantism.
• Eighteen and nineteen centuries the interest revived along with the Romantic Movement.
• Early part of the twentieth century saw the development of the Celtic Twilight movement and focusing on Iona as a place of exceptional spiritual power.
• Current day we see the Celtic Christian idea applied to saving the environment and a great interest in the Celtic prayers and music.

This is a fascinating book but I found it a little too much like a textbook to really enjoy reading it. If you are interested in the development of Celtic Christianity then you must read this book. The author has researched his subject well and presents his arguments in a sensible and logical manner. I have given it a three-thistle rating because of its wealth of information.