Midlands Mission Center

On-line Book Study to Journey “Back to the Future”

Have you ever wondered what Christianity may have been like if Emperor Constantine hadn’t made it the state religion sixteen centuries ago? A glimpse of that alternative can be seen by considering Celtic Christianity, which in the far reaches of Scotland and Ireland evolved beyond the control of the empire and the church of Rome.

The possible contribution of Celtic Christianity in today’s world will be explored in an on-line book study in February and March, sponsored by the Justice & Peace Action Team of Central and Midlands Mission Centers.  Join us via zoom on Tuesday evenings, February 18 to March 25, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:30 Central Time.

The study text, Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul, is introduced by author John Phillip Newell with these words:

This book is about reawakening to what we know in the depths of our being, that the earth is sacred and that this sacredness is at the heart of every human being and life-form. To awaken again to this deep knowing is to be transformed in the ways we choose to live and relate and act.

Newell explores the Celtic spiritual tradition which views the sacred essence of all things—a perspective that is not bound by religion, but in his text is focused through the lens of nine Christian teachers that span nearly 2,000 years, from Pelagius and St. Brigid in antiquity to Muir, Chardin, and MacLeod in modern times.

Chapter titles all center on sacredness—sacred flow, sacred earth, sacred matter, sacred flow, sacred feminine, etc., with a concluding appendix outlining a nine-day cycle of meditative awareness. Published in 2021, the book earned the Gold Nautilus Award and the recommendation of spiritual luminaries Richard Rohr, Barbara Brown Taylor, and Bill McKibben.

John Phillip Newell is the former head of Iona Abbey in the Western Isles of Scotland, founder of The School of Earth and Soul, and author of several books, including Listening for the Heartbeat of God and A New Harmony.

All are welcome to join this journey “back to the future,” anticipating creative synergy as we explore the book’s sub-title: “Celtic wisdom for reawakening to what our souls know, and healing the world.”

Register at https://bit.ly/JPAT-BS to receive the zoom link and weekly reminders by e-mail.