A Celtic Model of Ministry: The Reawakening of Community Spirituality

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: First, why this book merits the stars it does get:

(1) The Bibliography is excellent, and is highly recommended as a great source for further reading ideas.

(2) The author has the good sense to have recognized a good idea and to have tried to work with it in his own church and to point others to it. For this alone, Doherty is to be commended.

Now, why it only gets two stars:

This book is a surface-level introduction to the topic at best. It excels in stating the obvious, and then in regurgitating others' ideas. When the author does attempt a truly original observation, he fails to develop it.

Contra the previous reviewer, I don't see the practical suggestions. Telling us the obvious truth that we need to develop programs of relevance to the surrounding community is NOT a practical suggestion -- it is an annoyance in this case because it is scarcely followed with even an example from his OWN ministry, much less an actual plan. I don't doubt that he knows what he's talking about (and I'd bet his dissertation really might be good), but it's just not here.

The basic ideas are found in earlier (and better) works, especially by George Hunter and Ian Bradley, whose books are light years ahead of this one in quality. OK, there's another reason for the presence of some stars: the book could lead one to these superior works, and Doherty (to his credit) is very open about his dependence on these and other authors.

Finally, the author grossly oversimplifies the phenomenon of membership losses from the mainline churches, and seems to be saying contradictory things at numerous points. He is surely correct about the deleterious effects of "individualism" on the formation of true community, but then seems not to notice that merely coming up with programs to meet the "felt needs" of individualistic people (read "consumers") creates an ersatz community -- as soon as the church next door does it bigger and better, a whole bunch of people leave, and everyone is just as individualistic/narcissistic as before.

His analysis as it touches on the role of belief (conservative/liberal/etc.) in church membership losses is extremely shallow as well, as is the content of the gospel he apparently advocates. It's amazing that he can put the liberal, modernistic, "never say anything negative about another religion" Christianity on a par with the vigorous orthodoxy of a Patrick or a Brendan! While Patrick and the early Irish monks WERE remarkably patient and non-judgmental, they made no compromises with a religious order that they saw as under the dominion of dark powers. While I agree that conservatives too often create intellectual scandals where there should be none and often offer to the world unbelievable beliefs, Doherty seems not to see that the liberal mainline too often gives the secular folk nothing special in which to believe -- the old liberal "Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man" has as much baggage after the 20th century as does an inerrant Bible and an interventionist God.

To his credit, he does recognize that experience of God is what people are really (rightly) after, but then never seems to see how easily narcissism/individualism co-opts this search and makes his symbolic/non-literal interpretation of the Bible run the serious risk of being ruined by the idolatrous self-absorption of those who practice it.

I could go on, but I won't. My advice to anyone interested in this great topic: avoid this one and read Hunter and Bradley. Oh, sorry -- one final quibble: the book needs a thorough re-editing, as I found numerous typos. Now -- go read Hunter or Bradley.

Rating:
Summary: Celtic spirituality...
Review: Many people in the mainline churches today worry about the declining numbers, declining effectiveness, and declining spirit in the congregations. There is no mistaking that there are many crises in the modern world, but which ones should be addressed by the church? What are people looking for, and how can the church deliver? Is this even the right way to look at matters?

In 'A Celtic Model of Ministry', Jerry Doherty, an Episcopal priest from Montana, suggests that there are a few identifiable critical crises that the church can and should address. Like almost no other period in history, all beliefs and traditions are being questioned -- the very survival of Christianity (and other religions such as Judaism) is at stake. Doherty suggests that the true solution is a spiritual reawakening, the development of new relationships with God. Doherty sees in the history of the Celtic peoples and their relationships and patterns of community some intriguing answers. In much the same way that the ancient Celtic Christians revitalised and restored Christianity to the collapsing Roman Empire, so to can Celtic Christian patterns reinvigourate the church today.

The critical crises include a crisis of individualism, a crisis of faith, and a crisis of lifestyle. The crisis of individualism is a logical extension of the same individualistic idealism that helped make America great -- however, it has lost the complementary aspect of community, which Doherty proposes as crucial to the solution of the crisis. Doherty devotes several chapters to illustrating the idea of community and spirituality in Celtic worlds, as well as makes suggestions for the creation of new, similar communities in modern churches.

The second primary crisis is that of faith. Doherty traces the oriental-influenced aspects of Christianity, and writes of how modern Enlightenment ideas have removed some of the mystery (mystical) and the practical spirituality from the faith, making it in many respects a completely rational, academic pursuit that ultimately cannot be sustained in such a framework with a great degree of emotional and spiritual satisfaction.

The final crisis, that of lifestyle, shows the difficulties of living a 'Christian life' outside of the walls of the church. Part of this is the fault of the clergy, and part of the laity, and part society at large. Ministry needs to be a shared by all parties, and not relegated to or left to a particular subset of people. Doherty uses the examples of many of the Celtic missionary saints to demonstrate the Christian life of service and outreach beyond the walls of church and monastery.

Doherty draws on ancient authors and modern scholars, poetry and prose from historical and literary sources, hymn texts, and personal stories to demonstrate his processes and illustrate his points. The text is well-organised and coherent, with many practical suggestions.

One thing that could be emphasised more (and this is a general criticism of many books that put forward models or strategies for ministry) is approaching congregations and local communities where they are -- taking into account the history and personalities of those persons already in community. How the Celtic model would deal with conflicts that will inevitably arise would be an interesting question to address more fully.

Doherty provides a nice-sized bibliography (particularly given the small size of the book) and an index, always an advantage in a book designed to be studied. This is a good resource for pastors, lay leaders, and anyone interesting in building authentic communities.

Rating:
Summary: Celtic spirituality...
Review: Many people in the mainline churches today worry about the declining numbers, declining effectiveness, and declining spirit in the congregations. There is no mistaking that there are many crises in the modern world, but which ones should be addressed by the church? What are people looking for, and how can the church deliver? Is this even the right way to look at matters?

In 'A Celtic Model of Ministry', Jerry Doherty, an Episcopal priest from Montana, suggests that there are a few identifiable critical crises that the church can and should address. Like almost no other period in history, all beliefs and traditions are being questioned -- the very survival of Christianity (and other religions such as Judaism) is at stake. Doherty suggests that the true solution is a spiritual reawakening, the development of new relationships with God. Doherty sees in the history of the Celtic peoples and their relationships and patterns of community some intriguing answers. In much the same way that the ancient Celtic Christians revitalised and restored Christianity to the collapsing Roman Empire, so to can Celtic Christian patterns reinvigourate the church today.

The critical crises include a crisis of individualism, a crisis of faith, and a crisis of lifestyle. The crisis of individualism is a logical extension of the same individualistic idealism that helped make America great -- however, it has lost the complementary aspect of community, which Doherty proposes as crucial to the solution of the crisis. Doherty devotes several chapters to illustrating the idea of community and spirituality in Celtic worlds, as well as makes suggestions for the creation of new, similar communities in modern churches.

The second primary crisis is that of faith. Doherty traces the oriental-influenced aspects of Christianity, and writes of how modern Enlightenment ideas have removed some of the mystery (mystical) and the practical spirituality from the faith, making it in many respects a completely rational, academic pursuit that ultimately cannot be sustained in such a framework with a great degree of emotional and spiritual satisfaction.

The final crisis, that of lifestyle, shows the difficulties of living a 'Christian life' outside of the walls of the church. Part of this is the fault of the clergy, and part of the laity, and part society at large. Ministry needs to be a shared by all parties, and not relegated to or left to a particular subset of people. Doherty uses the examples of many of the Celtic missionary saints to demonstrate the Christian life of service and outreach beyond the walls of church and monastery.

Doherty draws on ancient authors and modern scholars, poetry and prose from historical and literary sources, hymn texts, and personal stories to demonstrate his processes and illustrate his points. The text is well-organised and coherent, with many practical suggestions.

One thing that could be emphasised more (and this is a general criticism of many books that put forward models or strategies for ministry) is approaching congregations and local communities where they are -- taking into account the history and personalities of those persons already in community. How the Celtic model would deal with conflicts that will inevitably arise would be an interesting question to address more fully.

Doherty provides a nice-sized bibliography (particularly given the small size of the book) and an index, always an advantage in a book designed to be studied. This is a good resource for pastors, lay leaders, and anyone interesting in building authentic communities.