The Carmina Gadelica Series- New Moon; Keeping Indigenous Culture in Christianity

The New Moon

In name of the Holy Spirit of Grace

In name of the Father of the City of Peace

In name of Jesus who took death off of us

Oh! In the name of the Three who shield us in every need!

If well thou hast found us tonight,

Seven times better you leave us without harm

Thou bright white moon of the seasons

Bright white Moon of the seasons

Celtic Culture, Faith in Christ

In Celtic places like Cornwall, and Scotland The Carmina Gadelica tells us Christians would recite this prayer and then bow to the moon, turn silver in their pockets or turn wedding rings around on their fingers, making a prayer for the coming season.  This is because colonial Christianity had spread back into the old country. But the book states for the most part the indigenous people still honored the old ways by using them to worship God. This is conversion of spirit, rather than culture. It is the purist of Christian evangelism.

Christian Colonialism

The reason for the destruction of indigenous culture had nothing to do with the Gospel message and everything to do with colonialism. The great European powers used Christianity as a scape goat so they could tax their people to fund bigger expeditions to the New World.

We fall into this same trap today. If I told you I needed one million dollars to feed the homeless, its likely you would help out. But if I was really using that money to buy out a homeless shelter to create a parking lot for my business, I would be a fraud and a liar. But that is exactly what the European kingdoms did to convince their governments to send funds for the armies that eventually eradicated cultures in both Africa and America. The United States inherited this process from England and crossed an entire continent, in many cases using Christianization as the tool to force people off their land and into churches where they were forced to act European in dress and attitude.

Removing Barriers Not Culture

The following is a verse that is used many times to describe how we are all the same in Christ. For many this meant all others needed to look like the Christian spreading culture. But I believe nothing could be further than the truth here:

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise… -Galatians 3:27-29

the gospel wasn’t interested in the destruction of cultures, but the destruction of caste systems, domineering religions, and gender inequality. Cultures were created by God and meant to show the diversity of the Image of God. To destroy a culture is to attempt to destroy the Image of God.