In Depth:  David Houlton

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Irish Republic
letter from the

Irish Republic

David Houlton

Columba and evangelicals

In the midst of the pandemic many churches across Ireland are celebrating a prince, born into a minor royal family 1,500 years ago, who became the founder of one of the greatest evangelistic movements ever in Europe.

Between 7 December 2020 and the same day in 2021, senior church leaders from across County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland are uniting to pray together, and walk together, to celebrate the life and ministry of Colmcille (Columba), born in a remote part of the county, who founded a movement that spread the gospel to the pagan Scots, and then to the pagan Anglo-Saxons, and inspired generations of Irish and English Christians to bring the gospel to their pagan kinsmen in mainland Europe.

Irish Republic
letter from the

Irish Republic

David Houlton

Since being called to Ireland a few years ago I have found people here to have probably the most Christian approach to life of all the countries I have lived in.

Even though Protestants, and evangelicals in particular, are a very small minority in the Republic away from Dublin, there is a generally a strong spiritual awareness, high rates of churchgoing, strong intergenerational commitment between children, parents and grandparents, and a culture of practicing ‘love your neighbour’ by active engagement.