letter from the
Irish Republic
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.
letter from the
Irish Republic
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.