Religion Revision - Christianity in Ireland before Patrick

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  • Created by: Rbland857
  • Created on: 30-01-17 14:03

Ways Christianity came to Ireland

  • Trade
  • Colonies
  • Raids 
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Trade

  • There is a clear possibility that there was organised trade between both Ireland and Britain and between Ireland and the continent.
  • The Irish imported wine, oil and possibly metal work, and pottery
  • They had plenty to export such as classic wolfhound, cattle, and precious metals
  • Certainly trade seems to be have been frequent enough for some basic knowledge of teh christian faith to have filtered through
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Colonies

  • As early as the 3rd century, there seems to have been groups of Irish living in Britain in colonies which doubtless kept up a contact with home, importing perhaps certani aspects of teh christian faith they grasped
  • The Irish were 'expantionists'
  • Formed colonies around coasts of Britain
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Raids

  • Ongoing slave raids by the Irish on Britain and possibly the continent, were perhaps another source of the Christian faith in Ireland
  • Captured slaves may have been among those living in reasonable numbers in Ireland in the 4th century
  • Slaves were brought back to work as slaves
  • Christian views may have been heard by the slaves and infiltrated throughout Ireland
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Evidence of Christianity in Ireland

  • Linguistic evidence
  • Pre-Patrician Saints 
  • Heresies 
  • Palladius
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Linguistic evidence

  • Evidence of Latin origin, although probably derived from British Christians
  • Words which have survived in archaic Irish are 'Caisc' meaning 'Easter', and 'Cruimther' meaning 'Priest', indicating a practice of the faith
  • The absence of words for diocese or bishop indicates a lack of development of a Christian Church as such.
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Pre-Patrician Saints

  • Strong tradition of saints in Ireland who are pre-patrician in origin. Little is known of them.
  • Details of these saints must be treated with caution
  • Were not written about till the 12th century
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Heresies

  • Pelagian heresy had comtaminated the church in Britain
  • Germanus was sent to the church in Britain early in the 5th century
  • The mission of Palladius seems to have been to prevent the contamination of teh infant Irish church
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Palladius

  • Prosper of Aquitaine-resident of teh Marseilles who was an opponent of Pelagius tells us Palladius is sent to Ireland as the first bishop
  • Indicates that there was a clear number of Christians in Ireland before Palladius was sent
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