And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the Head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

   - Colossians 1.17-20

For every material and every element and every nature which is seen in the world, they were all brought together in the body in which Christ rose again – that is, in the body of every human.

  - Anonymous, In Tenga Bithnua, Irish, perhaps 9th century

The Celtic Christian sense of dependence on Christ was absolute and total. On massive carved crosses and in illuminated manuscripts from this period, Jesus is posed as exalted in glory, the consummation of every great Biblical story and theological truth, the One Who rules over all peoples and all creation, exalted above the planets and even the sun. Indeed, all creation subsists in Him, depends on Him, belongs to Him, and bears witness to Him. 

The Easter sermon, The Ever-New Tongue (In Tenga Bithnua), was ascribed to Philip and may derive from very early gnostic roots; yet its teaching is consistent with orthodox Christology, and its purpose was to remind believers of the enormous significance of the resurrection, exaltation, and reign of Jesus Christ. Every element in our bodies, and throughout the whole creation, depends for its existence on His sufferance, His steadfast love and faithfulness, and His good pleasure. We are in every part sustained and supported by grace alone, as, indeed, is all the vast cosmos.

It is no wonder that the vision of Christ exalted, seated on His glorious throne, His scepter of uprightness in hand, held such a prominent place in the everyday faith of Celtic Christians. We and all we possess, together with the whole vast creation, are all together in Christ. We are His Body on earth, and have been devoted to living consistent with His purposes and peace in all the details of our lives.

Here is a worldview which, could we recover it in practice in our everyday lives, might give us a greater sense of unity with one another and with all the glory-speaking creation of God.

T. M. Moore, Principal

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