We're all familiar with the traditional story of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. We're also probably familiar with the revisionist attempts...
Plymouth, 1621
read more
Vampires in New England
There were a number of vampire scares in New England in the late 1700s to late 1800s. This article includes accounts of some of them and an...
St. Helena and the True Cross
September 14 is the Feast of the Cross. Celebrated by Catholics (Latin and Eastern Rites), Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, the Church of the East,...
St. Columba vs. the Loch Ness Monster
It’s been quite a while since I posted. The summer has been very busy with travels and family, but I’m now in a position to get back to posting....
Columbanus (540-615): An Irish Missionary Monk
In the early middle ages (roughly AD 500-1000), European civilization was in serious decline. The climate had gotten colder and wetter, resulting in...
The Irish Peregrini
One of the unique aspects of Irish Christianity was the practice of peregrinatio, or pilgrimage. To understand this, it is helpful to look at Irish...
Irish Christianity and Education
On a theological level, the most important contribution of the Irish church was its penitential practice. But on a cultural level, a holdover from...
The Center of Celtic Christianity
A unique feature of Celtic Christianity was the central role of monasteries throughout the “Celtic Fringe”—Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, and...
In Search of Celtic Christianity
“The term ‘Celtic’ is a magic bag into which anything can be put, and out of which almost anything can come…. Anything is possible in the Celtic...
Passover and Holy Week
When we compare the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) to the Gospel of John, there seems to be a discrepancy about when exactly Passover...
A Divine Vision?
In the previous post, I looked at a Substack by Eugene Terekhin that argued that nations are based on a founding vision, and that when that vision...
St. Patrick’s Day
It is St. Patrick’s Day. I have been away for the last two weeks helping take care of a new grandchild and her sister, so I haven’t had much time to...
Enchantment Course – Teaser Video: Medieval Astronomy
How does the medieval view of astronomy influence our contemporary understanding of enchantment?
The Further Development of the Nicene Creed
In the first post in our series for the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, I looked at the Arian controversy and the Council’s conclusion...
Constantine at Nicaea
There are a number of frankly bizarre conspiracy theories about the Council of Nicaea’s decision to affirm the deity of Christ, most of which...