|
Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Non-Christian religions > Pre-Christian European & Mediterranean religions > Ancient Celtic religion
|
God at Home
(Paperback)
Sylvia Diamond; Illustrated by Elizabeth Diamond
|
R332
Discovery Miles 3 320
|
Ships in 10 - 15 working days
|
|
Good foundations are essential for any building to survive - and
for families too. In God at Home, we will find inspirational people
who, despite hardship and frequent alienation from the surrounding
culture, not only survived but thrived, sharing love, light and
hope in their communities and heralding a golden age of faith, art
and learning. Each chapter focuses on a different Celtic Saint with
reflections and experiences from modern family life. There are also
suggestions for families to discuss, create or do together. We
explore simple ways in which Christian homes today can also
flourish and be beacons of light for others.
From around 750BC to 12BC, the Celts were the most powerful people
in central and northern Europe. With the expansion of the Roman
Empire and the later Christianization of these lands, they were
pushed to the fringes of north-western Spain, France and the
British Isles. But there the mythology of these peoples held
strong. The tales from Celtic myth were noted down and also
absorbed into other cultures. From Roman and Christian scribes we
know of characters like Morrigan the shape-shifting queen, who
could change herself from a crow to a wolf, Cu Chulainn, who,
mortally wounded in battle, tied himself with his own intestines to
a rock so that he'd die standing up, and the Cauldron of Bran,
which could restore life. Other than being fascinating in their own
right, Celtic legends are of interest for the influence they had
over subsequent mythologies. The story of the Holy Grail first
appears in medieval romances but its antecedents can be found in
the Celtic tale, the Mabinogion. Illustrated with more than 180
artworks and photographs and maps, Celtic Myths is an expertly
written account of the mythological tales that both fascinate us
and influence other writings.
A very readable guide which fills the gap between academic analysis
and less critical retellings of the myths and legends. Marytn
Whittock provides an accessible overview while also assessing the
current state of research regarding the origins and significance of
the myths. Since all records of the myths first occur in the early
medieval period, the focus is on the survival of pre-Christian
mythology and the interactions of the early Christian writers with
these myths. A wide-ranging and enthralling introduction to Celtic
mythology, from the Irish gods before gods, the Fomorians, to the
children of Llyr, the sea deity; from the hunter-warrior Fionn mac
Cumhaill, whose exploits are chronicled in the Fenian Cycle, to Cu
Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster; and from the Welsh heroes of the
Mabinogion to Arthur, King of Britain, though the mythical, Welsh
version who predates the medieval legends.
|
You may like...
Mental Note
Ramiqa Hopewell
Hardcover
R730
Discovery Miles 7 300
|