This book poses an intriguing question — and after tons of research, the author arrives at the only answer most historical mysteries can be answered with: It’s possible.
The question is whether what we think of as “Irish Christianity” — with its distinctive decorative motifs including the Celtic cross, its emphasis on monastic life, a liturgical tradition historically distinct from Britain or France — was an offshoot of the Egyptian Church rather than the Roman.
Author Connie Marshner combed through not only earlier histories of the Irish Church, but also compared early Irish manuscripts with similar manuscripts from both Western and Eastern churches. She then also considered archaeological evidence of trade between Ireland and Egypt in the early years of Christianity.
Her conclusion? There is definitive evidence of ongoing trade between Ireland and Egypt, the Irish liturgy was deeply influenced by early Eastern liturgies, and travelers from and to Ireland undoubtedly brought in ideas from the various Eastern seats of Christendom.
And when you simply look at early Coptic crosses and compare them to Celtic crosses, they are far more similar to one another than they are to any other designs.
Marshner writes with an engaging voice, and she cites her sources with footnotes. Adding illustrations would have helped her emphasize certain points — but that’s the only negative.
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