Something About Saint Patrick

I'm not sure if this is a good place to put this, but it IS apart of history. I'm not sure what to think of it, so maybe some of you may know. Anyway, what do you think of the following {I received it in an e-mail}:


Saint's Days and Shattered Images
"Your editor has just celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day! And not just because of that one-fourteenth Irish Ancestry: Patrick has always been my favorite saint!
Now, before you decide that Brother Blair has ‘flipped his lid,’ let me give you some historical information. Patrick was not – underscore not – a Catholic. In fact, he was just the opposite, and the Irish Christians of his day sent foreign missionaries to the continent of Europe and even to Rome to preach the evangelical gospel.
As authority for this iconoclastic statement, I cite V. Raymond Edman, the late scholarly chancellor of Wheaton College in Illinois in his outstanding history of Christian missions, "The Light in Dark Ages. Besides giving Patrick’s personal statement of faith (which is perfectly acceptable to us), he states flatly: "He was a man of the Book, and for centuries after him the Irish church held aloft the light of the gospel in contrast to the traditions and superstitions of the church of Rome. Throughout the writings of Patrick, although there are many references to the Scriptures and to the ordinances of baptism, there is nothing whatever about the Virgin Mary, the Eucharist, or the venerations of relice and holy places. He was a Bible-reading, Bible-believing, Bible-preaching missionary."
Possibly this makes clear the reason why March 17 is my favorite ‘saint’s day.’ Patrick, Columba, and other Irish Christians of the Fifth Century are in our chain of Anabaptist-Baptist ancestry!" R. Charles Blair

(The above article is from a 1960's issue of "The Herald", the newspaper of Mid-Continent Baptist Bible College in Mayfield At that time Bro. R. Charles Blair was serving as vice-president of the school and editor of the paper. Bro. Blair is currently serving as pastor of the Poplar Grove Baptist Church in Fulton County, Kentucky)

Other Links To Patrick Articles:
"Saint Patrick Was A Baptist" by Dr. John Summerfield Wimbish - http://www.geocities.com/nrthfldbaptist/patrick.html
"St. Patrick A Baptist!" by Dr. L. K. Landis - http://www.carmichaelbaptist.org/Sermons/landis1.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

~Abby

Hello Abby,

Thanks for the post. Growing up as an Irish catholic I always thought that Patrick was catholic. When I was converted 3 years ago it came to my attention that Patrick was indeed a Bible-reading, Bible-believing, Bible-preaching missionary and praise the Lord for him.

It is scandalous that he has been hijacked by the catholic church and it makes me angry when I see statues and images of him dressed in full catholic Bishop regalia.

Patrick taught Salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, scripture was his only rule book, a far cry from catholiscism.

In Christ

Enda

Wow! Thank you, both of you!!

Hi Enda,,,I am English and went to school in Wales. I grew up with the story that Patrick was a Scot who was taken prisoner to Ireland and later escaped to Wales. In Wales he was educated and then "commissioned" to go to Ireland as a "Cathlolic" bishop and missionary....The stories vary so much about this chap, but his own testimony tells the truth, doesn't it.

Cheers,

Jim

Hi Jim,

You heard the same story I did, its true he was Scottish (born in a town on the River Clyde) and was captured by pirates who took him to Ireland. Of course he was never catholic, but the grandson of a presbyter, and son of a deacon.

Heres another link which is not to long but very informative. Its an article by former Irish RC priest Richard Bennett.

The Legacy of the true Patrick

God Bless

Enda

Well I'm glad to know the story about him being Baptist is true. I'd always heard he was a Catholic missionary. Thank ya'll for your input!
~Abby

Was St. Patrick Catholic?
by James Akin

Patrick was born in 385 western Great Britain into a high-ranking Roman Christian family; he died in Ireland in 461, though some accounts put his death later. His grandfather was a priest and his father--Calpurnius--was a deacon, as well as prosperous nobleman and local Roman official. Patrick’s native language was Latin.

His birth name was, reportedly, Maewyn, and the Latin name Patercius (Gaelicized to "Patrick" by the Irish) was given to him by Pope Celestine just before his mission to Ireland, as a token of the fruitfulness of his future mission, which would make him the pater civium (father of the people) of the Irish race.

He writes that as youths he and his companions "turned away from God, and did not keep his commandments, and did not obey our priests, who used to remind us of our salvation" (Conf. 1). But when he was sixteen he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery, where he served as a shepherd. This revolutionized his life; his faith and zeal for God were ignited, and he spent much time praying and fasting. After six years, he escaped, being led by private revelations along a safe route back to Britain. Afterwards, he was commissioned in another private revelation to serve as a missionary to Ireland.

To prepare, he traveled to France and spent around two decades as a monk—studying, praying, and practicing penance. He was ordained to the priesthood, and in 432 was sent to Ireland to serve St. Palladius, who had been consecrated bishop and sent to Ireland by Pope Celestine. When Palladius died on a trip to Britain, Patrick was chosen as his successor and was consecrated bishop by St. Germanus, the papal representative overseeing the Irish mission.

Patrick experienced enormous success in converting the Irish, and three assistant bishops from France were sent to help him, among them St. Sechnall (aka Secundinus). Within his generation the Irish had been transformed by God’s grace into a Christian (and Catholic) people.

In 441 Patrick went to Rome to seek special approval of his ministry in Ireland, and the newly-elected Pope Leo the Great personally confirmed Patrick’s full adherence to the Catholic faith. This is significant since some today assert that Patrick was not Catholic. In this country, the challenge is mainly made by Irish Americans who have abandoned the Church for Protestantism and wish to co-opt Patrick and represent him as a non-Catholic figure.

This is an impossible task, as Patrick was a Latin-speaking Roman noble, grandson of a Catholic priest, son of a minor official of the Roman empire, who had repeated private revelations, practiced penance, spent two decades as a monk, was ordained a priest and sent to serve on the papal mission to Ireland, was then ordained bishop by a papal representative, and had his fidelity to Catholic teaching specially confirmed by Pope Leo the Great (of whom the fathers of the Council of Chalcedon cried "Peter has spoken through Leo!"). He described himself as a Catholic, and a list of canons he drew up for the Irish church orders that any dispute not resolved on a local level was to be forwarded to Rome for decision.

The two writings from his pen that survive—his Confession and Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus—are both in Latin, and both attest to his Catholic faith. The Letter—which Patrick wrote in a blazing fury after some of his newly baptized converts had been slaughtered during a raid by a British ruler—records his belief in the episcopacy, the ministerial priesthood, confirmation, the value of monks and nuns, purgatory, priestly absolution, and "doing hard penance" (the last two, he said the murdering soldiers needed). His later Confession has a mild tone (not being a response to a massacre) and mentions many of the same Catholic distinctives, as well as fasting, loss of salvation, and Patrick’s many private revelations. Another important source is a Latin hymn written in praise of him by his assistant bishop Sechnall, who records many of Patrick’s beliefs, among them the sacrifice of the Mass, merits, the fact the Church is built on Peter, and baptismal regeneration.

Any disgruntled claims that Patrick was not Catholic are just blarney.

yet there are several documents that show that St Patrich kept the Sabbath on Saturday as was the Tradition of the Celtic Church.

St Patrick was a Celtic. Not in any way part of the Roman church.

the fact the Church is built on Peter

Click to expand...

Unlike the True Church, which is built on Christ.

As for Patrick, I don't know whether he was Catholic or not, but I'm more inclined to believe he wasn't just because the RCC is claiming him. After all, these are the same people who claim that Peter was a pope.

BTW, it is my understanding that only Baptists may post in this forum.

Jeffrey Lloyd this is a warning you cannot post in this forum unless you are a Baptist... When you are converted you may return ... Until then please post where non baptist post... If this continues you will be given a ten day suspension according to BB rules... Rules are rules!... Brother Glen Moderator of the Baptist History Forum

I will be preaching on Mar 14 (pastor going on vacation). I plan on speaking on missions. Since Pats day is comming up, I thought I might use that as a basis. Found this thread on my research, since we are comming to the season, I thought I would bring it to the top.

Many claims and counter claims are made about Patrick. To judge for yourself, read his "Letter to Coroticus" and his "Confession." Both are available on the web, as a Google search will reveal.

Originally posted by Abby_the_IFBaptist:
Well I'm glad to know the story about him being Baptist is true. I'd always heard he was a Catholic missionary. Thank ya'll for your input!
~Abby

Click to expand...

He may have been a born again evangelical, but doubt that we can call him Baptist. He baptised babies (seen the fonts)for one and was monastic in his practise. He established the Irish Celtic church, not a part of Rome, for sure, but it is a bit much to stretch him into the Baptist fold.


The problem with 5th century Irish history is that myth, legend, and truth blur. It is not even dead certain that all of the Patrick stories are talking about the same man.

From his testimony he seems safe to say that he was truly saved by grace alone though faith alone, not depending on his works for salvation, but lets be careful that we don't adapt the parts of the Patrick story that we like at the expense of history.

Originally posted by SALTCITYBAPTIST:
I will be preaching on Mar 14 (pastor going on vacation). I plan on speaking on missions. Since Pats day is coming up, I thought I might use that as a basis. Found this thread on my research, since we are coming to the season, I thought I would bring it to the top.

Click to expand...

SCB,

Be sure to mention the desperate mission field of Ireland. The spiritual darkness in the land where Patrick preached the gospel is desperate. Pray for the missionaries here who face that darkness daily. The Celtic church, established by Patrick and others was incorporated into the Roman church in the 12th century and darkness has reigned ever since.

For Sermons on St. Patrick...
THE TRUTH ABOUT ST. PATRICK
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?currSection=&sermonID=319028958

WILL THE REAL ST. PATRICK PLEASE STAND UP?
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?currSection=&sermonID=5858

Christ4Kildare said:

The problem with 5th century Irish history is that myth, legend, and truth blur. It is not even dead certain that all of the Patrick stories are talking about the same man.

From his testimony he seems safe to say that he was truly saved by grace alone though faith alone, not depending on his works for salvation, but lets be careful that we don't adapt the parts of the Patrick story that we like at the expense of history.

Click to expand...

Amen.

I always do a St. Patrick's Day lesson and teach the children the importance of our missionaries and how their lives are in danger most of the time. By linking it to St. Patrick's Day, his kidnapping by 'pirates' and how he returned to Ireland to share Jesus, the kids listen and learn. I use the shamrock to teach the Trinity too.

Diane

Amen! I agree that your applications are valid Diane.

Wow! I just read through this entire thread. Usually I post in the Other Religions Forum where recently a number of Catholics were banned. Ironically, they were banned for posting exactly the same thing that JeffreyLloyd posted here in a Baptist Only thread, and did so in a very lengthy post:

Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every other Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000 years, despite constant opposition from the world. This is testimony to the Church’s divine origin.

Click to expand...

The Catholic Church hasn't existed since the time of the Apostles (only since the 4th century), and considering its sordid past, and many heresies that it clings to, it can in no way be considered "divine" or of "divine origin."
DHK

DHK, Someone pulled up a thread from LAST year and replied to it. I reported the post and then later saw the date. However, I think those two or three posts need to be removed since they are against our rules so hopefully someone can do that for us!

Diane