The Kentigern Way

Stephen Wright has run the Sacred Space Foundation in Cumbria for many years, and here he provides a historical account of St Kentigern - aka St Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow - within the context of the Christianity that was emerging in Britain in the sixth century. The first part describes his life and the way it has been depicted in the form of archetypal hagiography that buys into the 'great man theory', with its corresponding invisible woman, in this instance his mother Teneu, who encountered many patriarchal ordeals in her own life. The background itself is important in evoking the contrasts between indigenous plurality and centralised Roman authority, decided in favour of the latter at the Synod of Whitby in 664. Stephen warns, however, against romanticising Kentigern and Celtic Christianity on this account. If one takes a 'mythos' rather than a more literal 'logos' approach to his story, one can recognise essential features of the human condition, which Stephen elaborates in terms of soul nourishment soul friends, soul communities and soul work enabling and underpinning an engaged, prophetic and compassionate spirituality that we ourselves can also embody (p. 66 ff.).

A chapter by Lesley Orr powerfully evokes the relevance of Teneu to women's spirituality today as one who knew how to say no and courageously stand her ground, repudiating the expectation of cooperative submission. The second part reflects on the nature of pilgrimage as a challenge to shift 'our perception of self, of our relationship with the Beloved and the world' and where the outer journey takes us more deeply inwards. Stephen gives valuable practical and spiritual resources, with questions to ponder on the way. He then describes the route in more detail, recommending places to pause to consider questions that arise with the symbolism of, say, water, trees or bridges. A real gem.