When people arrived on the East CVoast of England prior to the 1539 Dissolution of the Monasteries – the absolute monarchies of England would often like to show-off their wealth, power and opulence! With no sense of irony, the English royal family would also like to give the impression that their great power grew from their great humility! Although many thousands of dedicated med and women resided in the monasteries of England (including those instigated by the earlier Celtic and later Catholic systems of Christianity) – the royalty would attempt to intimidate their guests through the sheer magnitude of the some of these structures!
During 1381 – England came within a hair’s breadth of becoming a People’s Republic! This great effort led by Wat Tyler was eventually defeated through the duplicity of the ruling classes – but its example echoes down through history! The beginnings of this gate stem from the 11th century and the consolidation of the Norman Conquest. This was when Roman Catholicism landed in England as part of the ruling government structure. Prior to this, Celtic Christianity (probably from Egypt) held sway in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Indeed, St Alban – England’s first recognised Martyr – was a “Celtic” (and not a Catholic) Christian. What Catholic presence there was prior to 1066 CE was piece-meal and generally lacked any real political power or influence. The differwence between these two forms of Christianity is that although both possessed a monastic tradition – the Celtic version saw the monastery (not the Church) as the centre of society. Furthermore, the Celtic version possessed a tolerant attitude toward non-Christian beliefs – a position rejected by the Catholic variant. With the coming of the politically empowered Catholic Church – Celtic Christianity was all but wiped-out by the 12th century.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 