Far off on the edge of the world and the shores of civilization, the Irish came to faith in Jesus later than their neighbors in Roman Britain and the Mediterranean world. Yet when they caught fire for the Christian faith, they would not only launch the evangelisation of the Picts in what is now Scotland, but also the re-evangelisation of post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages. As a result, their stature has been legendary even since the time of the Venerable Bede in the eighth century, and today “Celtic spirituality” finds itself appropriated by hippies and New Agers, by charismatics, by high churchmen, and more. Where does the truth lie? This course will explore Christianity in Ireland and Britain from around 450-700 through the writings of the Christians who lived through it, seeking the truth amidst the legend and romance that continue to draw us there.