Kemrese Church possibilities

[Padraic Brown <pbrown@polaris.umuc.edu>]

I came across an interesting post in the alternate history group today,
and thought that some of it might be useful in detailing Kemrese history.

Feel free to comment and pick apart.

>"The issue at stake was whether the future civilization of Western
>Europe should derive from an Irish or a Roman embryo…It will be seen
>that, in the contest between Rome and Ireland for the privilege of
>becoming the creator of the new Western Civilization, Rome only just
>succeeded in gaining the upper hand." (Arnold J. Toynbee, "A Study of
>History")
> 
>Though I believe that Toynbee overstates his case, there was the
>distinct possibility of the emergence in the British Isles of a separate
>Celtic Christian civilization as distinct from Latin Christendom as was
>Greek Orthodoxy:
> 
>Isolated from the continent by the pagan Saxons, the Irish develop their
>own distinct branch of Christianity with signature art forms and
>liturgy.  From the mid 6th Century to late 10th century can be
>considered the period of Irish cultural superiority.  Irish monks and
>scholars establish monasteries and schools throughout the British Isles
>and the continent.  The Irish are primarily responsible for preserving
>the knowledge of ancient civilization.
> 
>The POD occurs at the Synod of Whitby (664).  Officially called by the
>king of Northumbria to discuss such issues as how to date Easter on the
>Christian calendar, the real contest was between the Irish disciples of
>St. Columba and the Roman disciples of St. Augustine over which church
>would convert the pagan barbarians of Britain.  In this alternate
>timeline, the king decides in favor of the Celtic Church.
 
So far so good, and seems to be the direction that Kemr has already
headed. 

>This leads to the re-Christianization of Britain during the late 7th
>century.  Following up on their victory at Whitby, Irish missionaries
>convert the Scots, Welsh, Angles and Saxons of Britain.  Eventually the
>power center of the new Celtic Christian civilization moves to the
>wealthier and more populated regions of southeast Britain.  The
>Archbishop of Canterbury eventually becomes the acknowledged head of the
>Celtic Church.  By the mid-8th century, the Celtic Archbishop is acting
>as equal to Roman Pope and Greek Patriarch.

I think the "Welsh", being Kemrese descended from already Christianised
Romano-British, are probably already in large part Christian.  Perhaps
even the Scots.  But that's no reason the Irish can't come in and work
them over somewhat.  The Saxons and Angles could probably use some good
old fashioned F & B, though.  Since we've already got a fairly stable
realm *there*, I think the seat of the church ought to stay in Kemr rather
than move east or anywhere else.  It seems that the AB of Glastein acts in
this independent fashion (as hinted at in the Page). 
 
>The 8th Century becomes a Celtic Golden Age, similar to Periclean Greece
>and the Italian Renaissance.  Celtic art, literature and scholarship
>reaches its peak with original Irish works making their way as far east
>as Constantinople and Damascus. Latin, Greek and Moorish scholars are
>invited to Kells and Canterbury.  Celtic culture goes beyond salvaging
>ancient knowledge with the creation of its own native philosophies and
>sciences.  Meanwhile Roman Christendom lays mired in the Dark Ages and
>Greek Christendom is stifled by an autocratic orthodoxy. Unfortunately,
>Celtic political achievements lag behind as the British Isles remain
>divided among petty kings.  Like the Italians of the Renaissance, the
>Celts create a society culturally brilliant and militarily weak.

I think this last is somewhat mitigated by the presence of a reasonably
strong Kemr in place. 
 
>The subsequent history of the British islands follows pretty much the
>same path as in OTL - the Vikings weren’t too particular about the
>religion of the peoples they pillaged.  The same destruction occurs as
>the Celtic golden age comes to an abrupt end. During the 9th century,
>every monastery and university in Ireland is sacked, and not a single
>work in Latin is published for over 100 years.  The same seesaw contest
>lasting two centuries occurs with the wars between Alfred and the Danes,
>and Brian Boru and the Vikings.  In the end, the Norsemen are converted
>to Celtic Christianity and are absorbed into Celtic culture by the late
>10th century. (Like the Normans who settled in Ireland in OTL and became
>"more Irish than the Irish", the Vikings in general had a genius for
>rapidly adopting the ways of the peoples they had conquered.) The
>Archbishop finds shelter in Wales at this time and the Celtic Church
>becomes closely identified with the Welsh Prince.
> 
>All three Christian civilizations respond to the Viking attacks  with a
>similar strategy: a military defense combined with a cultural offense.
>Greek  missionaries convert the Kieven Rus and later the pagan Slavs of
>eastern Europe. Roman missionaries later convert the remaining pagans of
>northern Germany and the Viking homeland of Scandinavia.
> 
>The Celts also assume a cultural offensive and convert the Viking
>settlement of Iceland by the end of the century.  Though tiny
>geographically compared to the "conquests" made by the Roman and Greek
>churches, Iceland at this time represented the cultural apex of Viking
>civilization with its epic literature (the Eddas) and advanced social
>institutions (the Althing parliament).  Icelandic converts to the Celtic
>church would soon carry the Celtic faith further westward to Greenland
>and beyond.  Like the Kievan Rus who assisted in the conversion of the
>pagan Slavs to Orthodoxy, the Icelanders would lead the effort to
>convert the newly discovered Skraelings of Vinland to the Celtic faith.
>The 11th century would see ever increasing European contacts with North
>America. During the later Norman rule many Britons would flee or be
>exiled to the Vinland colonies. As the Russian Orthodox Church would
>split from its parent faith, so too would Vinlandic Christianity - but
>that lay in the future.
> 
>After the death of Canute, and the complicated dynastic struggle which
>followed, the crown of Britain passes to Harold.  At the urging of the
>Pope to crusade against the heretic Celts, William of Normandy invades
>Britain in 1066.  As in OTL he defeats Harold at Hastings and conquers
>Britain.  However, the antagonistic religion of the Roman Catholic
>Normans makes it impossible to establish a firm foundation for William’s
>rule.  Like the Latin Kingdom of Constantinople founded after the 4th
>crusade, a religiously hostile populous makes it impossible for the new
>regime to put down roots.
> 
>Henry’s murder of Celtic Archbishop Thomas a’Becket is done with the
>Pope’s approval - Henry is later sainted for this deed.  Celtic
>religious fervor reaches a boiling point during one of Richard’s long
>absences from Britain.  A popular uprising, led by the Welsh Prince
>Llywelyn succeeds as the flower of Norman chivalry is cut down by a new
>weapon, the Welsh longbow. Llywelyn enters Canterbury in triumph and is
>crowned king of Great Britain by a grateful Archbishop.  Ireland and
>Scotland hasten to submit to his rule.
> 
>No Prince John.  No Magna Carta. No subsequent 100-Years War since the
>new Welsh kings have no claim to the French throne.  Celtic civilization
>is once again restored, but as a fortress not a palace.  Unfortunately,
>parliamentary rule is snuffed out at the start by a strong kingship in
>close alliance with the church. Alienated and isolated from the
>continent, the Celts turn their eyes westward to the new territories
>across the Atlantic.  Like the Russians spreading eastward across
>Eurasia until they encountered the established civilization of the
>Manchus, the Vinlanders (intermarrying and converting the Native
>Americans along the way) expand westward across North America until they
>meet the Aztecs in 1500. . .

Some of this is clearly deviant from Established Kemrese History, but I
thought that the post would be interesting and perhaps beneficial to
fleshing out Kemrese history a little.  This post also allows for an
independant British church into modern times, which is contradictory to
EKH, though not explained in the Page.  Of course, it does mention the
Kemrese Rite, which I can only assume is semiautonomous. 

The opinions in the post are not necessarily mine, but the original
poster's, whose name I've unintentionally snipped; and are posted here to
simply get a discussion going and see what goodies we can turn up. 

Padraic.