Oran Mór Journal

Welcome to the "new" Oran Mór Journal!

Celtic Wisdom for a Fragmented World: Inspired by John Scottus Eriugena, the Celtic Latins & the Celtic Saints.

Back in March the journal transitioned from a general Celtic journal to one focusing solely on Celtic spirituality, both Christian and pre-Christian. These are not exclusive subjects. You cannot really understand Celtic Christianity without first understanding Celtic pre-Christian spirituality. The same holds true for Celtic Christianity and Eastern Christianity. One cannot truly understand Celtic Christianity without understanding the Eastern Church Fathers and their influence on Celtic Christian thinking. No where is this more pronounced than in the work of John Scottus Eriugena. Future essays will speak to these connections.

As you read the coming essays you will notice two general themes running throughout:

The first, a theme of inclusiveness, as is found in Brigit’s Feast.

I should like a great lake of the finest ale
For the King of Kings
I should like a table of the choicest food
For the family of heaven
Let ale be made from the fruits of faith
And the food be forgiving love.

I will welcome the poor to my feast
For they are God’s children
I shall welcome the sick to my feast
For they are God’s joy
Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place
And the sick dance with the angels.

God bless the poor
God bless the sick
God bless the human race.

The second, the Incarnation of the Logos, as seen in Jesus via the scriptures, and as seen in nature:

Christ wears "two shoes" in the world: scripture and nature. Both are necessary to understand the Lord, and at no stage can creation be seen as a separation of things from God.
- John Scotus Eriugena

Over the course of time, Eriugena will frequently enter into our thinking here and on the Reimagining Incarnation website.

As you read the journal, which I hope you with find both insightful and provocative, please share your thoughts with me.


I am sure you have noticed by now that the Oran Mór Journal has a new “front page” and a different URL. As all of my websites are related, I wanted to bring them under one umbrella or portal ( https://www.frankamills.com), yet keep them separate. And as an added advantage, having one primary URL is a lot less expensive than multiple ones. Each has a new front page, which I hope will cause the viewer to want to see what’s inside. That also has new formatting.

Please check out the portal and see what else is being offered.

The other major change is that I will not be posting on a regular schedule. Not doing so will allow more time to be spent on an individual piece, hopefully providing more depth. New posts will be noted in the newsletter and on the Oran Mór Facebook group page as they appear. By the way, all of the newsletters of my various Christian websites are now combined into one newsletter.C


A personal note:

As some of you know, part of the posting hiatus was because of health reasons. Many of you have inquired about how I am doing. Thank you. Health is improving, but has a way yet to go. It is more inconvenient than overly serious. However, it did point out to me that at 80 years of age, I need to be spending more time with family, and more time in pursuit of the things I enjoy, like gardening and photography, as well as writing. I was becoming too focused on the latter. Hence, another reason for not having to post according to a schedule and for combining all newsletters into one.

Frank's Welcome Editorials
January"A Change of Direction"
February"I am fan of St. Brigit"
January - "Fragmented society. Disrupted community. Failing bridges. A diminished Earth"