THEY BUILT ON ROCK
By Diana Leatham
Hodder & Stoughton . 236 pages. £6.99
ISBN 0 430 74627 0
This book is sub-titled 'Stories of the Celtic Saints' and first appeared in 1948. Therefore it falls into that category of books making their appearance almost certainly to cash in on the current interest in 'Celtic' themes. Essentially, it is a mish-mash of sources uncritically put together. It is also wholly out of date.
By publishing this sort of misleading book, which is as much about legend as truth, it is making it harder for the ordinary reader to gain a clear picture of what the so-called 'saints' were really like. The writer built on what Celtic experts now know to be unreliable sources.
The problem is the misinterpretation of the evidence in order to tell a story. These 'saints' are Catholic property since such doctrine as there is fits well into the world of Roman Catholicism. As the authoress finishes, she invites her readers to pray for her, so that after death she might gain eternal life. There are two recommendations on the cover. Neither is from a reputable source.
Those looking for intellectually-sound material on the 'saints' will have to look elsewhere.
