Crumbs from the Table

Chad of Mercia (634-672) was a Christian monastic who lived in the 600s, at the time when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were being Christianised.  Chad was one of four brothers born, it is supposed, into the nobility of the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria (northeast England). However, curiously, his name is of Celtic origin, which may mean he was not of Anglo-Saxon stock. Sometime before Aidan's death in 651, Chad studied under that prominent Christian monastic at the Lindisfarne monastery. Chad may have completed his education at Mayo in Ireland.  Sometime before 664, Chad was back on the island of Britain, helping his brother Cedd found a monastery at Lastingham (Yorkshire). When his brother Cedd died, Chad took over as abbot. Caught up in the church politics of the time, Chad was briefly appointed bishop of York (approx. 666-669) in place of his contemporary, Wilfrid, only later to step down in favour of his colleague.   Later, in 669, King Wulfhere of Mercia requested...

Christianity in Britain may date back to before the year 200  (e.g. bishop Thean of London). Certainly, Christianity had reached Britain by the year 208. The church father Tertullian mentions this fact as an example of the geographical spread of Christianity in his time, "In all parts of Spain, among the various nations of Gaul, in districts of Britain inaccessible to the Romans but subdued to Christ, in all these the kingdom and name of Christ are venerated." Another church father, Origen, writing about 239, likewise refers to Christianity among the Britons, "The power of the Saviour is felt even among those who are divided from our world, in Britain," although he is also careful to qualify that "very many have not yet heard the word of the Gospel." The first known martyr for the Christian faith in Britain was Alban , who during the Great Persecution (303-311) was killed at Verulam in about 305 for the crime of harbouring a Christian cleric. Following th...