Part 3- Cane Ridge Revival: The Scot-Irish Phenomenon

Following the demise of the Bangor Abby, the Scot-Irish remained passionate about their primary Presbyterian faith. Their continued quest for freedom lead to many conflicts including their support of King William III who offered some measure of independence apart from the Church of England. Keep in mind that the Church of England was formed by King Henry VIII because the Catholic Church refused to grant him an annulment to a marriage that failed to produce a male air to his throne. When the Pope refused, Henry VIII decided to form his own church so that he could find another wife.

Presbyterian history is part of the history of Christianity, but the beginning of Presbyterianism as a distinct movement occurred during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. As the Catholic Church resisted the reformers, the Church split and different theological movements bore different denominations.

Presbyterianism was especially influenced by the French theologian John Calvin, who is credited with the development of Reformed theology, and the work of John Knox, a Scotsman who studied with Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland and brought his teachings back to Scotland. The Presbyterian church traces its ancestry back primarily to England and Scotland. In August 1560 the Parliament of Scotland adopted the Scots Confession as the creed of the Scottish Kingdom. In December 1560, the First Book of Discipline was published, outlining important doctrinal issues but also establishing regulations for church government, including the creation of ten ecclesiastical districts with appointed superintendents which later became known as presbyteries. In time, the Scots Confession would be supplanted by the Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, which were formulated by the Westminster Assembly between 1643 and 1649.

Part 2- The Antiphonary of Bangor: The Scot-Irish Birthright of Peace

Our call to Ireland started in the Spring of 2001. We had no specific direction other than our trip was to begin in the fall. It was not until several months later that we first heard others were headed overseas as well. Over the subsequent months the details of our journey became more evident. There is a huge connection to Tennessee through the Scot-Irish. Our "Hillbilly," roots were enormous history shapers.   As a result, our focus would be in Ireland and Scotland. Many of our team have this heritage in our families. One of the most important stops of our trip was going to be the Abbey at Bangor, Ireland.
  
There is a legend told of St Patrick that he and his companions came one day to a certain valley to rest. Suddenly "they beheld the valley filled with a heavenly light and with a multitude of the host of heaven they heard, as chanted forth from the voice of angels, the psalmody of the celestial choir".They named the place "Vallis Angelorum" – the Valley of the Angels. In the process of time there was built in this valley a holy place – called Bangor.

Prior to leaving on our trip to Ireland a friend, Linda Folmer, had notified us that the only publicly accessible copy of the Antiphonary of Bangor was located at a University some 60 miles from our home. Our first question to Linda was “What is an Antiphonary?” She explained that the Antiphonary is a collection of the liturgical prayers from the Abbey of Bangor. The Abbey at Bangor was founded in 538 A.D. It was from Bangor that the Celtic Church and Christianity as a whole flourished in the dark ages. We knew immediately that these prayers from the Abbey would play a significant part in our journey.

Part 1- Giving Birth to a Nation: The Scot-Irish Flame of Freedom

The issue of slavery in the United States predates its conquest by Europeans as the result of the "Discovery," of America. It is a well documented fact that wars between tribal groups resulted in captives being made slaves of the victors. Slavery is not limited to stereotypical racial boundaries.

English nobility considered the Irish little more than white, good for nothing ignorant slaves. Although not bartered, they were treated as slaves by the landed gentry. Prejudice among people groups has always been founded in dehumanizing those of lower class standing. The English press portrayed the Irish as barefoot, ignorant, monkey like people unworthy of the rights of those of more noble blood.

The term Scotch-Irish is first known to have been used to refer to people living in Northeastern Ireland. In a letter of April 14, 1573, in reference to Ulster, Elizabeth I of England stated, "We are given to understand that a nobleman named 'Sorley Boy' [MacDonnel] and others, who be of the Scotch-Irish race”. This term continued in usage for over a century before the earliest known American reference appeared in a Maryland affidavit in 1689/90.

The Life of Nan-ye-hi

The life of Nan-ye-hi (Nancy Ward) 

Ghighau (Beloved Woman) of the Ani-Yunwiya (Principal People)

A fresh wind is blowing across many cultures. Across racial, religious and political lines the truth is being exposed. This exposure is showing many of us ways in which we have rewritten history out of convenience. Starting down this path of the revelation of our in humanity we encounter many paradigms. Paradigms for whatever reason, we may have chosen to ignore. Comfort in America is being displaced with a kind of holy unrest. It is in this place of holy unrest that we begin to collide with realities which are uncomfortable to look directly in the eye.

Whether or not we like to admit it, the cultures that most dramatically shaped our nation as we know it were those of the Greeks and Romans. Even in this modern era, their societies continue to influence government structures, health care delivery systems, educational institutions and perhaps most importantly, religious structures in America. It is the third century Roman church that is responsible for when we worship, where we worship, how we worship and with whom we worship. It is said that Christian faith conquered Rome and then Rome conquered Christianity. It is out of a conquering mindset that most people view American history. Perhaps a more inclusive way of viewing America is from something beyond the convenient lens of July 4,1776. Could it be that we should view the United States from a minority status as well as seeing the vast accomplishments that we now enjoy?

Over the millennia, European societies developed along the lines of artificially supported living environments. I use the phrase “artificially supported living environments” to describe a community that has to go outside the bounds of its territory for the basics of health and welfare. These societies exploited environmental conditions for the purpose of gaining greater wealth and opulence. Wealth represented power and power, in turn, controls.

During this same time period, Native American societies lived in cooperation with their environment. This contrasts the ideals of exploitation versus stewardship. When Europeans arrived on the North American continent, they found a pristine environment with little impact from thousands of years of human habitation. European societies had a need for industrial revolution where Native Americans did not. Native America would never have found need for such endeavors since their society was empowered by the land in which they dwelled. Having been left to their own devices, Native American culture more than likely, would have continued on its path of environmental harmony. First nations people did not have philosophies or religious basics toward a concept of taking more from the land than they needed. Wealth and status achieved thru exploitation of the land was contrary to the fabric of their society. It is out of thousands of years of stewardship that we examine the life of one Native American we know as Nancy Ward.