Culdees Were The First Christians, "Drama of the Lost Disciples" by George F. Jowett

"THE DRAMA OF THE LOST DISCIPLES" is a classic of British Israelism, and a rare book. You can read samples of this book (or browse through to read really all of it online). However it is a smaller text box and not so easy to navigate. We recommend those who like the book to purchase it from Artisan Publishers, "Drama of the Lost Disciples", or find discount copies on Amazon.co.uk:

Here is a preview of the text, from the subchapter "the Culdees":

CULDEE

The title, "Christian", is claimed to have originated at Antioch, following the enthusiastic reception given to the disciples who fled there in A.D. 36. It is nearer to the truth that the inhabitants of this ancient city referred to the converts as "Little Christs", and, "Little men of Christ". These labels are by no means the correct interpretation of the name "Christian". The word is a composite of Greek and Hebrew. "Christ" is the Greek word meaning "consecrated", and "ian" is from the Hebrew word "am", meaning a person, or people. Therefore, the true meaning of the word "Christian" is "consecrated people".

Early ecclesiastics and historians definitely state that the word is of British origin. Philologists also support its claim to British invention; created by the British priesthood, among whom the Christian movement gained its first and strongest impetus. Substantiation is found in the statement by Sabellus, A.D. 250, who wrote: "The word Christian was spoken for the first time in Britain, by those who first received The Word, from the Disciples of Christ."

It is interesting to note that the Bethany group who landed in Britain, was never referred to by the British priesthood as Christians, nor even later when the name was in common usage. They were called "Culdees", as were the other disciples who later followed the Josephian mission into Britain. There are two interpretations given to the word "Culdee", or "Culdich", both words purely of the Celto--British language, the first meaning "certain strangers", and the other as explained by Lewis Spence, who states that "Culdee" is derived from "Ceile-De", meaning, "servant of the Lord". In either case the meaning is appropriate. This title, applied to Joseph of Arimathea and his companions, clearly indicates that they were considered as more than ordinary strangers. The name sets them apart as somebody special. In this case, since they arrived in Britain on a special mission with a special message, we can fairly accept the title meant to identify them as "certain strangers, servants of the Lord". In the ancient British Triads, Joseph and his twelve companions are all referred to as Culdees, as also are Paul, Peter, Lazarus, Simon Zelotes, Aristobulus and others. This is important. The name was not known outside Britain and therefore could only have been assigned to those who actually had dwelt among the British Cymri. The name was never applied to any disciple not associated with the early British missions. Even though Gaul was Celtic, the name was never employed there. In later years the name Culdee took on an added significance, emphasizing the fact that the Culdee Christian Church was the original Church of Christ on earth. It became a title applied to the church, and to its High Priests, persisting for centuries in parts of Britain, after the name had died out elsewhere in favour of the more popular name, Christian. Culdees are recorded in church documents as officiating at St. Peter's, York, until A.D. 936. And, according to the Rev. Raine, the Canons of York were called Culdees as late as the reign of Henry II. In Ireland a whole county was named Culdee, declared with emphasis when reference was heard at a court hearing in the seventeenth century, as to its laws. The name Culdee, and Culdich, clung tenaciously to the Scottish Church, and its prelates, much longer than elsewhere.

Cambell writes in "Reullura":

The pure Culdees were Alby's [Albion] earliest priests of God, ere yet an island of her seas, by foot of Saxon monk was trod.

The book includes very good coverage of the Glastonbury Culdee, the first above ground Christian church of the world. The Culdee of Glastonbury highly recomend this book. Read online