Christian Focus

In this scholarly and comprehensive account of Columba, Bruce Ritchie combines historical, theological and spiritual insights into his work. Deserving of a wide readership, his accomplished study will enrich our understanding of one of the great figures in Scottish church history.

David Fergusson, Professor of Divinity, University of Edinburgh

Living as he did in the twilight of antiquity, the memory of the remarkable Celtic Christian leader Columba has been both obscured by legend and claimed by various communities, which has only further obscured the real man. In this new study, Bruce Ritchie has put all who love the story of the Celtic Church in his debt as he untangles what we can truly know about Columba, his life in Ireland before coming to Iona, the Iona mission, and his thought. A solid historical monograph marked by scholarly heft, Ritchie’s biography is also eminently readable—a rare combination and a delight to recommend.

Michael A. G. Haykin, Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky