Hilda was born into a pagan, Anglo-Saxon family in the province of Deira (land to the north of the Humber) in 614, and her early life was to witness much of the brutality and darkness for which that period has become most famous. Her own father was poisoned in the continuing battle for power between ruling claimants.
Her first encounter with Christianity happens after her uncle Edwin wins power, encountering a vision of Christ which leads to the family's baptism. But victory is short term and Hilda is forced into exile in the Christian kingdom of the East Angles, holding on to her newfound faith while others cast it aside.
Hilda returns north after power passes to the Christian ruler Oswald, who now sets out to reconvert the people of the area, inviting Aidan of Ireland to lead the work.
Hilda had only known Christianity with Roman roots. She now comes into direct contact with Celtic Christianity for the first time and discovers a stark difference in terms of lifestyle, approaches to mission, models of church and the requirements of soul friends to assist personal faith development.
She was planning to become a nun and depart overseas but Aidan convinces Hilda to stay and sets her on the path of her life's work of pioneering monasteries and establishing learning for men and women. The Celtic church has no qualms over women leadership, unlike the Roman church.
Having set the scene, Ray goes on to unfold the story of Hilda's work at Hartlepool and Whitby, drawing out key lessons for our own age from her life, work and legacy, and through questions for reflection, encourages personal application.
Just before Hilda's birth, Hilda's mother had a vision of light cast across Britain from a necklace - a vision that St Bede, writing in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People (completed 731AD), regarded as being fulfilled through Hilda. This light Ray Simpson now projects into our own age.
Foreword by the Archbishop of York
We have much to be thankful for in God's own county, but of all the bright stars of Yorkshire's rich heritage of Christian witness, for me St Hilda of Whitby shines out as one of the brightest. I am thankful to Ray Simpson for retelling her story in a way that connects so directly with our contemporary world, inspiring prayer and reflection which I trust will bear fruit as it did so abundantly, graciously, and quietly in her own life.
I enjoy my visits to Whitby, not just for the fantastic kippers I often come away with, but also because Hilda's memory lives on in the faith, hope, and love of today's Christian community in that town. I thank God also that the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete continue the monastic tradition in that town, with their Mother House, St Hilda's Priory, Sneaton Castle, looking across the bay to the ruins of the Abbey where Hilda's church once stood.
Hilda's example of self-sacrificial leadership, and of courageous acceptance of what the gathered church discerned as the will of God, is a particular challenge to us today. At the Synod of Whitby over which she presided, although she was a firm believer in the Celtic way, she accepted fundamental changes to the time-honoured ecclesiastical polity of the Celtic Church. She was willing to embrace the new ways of the Roman mission for the sake of the unity of the Church's witness in this land.
Hilda was baptised on Easter Day, April 12th 627 on the site where York Minster stands today, along with King Edwin, by Paulinus, first Bishop of York.
My prayer is that those baptised today, and all of us who seek to follow Jesus in the North of England, will follow Hilda's example. With her I hope we shall live wholeheartedly for Jesus, carrying the light of God into the communities to which we belong, and seeing the love of God transform both church and nation.
This book will help us along the way.
+Sentamu Eboracencis
Her first encounter with Christianity happens after her uncle Edwin wins power, encountering a vision of Christ which leads to the family's baptism. But victory is short term and Hilda is forced into exile in the Christian kingdom of the East Angles, holding on to her newfound faith while others cast it aside.
Hilda returns north after power passes to the Christian ruler Oswald, who now sets out to reconvert the people of the area, inviting Aidan of Ireland to lead the work.
Hilda had only known Christianity with Roman roots. She now comes into direct contact with Celtic Christianity for the first time and discovers a stark difference in terms of lifestyle, approaches to mission, models of church and the requirements of soul friends to assist personal faith development.
She was planning to become a nun and depart overseas but Aidan convinces Hilda to stay and sets her on the path of her life's work of pioneering monasteries and establishing learning for men and women. The Celtic church has no qualms over women leadership, unlike the Roman church.
Having set the scene, Ray goes on to unfold the story of Hilda's work at Hartlepool and Whitby, drawing out key lessons for our own age from her life, work and legacy, and through questions for reflection, encourages personal application.
Just before Hilda's birth, Hilda's mother had a vision of light cast across Britain from a necklace - a vision that St Bede, writing in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People (completed 731AD), regarded as being fulfilled through Hilda. This light Ray Simpson now projects into our own age.
Foreword by the Archbishop of York
We have much to be thankful for in God's own county, but of all the bright stars of Yorkshire's rich heritage of Christian witness, for me St Hilda of Whitby shines out as one of the brightest. I am thankful to Ray Simpson for retelling her story in a way that connects so directly with our contemporary world, inspiring prayer and reflection which I trust will bear fruit as it did so abundantly, graciously, and quietly in her own life.
I enjoy my visits to Whitby, not just for the fantastic kippers I often come away with, but also because Hilda's memory lives on in the faith, hope, and love of today's Christian community in that town. I thank God also that the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete continue the monastic tradition in that town, with their Mother House, St Hilda's Priory, Sneaton Castle, looking across the bay to the ruins of the Abbey where Hilda's church once stood.
Hilda's example of self-sacrificial leadership, and of courageous acceptance of what the gathered church discerned as the will of God, is a particular challenge to us today. At the Synod of Whitby over which she presided, although she was a firm believer in the Celtic way, she accepted fundamental changes to the time-honoured ecclesiastical polity of the Celtic Church. She was willing to embrace the new ways of the Roman mission for the sake of the unity of the Church's witness in this land.
Hilda was baptised on Easter Day, April 12th 627 on the site where York Minster stands today, along with King Edwin, by Paulinus, first Bishop of York.
My prayer is that those baptised today, and all of us who seek to follow Jesus in the North of England, will follow Hilda's example. With her I hope we shall live wholeheartedly for Jesus, carrying the light of God into the communities to which we belong, and seeing the love of God transform both church and nation.
This book will help us along the way.
+Sentamu Eboracencis
