Iona Community

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The Iona Community (also called Community of Iona or Iona Community ) is an ecumenical community ( community ) living on the Scottish island of Iona , which was founded in 1938 by George MacLeod . The aim of the work of the community is to live the profession of religion in the shared responsibility for the environment and society and to find "new ways to reach the hearts of all". The community does this primarily through youth work, new songs, forms of worship and elements of worship as well as the commitment to justice and peace in various forms.

The members and friends of the Iona Community belong to a wide variety of denominations. They bring in very different religious traditions, which are taken up as a stimulus for a contemporary Christianity, and pass on impulses from the community in their denominations and communities. The Iona Community builds on traditions of the Irish Scottish Church and is committed to the rediscovery of a Celtic form of Christianity.

Development and activities

Rebuilt Iona Abbey building with tower renovations, summer 2006

George MacLeod was pastor of the Church of Scotland in Govan , a district of Glasgow . He originally wanted to offer the people in his community the opportunity to develop more self-esteem. He looked and found a worthwhile rebuilding project in the ruins of Iona Abbey . In 1938 he moved with craftsmen from Govan and theology students to Iona for three months to work together on the reconstruction. The construction work was completed in 1967. The profile of the community developed in personal encounters and theological discussions between the craftsmen and the theology students and pastors.

The community has three centers: the Abbey of Iona, the MacLeod Center on Iona and Camas, an adventure center on the neighboring island of Mull . In these centers the aim is to live in community with the guests, who usually come for a week.

Coracle is a quarterly magazine covering community life and topics addressed by the rule. Her name means 'a little boat', as it was used in Columban's time and with which he came to the island in 563 to found the first community of Iona.

Rules and forms of affiliation

Life in the community is based on five rules:

  • Daily prayer and Bible study
  • Responsible use of money
  • Responsible use of time
  • Working for the protection of creation, for justice and peace
  • Meet each other regularly and be accountable

There are three different forms of membership:

  • Members (full members and new members, around 260). They commit themselves to all five rules every year. New members go through a two-year program to get to know the community (compare novitiate ). The members are organized regionally in so-called family groups and meet regularly (about once a month). The members live in the dispersion ( diaspora ) in different parts of Scotland , England , Wales ' as well as in Germany , Switzerland , the USA , Australia , Canada , South Africa and Malaysia .
  • Associates (associate members, approximately 1,700). These commit themselves to the first rule and, if desired, can participate in the economic discipline of the members.
  • Friends (friends, around 1,500). These support the community financially and ideally.

Under the economic discipline , the community understands that the members (and associates) give up 10% of their disposable income. Disposable income is income after deducting taxes and all necessary expenses (such as insurance and rent). The 10% ( tenth ) are divided into 6% (work of the church and for justice and peace), 2% (work of the community), 1% (work of the family group), 2 times 0.5% (each common fund and Travel money)

Leaders and known members

Community leader

The leader of the community is elected by the members.

  1. George MacLeod 1938-1967
  2. Ian Reid 1967-1974
  3. Graeme Brown 1974-1981
  4. Ron Ferguson 1982-1989
  5. John Harvey 1989-1996
  6. Norman Shanks 1996-2003
  7. Kathy Galloway 2003-2009
  8. Peter MacDonald, 2009–2017 (previously pastor of St George's West Church in Edinburgh)
  9. Michael Marten, 2017
  10. Kathy Galloway and Christian MacLean, since 2018

Warden of the Abbey of Iona

  1. Alec Hislop: late 1950s to around 1960
  2. Ken Mathers: 1960 to around 1967
  3. Horace Allen (an American): later 1960s
  4. Charles Inglis: later 1960s
  5. Keith Edwards: 1968-1971
  6. John Harvey: 1971-1976
  7. Brian Crosby: 1976-1980
  8. David Graham: 1980-1981
  9. Ian and Kathy Galloway : 1981-1988
  10. Ali and Philip Newell , and Lynda Wright: 1988-1991
  11. Joanna Anderson: 1991-1995
  12. Peter Millar : 1995-1998
  13. Brian Woodcock: 1998-2001
  14. Jan Sutch Pickard : 2001-2004
  15. Richard Sharples: 2004-2007
  16. Malcolm King: since 2007

Known members

Iona Community in continental Europe

The Iona Community has some (new) members in Germany, Austria , Switzerland and the Netherlands as well as around 100 associates and just as many friends and people who support the work of the Iona Community (as of 2004). There are also a few associates and friends in some other parts of Europe, but only in the first-mentioned countries have family and associate groups formed. In Germany, Norway and Sweden , worship materials and songs have already been published in the national languages.

Similar communities

Other well-known communities are the Corrymeela Community in Ireland, the Communauté de Grandchamp in Switzerland and the Communauté de Taizé in France. The latter two, however, are celibate religious orders.

literature

  • Bernd Büscher: Iona Community . In: ders .: Wegweiser. Christian Communities for Peace and Justice . Idstein 1995, ISBN 3-929522-27-6
  • Ron Ferguson: George MacLeod: Founder of the Iona Community - A Biography . Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 1990, ISBN 1901557537
  • Ron Ferguson: Chasing the Wild Goose: The Story of the Iona Community . 2nd Edition. Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 1998, ISBN 1901557006

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Philip Newell: Listening for the Heartbeat of God. A Celtic Spirituality . Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London 2008, ISBN 978-0-281-06093-1 .
  2. ^ Philip Newell: Christ of the Celts. The Healing of Creation . Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 2008, ISBN 978-1-905010-52-3 .
  3. ^ Philip Newell: Celtic Treasure. Daily Scriptures and Prayer . Canterbury Press, Norwich 2005, ISBN 978-1-85311-601-8 .
  4. ↑ Philip Newell: With One Foot in Paradise. The stages of life in Celtic Christianity . Herder, Freiburg 1998, ISBN 978-3-451-27880-8 .
  5. ↑ Kathy Galloway: Living by the Rule. The Rule of the Iona Community . Wild Goose Publications, Glasgow 2011, ISBN 978-1-905010-65-3 .