King Cratilinth of Scotland: Third Century Defender of Christianity (Theonomy Applied)

The Scottish King Cratilinth was a
defender of the faith during the third
century, working to both purge the
land of the idolatry of the Druids, and
to provide a safe haven for Christian
refugees escaping persecution.

277 AD was the beginning of the reign of a Scottish king named Cratilinth. Cratilinth was one of the first rulers since the close of the canon of Scripture to act as a defender of the faith. He used his power to both suppress the idolatry of the Druids, and to provide a safe haven for Christian refugees escaping persecution. 

According to The History of the Church of Scotland: 

Cratilinth coming unto the Crown in the year 277, made it one of his first works to purge the Kingdom of heathenish Superstition, and expulse the Druides, a sort of Priests held in those daies in great reputation. Their manner was to celebrate Sacrifices and perform their other Rites in Groves, with leaves and branches of Oak ...

But that which furthered not a little the propagation of the Gospel in these parts was the persecution raised by Diocletian, which at that time was hot in the South parts of Britan. This brought many Christians, both Preachers and Professors, into this Kingdom, who were all kindly received by Cratilinth, and had the Isle of Man given them for their remaining, and revenues sufficient assigned for their maintenance. In this Isle King Cratilinth erected a stately Church to the honour of our Saviour, which he adorned with all necessary Ornaments, and called Sodorense F.mum, that is, the Temple of our Saviour; hence it is, that the Bishops of the Isles are styled Sodorenses Episcopi. For so long as that Isle remained in the possession of the Scots, the Bishops of the Isles made that Church their Cathedral. ...

But to return to Cratilinth: During his Reign Christian Religion did prosper exceedingly; and Fincormacbus, his Cousin-german, that succeeded, keeping the same course, gave in his time a perfect setling unto it. So great a happiness it is to have two Kings of qualities alike good succeed one to another; for what the one beginneth, the other doth perfect and accomplish.[1]

Notes

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     [1] John Spotswood, The History of the Church of Scotland,: Beginning the Year of our Lord 203, and Continued to the End of the Reign of King James VI (London: R. Royston, 1668), 3, 4.

Note about the Theonomy Applied Series: In quoting any particular law, we do not necessarily endorse every aspect of that law as biblical, whether it be the prohibition, sanction, court procedure, etc. Rather, we are merely showing the more or less attempt to apply biblical law in history, whether or not that application was fully biblical. Moreover, in quoting any particular law, we do not necessarily consider those who passed and/or enforced such a law as being fully orthodox in their Christian theology. Professing Christian rulers in history have ranged in their theology from being orthodox (that is, Reformed Protestants) to heretical (for example, Roman Catholics).