I suppose you are wondering why I've gathered you all here
My purpose in this blog is twofold: first, to explore why I left the Episcopal Church and why I think Christianity is on the decline; second, to explore Revival Druidry as a spiritual path and why I think it’s a viable and vital one. Along the way, I will also share poems, review books, describe my experiences of nature, and write about other issues I think are pertinent to my druid experience.
It’s not my intention to bash Christianity. Far too many people have been abused by authorities within the Church, in the name of the Church or of Jesus or of God, but I am not one of them. I left the Christian tradition not in rage and rebellion, finally, but in disappointment and dissatisfaction, putting an end to a relationship that was no longer working for me. I am still grieving the end of that relationship, as one might grieve a marriage that succeeded for a time but eventually failed. What I hope to offer is an insider’s critique of why the mainstream denominations are losing members, how the Church is failing to speak to central spiritual issues of the day, and why, in particular, many Episcopalians who depart wind up Druids (more on that later).
More importantly, I want to examine the spiritual value I have found in Revival Druidry, and particularly in my order, the Ancient Order of Druids in America, which is currently undergoing a renaissance thanks to Grand ArchDruid John Michael Greer. Much of what I have to say will be, in essence, a commentary on his 2006 book The Druidry Handbook, and in future on his forthcoming book The Druid Magic Handbook, due to be released in February of 2008. Greer’s writing has been of inestimable help to me, as has his personal guidance of the Order and his accessibility to its members. While he has often described his role as ArchDruid as being simply to give people permission to do exactly what works for them, the fact remains that in a world where religious authoritarianism seems to be the norm rather than the exception, those of us who strike out on new paths often need precisely that sort of authority–a permission-giver.
So expect some critique, some celebration, some poetry, some book reviews, and some nattering about encounters with trees and birds. And in the meantime, I find I have nothing to say on the death of Jerry Falwell, so that is what I shall say: Nothing.
