Christian Druidry
Jesus is my Druid...
There are many who are Druids, and they know it.
There are many who are Druids and do not know it!
There are Wiccans and other Pagan Paths that are Druids. There are Buddhist and Hindus that are Druids. There are Moslems, New Agers and even Fundamental Christians who are Druids. They just may not know it. They hold within their heart, mind and soul, that which makes a Druid. They truly do understand the virtues that we live by. They just have never understood what a Druid is, or had the training, the encouragement, to become one of us who can stand proudly and say “I AM a Druid”.
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“Hear the words of the Filidh! Hear the words of the royal house of Ui Neil! Hear the words of Columba of Iona, Saint of God!”
These are the words of one of the most revered Saints in Celtic history. They are the words of St. Columba of the clan Ui Neil who established the Celtic Church in Scotland. These words inspired this essay. It is clear that Columcille identified the highest he knew as the Druidic, identifying it with Christ while repudiating superstitions:
 | | 'There is no "streod" that can tell our fate nor bird upon the bough, nor trunk of gnarled oak. I adore not the voices of birds nor Chance, nor the love of son or wife -
my Druid is Christ, the Son of God.'
The words used are...'mo drui, mac Dé' -
'my Druid, son of God' - which does not sound as though he were contrasting the two but identifying them." The point here is that the Druids actually looked forward to the coming of Christianity, as it should have been. |
A little background on St. Columba....
Columba was born into the family of the O'Neils, the Kings of Ireland. He was the nephew and uncle of a king and educated by a Druid. He embraced the new God with many of his Druid and Filidh brothers AND sisters. During the battle of Cuidremne (in Sligo) he sided against Diarmud, the pagan Ard Righ of Ireland. As a result of the battle he was exiled to the Scottish Isle of Iona. This island was a mixture of Druids, Culdean monks and priests. Iona built this monastery (and former Druid grove) into a base for Christianizing Western Scotland. This was done after proving his might in battle with Druids that were aligned with Warlords (he dispelled their winds and brought light into a Magical Darkness). Columba returned to Ireland on only one occasion, to render a verdict at Drimceatt when Aedh, the new Ard Righ, attempted to outlaw the Druid remnant or Filidh (the Druidic Poets). Columba's stature was such that his arguments for the poets saved their status and class from extinction. Columba was trained by a Druid and was not above using Druid magicks to further his interests. In fact, he used them in overcoming the magicians of the Pictish king, Brude. The early Christian saints engaged in many magical battles with various Magicians. St. Patrick had many battles with the Druids in the service of the Irish king.
Many Druids converted to Christianity easily because Christian beliefs and the teachings of the Celtic church were very similar to those that they espoused themselves. In fact, the birth of Christ was an often-repeated saga in many Old Traditions.
This is usually referred to as the Mabon/Modron cycle. There are many similarities between the life of Christ, Finn, and Cuchulainn. Each of these men has a mystical beginning. His mother is impregnated by a "God" As a child he is hunted by those in authority. He is also very precocious. There are many miracles and superhuman feats associated with each of these men. Cuchulainn and Finn chose the path of the Warrior while Christ chooses the path of the Priest. Each of these men is Druidic in his knowledge and his ability to be surrounded by light when working magic/miracles.
When the idea that Christ might be someone's Druid first came to my attention, I asked myself this question, "If it took 20 years to be a Druid then that would mean that one could not actually start being a Druid until about the age of 30..." In the bible we are told that Jesus was precocious in the Temple, showing wisdom beyond his years and then he vanishes for 20 years! What DO you suppose he was doing?
Some people suggest that he studied in India during the "lost years". Others say that he came to England with his uncle Joseph of Arimathea. There is other evidence that he may have been an Essene, a mystical cult of the desert. He could have gone to study in Alexandria, which was the center of learning for the entire ancient world. Druids were no strangers to the Library of Alexandria. They spoke and read Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. And taught that in their schools or "bangors".
Just to sum it all up... It's never been very hard for me to think of Moses or Jesus as being the Druid type. Both these men have the wisdom, Magick, and strength of Will and Love to change the world. Such is the case with Druids. In fact, Merlin and Taliesin would probably not mind someone like Charlton Heston portraying them in a movie! It is the Power of the Individual that this new era of religions will promote.
Céad Míle Faíte! "100,000 Welcomes"
Druidism for the Third Age of Man
Some Reflections on Christian Druidry
Dr. R.R. Meyers
Oklahoma University Peace Rally
The Arch Bishop of Canterbury
BBC News - Ed Prynn
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