Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

ANCIENT DRUID ORDER (ADO)

A Pagansophical organization founded in 1717 by John Toland (not, as has been suggested, by William Stukely). The Order originated in a climate of Deism, the existence of God perceived to rely solely on natural reason without reference to revelation, and in this it became associated with the Unitarian Church. It was influenced and moulded by elements of Hermeticism and Theosophy, and a number of other Druidic orders sprang up in its wake throughout Europe during the 19th century. At around the turn of the 20th Century it appears to have merged with the Ancient Order of Druids.

Although the roles in Druidry are predominantly male, aside from that of the Lady, the Spirit of the Earth, it eschews sexual discrimination and places high value on personal integrity.

It follows four seasonal rituals. The most significant, the Summer Solstice festival, is traditionally celebrated at Stonehenge (recently the subject of restriction orders) and involves three rites following a theme of growth. At midnight on the eve of the Solstice a silent vigil takes place on a mound near the stones. The sunrise ritual on the longest day looks forward to the dawn of the Golden Age and is followed by a thanksgiving feast at noon.

Two other, open public festivals are celebrated at the spring and autumn equinoxes.

The fourth, that of the Winter Solstice, is held in private and is a time for reflection.

Other less formal meetings are held on a regular basis and are chiefly devoted to training and guidance. The best-known leader of ADO, who directed a successful campaign for the right to worship freely at Stonehenge, was George Watson McGregor Reid, elected in 1908.

The principles of the Order include an objective to further the evolution of mankind on the assumption that everything in the material world emanates from a spiritual source, symbolized by the sun from which descend three shafts of light, and to which the spirit eventually returns.

Discovery of non-material levels, through magic and responsibly directed power, and how to act effectively upon these levels, is seen as the key to evolution. Members do not marry but cohabit.

From ADO and through the work of W B Crow, were derived The Druid Order and the British Order of the Universal Bond, or London Druid Group. A splinter faction split from the ADO in 1964; under Ross Nichols, it became the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, (which has branches in Australia) following a path focusing on Celtic mythology and Earth Mysteries. The ADO still exists and is based in London.

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one defintion may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differring practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc