ADF Structure, Customs, and Policy
ADF’s commitment to Public Inclusive Ritual
The ADF Constitution insinuates that ADF wishes to emulate
the ancient Druids, and I imagine that includes any ancients performing in a
role of the intelligentsia as well. We do this by leading religious activities.
It is widely known that one of the worst punishments in the Celtic culture was
to be excluded from attending sacrifice. This seems to imply that everyone was
welcome by default. In ADFs emulation of the ancient Celtic priests and their
cultural cognates, we establish local events where ADF members perform modern
rites which are open to the public and only exclude those who make trouble for
our work or are inimical to the goals of ADF.
The Constitution is very clear that we are not to exclude
folks from our rituals based on any bigoted or discriminatory basis save creeds
which obstruct our work, See Article 5. Isaac’s vision doesn’t just include
public worship, he takes it a few step further stating that ADFmembers and
those we serve in the wider community will eventually need “...publically
accessible worship, teaching, counseling, and healing.”
ADF is a neopagan church and aims to place itself on the menu
of mainstream religions. In order to accomplish this, ADF must have an exoteric
agenda of service to the community. To grow our groups, we must grow our
potential audiences, which will grow the potential healing for the Earth Mother
and all her children.
Towards these goals, ADF provides training in order equip
those called to Priesthood to serve with their skills to the public, providing
the folk with all the benefit of the strong relationships a clergy person has
to the lore, the kindred, and contemporary druidic ways.
ADF Clergy Duties
ADF Priests provide competent service to the community, with
integrity, as the Clergy Code of Ethics explicitly outlines. Isaac’s vision for
ADF holds that “excellence in Clergy training and practice is vital for any
healthy, growing, religion.” I believe it. We live in a world of amateurs and,
though sincere, they are often not competent to serve and be a steward of group
practice. While we do not act as conduits between adherents and the Kindred,
Ordained and Acting Priests within ADF serve by officiating ritual, forming
strong relationships with the Kindred, inviting them and the Folk to share
sacred space together in reverence and love. We effectively create the nemeton
through which our members and adherents approach An nDeithe.
ADF Priests must exercise discretion when they communicate
and take care not to share privileged information without written consent. This
is often a guideline in any priesthood or order and is found in any major
religion. Though we are not at all counselors, neopagan laity will often seek
comfort in hearing a priest's perspective or having a holy ear that will
listen. This means we are bound by trust to be good stewards of confidential
information. As Isaac saw it, we would be equals with and take part in joint
activities with Clergy of other faiths. Interfaith work is very circumspect and
cautious work, with discretion and virtue, and should exercised with care. This
part of Isaacs Vision cannot become manifest if our priests are a source of
gossip.
ADF Clergy has an obligation of continued study and
interaction with the Kindred. According to Isaac we do our work to become a
massive religion which can change the political, social, and environmental
attitudes, around the world. I interpret the former portion of the vision as
referring to attitudes toward reverence and unity with Nature. It isn’t a
Clergy persons job to get into political battles with groups or individuals as
this prevents the holy person from performing continued work.
ADF’s IE Focus
Though members of ADF say we aren’t reconstructionists, ADF
is indeed reconstructionist paganism. Isaacs words are clear, “I've decided to
try once again to see what I can do to create a form of
"reconstructionist" Neopagan Druidism.” Our ritual FAQ states, “ADF
is a "liberal reconstructionist" religion.“ We are liberal in that
our traditions are sometimes not rooted in ancient IE practice, the gatekeeper,
for instance.
By the time Isaac started ADF, he had been a pagan and a
magician for nearly 20 years and was an elder in the Craft. Since the
neopaganism of his era was a hunger pang for authentic European religion and
folk magic, and since he had the Vision to create something cohesive and
meaningful, ADF was inevitable. In an article in one of the first “Druids
Progress,” an early 80s neopagan publication, he seems extremely bothered that there
were no neopagan druidic systems for training(at the time). More importantly,
he felt “There doesn't seem to be any organized group of people trying to
reconstruct what the Paleopagan Druids actually believed and did, nor trying to
apply such knowledge to creating a Neopagan religion fit for the Space Age.”
I find it strange that ADF’s Indo-European focus is not mentioned anywhere in Isaac’s vision. It seems our Prime Directive is public neopagan ritual, and we carry that out through the substrate that is the Indo-European cultural complex. But all groups and all religions have Identity, and ADF’s founder chose the fertile landscape of emerging knowledge from Indo-European linguistics and archaeology.
I believe we use the term Druid in our name because that is
what Isaac chose based on his background. In “The Beginning of ADF” Isaac
states “ADF is an idea I have been wrestling with for years: a Neopagan Druid
Order...” ADF was already an Idea Isaac had, which I suppose morphed into an
Indo-European Church after Isaac did the proper research needed to create ADF
ritual. Personally I think Isaac wanted to create a unique Druidism and
realized on the way it would have to be fully inclusive of all Indo-European
paganisms to be complete and whole. I think that the term Druid is most widely
accepted european synonym for priest or Clergy, more so than Flammen or Godar,
and in that, we we call ourselves a druid, regardless of culture, we summon the
proper image of what we are and do.
ADF Subgroups
One of ADF’s purposes is to train neopagans in it’s highly
developed Study Program. One of the ways our study program is so mature is
because it is managed by multiple groups with specific focus areas of
expertise. This not only decentralizes the work but also sources value from a
variety of skillsets. Additionally these subgroups provide the incubation of
ideas and practices that are important to Our Own Druidry.
Guilds
According to the 2006 edition of the membership guide, Guilds
are formed for the mutual benefit of their members. Anyone can organize one if
they meet the requirements for being a guild leader. Newly forming guilds must
be approved by a vote from the Mother Grove. Guild leaders must be an active
ADF member and be a member of the Guild in consideration, unless newly forming.
Guilds must have their own “governing documents, systems of rank, [and]
elections.” Guilds are/can-be organized by Dumezilian tripartition as well and
can fit into one of the 3 Indo-European social functions. Each guild must have
its mailing list hosted by ADF according to the membership guide.
One of the main focal points for Guilds is to create and
oversee pertinent portions of the overall ADF Study program, though the guild
might additionally have their own study programs. Though fairly autonomous, the
Board of Directors, the Mother Grove, can challenge and overrule any and all
decisions made by guilds or any other ADF subgroup. Guild leaders make up part
of the Council of Lore and each CoL seat represents their guild.
Special Interest Groups
SIGs are groups of ADF members that serve the interests which
do not fall within the realms of other ADF subgroups. Their leaders are called
organizers unlike guild chiefs. SIG Organizers are elected though not for any
term as they will remain organizer until they resign or are removed from their
positions. New organizers are elected by a majority of members each possessing
one vote. Any ADF member can join any special interest group. These subgroups
also provide ADF members a place to talk with others and connect with those
that share their interests.
Special interest groups are given the autonomy to govern
themselves and create bylaws, but also like other subgroups they must provide
quarterly election and financial reports, et cetera,to the Council of Lore. A
few of the interests which has had groups form around them are Solitary
Practice, Devotion to the Morrigan, LGBTQ interests, Pagan parenting, American
based neopaganism, Iberian paganism, ecstatic trance, military outreach,
polyamory, mental health, and more.
Kins
Kins are groups, each focusing on a specific IE culture, and
exist to support Our Own Druidry within that scope and are made up of current
ADF members. They began appearing in ADF in 2003 proposed and created by
Athanasios & GwynneGreen as a way to help each other do ADF druidism in
specific cultural styles. Kin leaders, like other subgroup leaders, must report
to the Council of Lore on all activities, especially financial matters. These
leaders are chosen according to the Kin’s own bylaws, which Kins create
themselves.
One of the main goals of a Kin is to develop culturally rich
spiritual traditions for the rest of ADF. This work includes benefiting from
and contributing back to all guild efforts & education. Kins must have 7
members minimum at all times. There are Kins for the following culture groups:
Vedic et al; Germanic & Norse; Hellenic & Greek; Slavic; Welsh; Gaelic;
Roman; and Proto-Indo-European. Membership in each Kin depends on a Kins
bylaws.
Orders
Orders are relatively new in ADF, the first one was created
by Michael Dangler with the formation of Order of the Crane in 2009. Unlike
Kins, Orders support practice and education of specific Indo-European symbols,
such as the Crane and it’s ability to cross thresholds and transform, rather
than supporting practice within a cultural context. Orders have the same or
similar reporting requirements on finances and other activities, in addition to
extended reporting on the membership and training pursuits. There is one leader
and an advisor. The leader and the advisor is selected and replaced based on
that Order’s bylaws, but the advisor must be an active ADF Priest who acts as a
liaison between the Clergy Council and the Order.
ADF membership is required when seeking Order membership, but
Dedicant program completion is required to pursue Order training programs. The
Order must maintain a training program specific to the purpose and focuses of
the subgroup. Orders have restrictions on who can be excluded from activities
and are generally regarded as inclusionary by nature. Orders are required to maintain
a minimum of 9 members who’ve completed their dedicant work.
Orders must publish a home shrine ritual, a joining ritual,
and produce one published liturgy per year, though only the joining &
yearly ritual must be written in Core Order fashion. Unlike any other subgroup,
Orders are governed by and report to the Clergy Council.
Wheel of the Year
ADF’s legal holidays are void of any cultural names and
instead are referred to as Cross-quarters, Solstices, and Equinoxes in the ADF
Constitution. I personally think this is because of the wide variety of
cultural names that can and do apply to these holidays. They occur on the
following official dates as displayed in ADF’s Constitution:
1.
Cross-Quarter = November 1st
2.
Solstice = December 21st
3.
Cross-Quarter = February 1st
4.
Equinox = March 21st
5.
Cross-Quarter = May 1st
6.
Solstice = June 21st
7.
Cross-Quarter = August 1st
8.
Equinox = September 21st
Ceremonially, groves are required to perform their public
events in celebration of these holidays no more than one week prior or one week
after the official dates. In my personal grove, when a retreat is outside of
this window due to travel requirements of the visiting clergy, we will perform
an additional celebration for the retreat and host another celebration within
the window. An example of this was prior to the Imbolc Retreat, we did a local
Imbolc celebration.
ADF chose to adopt these widely accepted holidays in order to
conform to the rest of Neopaganism. We opted not to use the term Sabbat because
of it’s anti-semitic connotations, as postulated by, William Burns in his book Witch
Hunts in Europe and America: An Encyclopedia. Since we are not Celtic
Druids, but rather co-opt the Celtic term for clergy, we take no issue with
celebrating all 8 when the evidence for the ancient Celts doing so was scant or
non-existent.
Law, Policy, Tradition and Customs
I really enjoy the way ADF is governed in regard to Isaacs
LPT&C. I think a tiered system where the difficulty of changing a
regulation and the penalties for breaking a regulation slide with the impact
that the regulation makes within the organization. Having only a few
regulations with severe penalties makes much more sense to me than any other
systems, especially the arbitrary ones.
Generally the document is still accurate except of a few
places where it contradicts itself. In one section Isaac states, “If members change a major tradition, they’re
expected to present some mighty convincing arguments to the Mother Grove.” In
another section of the same document Isaac states, “...we have only a few rules
that could be considered laws and policies. Everything else is tradition or
custom, which the members are free to experiment with to their hearts’
content.” I find this minor detail a bit confusing, so I strongly consider the
impact of the changes that I do make, though, I really love toying with minor
traditions and customs.
Another thing I find in the document that doesn’t match with
how I perceive ADF today is the portion about changing traditions. I find that
ADF members aren’t very receptive to change. This was easily seen when the
Outdwellers step was changed to an optional one from being a required step in
the Core Order. The amount of moaning and vitriol on the mailing lists
increased, and I’ll admit that I joined in with the sea of complainers who
misinterpreted the press release. ADF members generally, do not like change,
and the Mother Grove hasn’t ever been an exception to this. So I highly doubt
the MG would “modify the major tradition,” in light of, “mighty convincing
arguments,” in my personal experience. I don’t think that they never change
things, it simply doesn’t occur very often, and this is for good reason. Such
changes disrupt everyone. I think this is mostly true for major traditions, but
not minor ones. It’s probably better to schism off as Isaac recommends of
someone insistent on making changes to major traditions that the Mother Grove’s
thinks is inimical to the vision of ADF.
One section that states, “Only the Mother Grove can declare
Druidic laws and policies for the members of ADF as a whole.” seems to be
outdated. Several Subgroups make ADF wide changes, such as the Council of Lore,
the Grove Organizing Committee, the Council of Senior Druids, and more. Some
ADF wide changes aren’t in the jurisdiction of the MG alone and must be made by
the entire body of members, such as changes to the Constitution.
Dumezilian Tripartition and ADF
ADF seems to use Tripartition in ways which local Grove are
operated. The bylaws template ADF provides seems to indicate that the Senior
Druid and Grove Priest are better off as separate functions within the grove.
This is as it should be, It reflects the lore and also being a herder of cats
takes effort and shifts focus from Clergy duties.
Isaac also identified the “Three Worlds plus Fire”
cosmological dynamic from his venturous IE Studies in the 80s and prior to
that. This has become a very important aspect of the Core Order. To us, the
sacred center of Fire is one of the symbols which serves to join us all
together as a Pan-IE Church.
In addition to the Cosmic and Sovereign tripartitions that we
observe, ADF’s theological three Kindred can be divided along those same lines.
Spirits of the Land(3rd function), Ancestors(2nd Function), and the Shining
Ones(1st function).
Moreover, most every triplicity, triad, or multiple of three
within ADF is perceived through Dumezilian Tripartition. You can see this in
the Dedicant Program, in the Virtues, and most other things.
Most notably you’ll find that the structure and families of
the Gods themselves are divided into a third, second, and first function. The
first function, for instance, is seen as a dual role of “Law and Magic.”
Orthopraxy versus Orthodoxy
Sparing you the details about the etymology of the two words,
I’ll start by saying that Orthopraxy within ADF, which is the only context I’ve
ever experienced the word, is the idea that we can set up and follow a common
structure of practice with little regard to the practitioner’s belief. ADF
doesn’t prescribe any beliefs whatsoever. ADF also does not prescribe required
actions in any practice, except when an individual is representing a practice
as ADF tradition. Orthodoxy is in complete contrast to Orthopraxy.
Practitioners of religions which self-identify, and those of
some who don’t, as Orthodox tend to follow and invest value in the notions that
there is a right way to believe or the right set of theological principles and
doctrines of which to subscribe. Orthopraxy doesn’t really seem important to
followers of Orthodoxy. In my experience Protestants relate to Catholics more
than they do to some other faiths, even though Catholic practice is on an
entirely different planet as Protestant Christian practice.
In the ADF of the real world, in my local grove, we have a
Christian who worships with us. This person gets great value out of our liturgy
and community. This person worships the Hebrew Goddess Asherah whose symbols
have cognates to ADF symbols. We as a group never get into arguments about what
is proper to believe. Additionally, our dedicant class often features round
robins where we go around the room sharing our different views and beliefs
about Dedicant Program topics. Orthopraxy is an ideal for what we do. It
creates more reasons to bring each other together, just as commonalities among
IE religions do.
Praise Offerings
All Offerings are made to the Three Kindred to keep the old
bargains and to honor the unspoken reciprocal contract that exists between all
cosmic neighbors. We are here in this universe and “We dwell together.” So we
make allies with the Otherworldly powers and beings, regardless of any views of
their true nature. Those who are our Cosmic Enemies, the Ancient Giants “who
dwell in the outer dark,” and those who stand against Cosmos, we propitiate,
but do not give praise.
In my personal view a Praise Offering is any telling of the
honor, wisdom, and glory of a divine being. This telling is told to the people,
so that they man know the power and majesty of the deity being praised. ADF
standard nomenclature seems to refer to the yielding of ritual focus to the
people to make individual offerings as “Praise Offerings”. In my local group
practice these tend to be evocations in addition to praises, though they may
turn into invocations or even request for specific blessings. So I’ve never
really been sure how I want to conceive of the meaning of the phrase, or
whether to use the term as is or to refer to personal offerings in ritual.
In personal solitary ritual, I expound on the deities who are
closest to me, my patrons, and list for my own benefit, their super awesome
attributes while pouring out offerings. In group ritual at HearthStone, we make
praise offerings all throughout the ritual in each invocation. When we ask for
Ogma’s inspiration, of Manannan for passage, of the Deities of the occasion, we
offer them praise. Additionally, we offer them welcome and “call to them as our
Kin, to join in our magic.”
In the ADF sense, Praise offerings are made in order to let
the Priest step aside and let each individual be their own sacrificer. This is
also done to give folks more ability to participate and to feel at home by
being allowed to call their gods and ancestors to the fire.
In my old Grove, Live Oaks, as well as HearthStone, right
after we invite the Three Kindred to sit upon the sacrificial grass, we pass
around a bottle of mead sunwise. Each person approaches the Well and pours in
an offering to whomever they call to join in our magic. Folks can pass but this
way we encourage everyone to join in and participate. A few times Christians
have even called Jesus and Asherah, Hindu’s have joined us and called Krishna,
and people who have lost pets and loved ones have called them to our fire. This
section of the ritual offers a grand opportunity for groups of people to for
connectedness over a practice when they otherwise might feel like opposites
from one another.
ADF Administration
ADF is governed by the Mother Grove and several
administrative subgroups. The Mother Grove is the Board of Directors and
consists of positions with duties, and positions without duties, known as Non
Officer Directors. Some Examples of subgroups below the Mother Grove are the
Council of Senior Druids, the Clergy Council, the Council of Lore, the Grove
Organizing Committee.
These subgroups are arranged in a hierarchy making sense of
each subgroups roles, duties, and focus. The GOC reports to the CoSD, for
instance. The ADF Administrator appoints Officers to an Administrators board
which has various tasks. There are other sub teams and committees such as the
web team, the ADF Store folks, and the team which produces Oak Leaves.
These subgroups have various leaders, Officers, Preceptors,
and often have their own bylaws, ways of electing Officers, and operating
procedures and policies. A distributed system gives each group the opportunity
for Autonomy, to attain Mastery, and to serve a Purpose. MIT recently did a
study and discovered that these were the three main motivators in cognitive
work. I think ADF administration embodies that by having a fractal design.
Course Objectives
1. Students will increase their knowledge of ADF
organizational structure and function through
research and comparison of past and present documents
pertaining specifically to
administrative structure, subgroups and the role of Clergy.
2. Students will explore the origins and evolution of ADF‟s
liturgical customs to demonstrate
and explain the development of public, inclusive ritual,
praise offerings, and the current
ceremonial calendar.
3. Students will define and demonstrate an understanding of
the origin and importance of
concepts critical to the foundation and current identity of
ADF.
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"ADF Constitution." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Web. 19
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Bonewits, Isaac. "Law, Policy, Tradition, and Custom
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Bonewits, Isaac. "New Complexities in Indo-European
Caste Systems and Cosmologies." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
Bonewits, Isaac. "The Vision of ADF." ADF Neopagan
Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
"Clergy Council Bylaws." ADF Neopagan Druidism.
Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
"Clergy Council Standard Operating Procedures
Manual." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
Corrigan, Ian. "A Vision for Ar NDraiocht Fein."
ADF Neopagan Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
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Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
Main, Brandon. "COoR Tutorial." ADF Neopagan
Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
Maurice, Paul. "The Lore of Tyr." ADF Neopagan
Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
Pittsburgh, Earrach Of. "On the Nature of
Sovereignty." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
Rutledge, Flip. "Council of Senior Druids Bylaws."
ADF Neopagan Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
"Standard Operating Procedures." ADF Neopagan
Druidism. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
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Web. 19 Apr. 2013.
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