Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism - Celtic Reconstructionism and Neo-Druidry

Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism - Celtic Reconstructionism and Neo-Druidry

Though there has certainly been quite a bit of cross-pollenization between Neo-Druidism and Celtic Reconstructionist groups, and there is a large crossover of membership between the two movements, the two have somewhat distinct methodologies and goals in their approach to Celtic religious forms. CR practioners tend to look to the whole cultural matrix in which the religious ideas were formed, while Neo-Druids tend to prefer to focus on the specifically druidic functions. Some Neo-Druidic groups claim to be non-religious in nature, which is not the case with most CR groups. There are some CR philosophies which downplay the role of the druidic office specifically in preference to a more general view of Indo-European priesthood (making the argument that the Druids may simply have been a very successful school of priestcraft, and possibly not even completely pan-Celtic), or to the successors of druids such as the filí and seanachies.

This is not to say that there is no connection between Neo-Druid groups and CR. Some Neo-Druid groups (notably, Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF), the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD), and Keltria) have similar methodologies of reconstruction, or have taken up CR methodologies recently. The ADF, in particular, have long used CR-type techniques, but many CRs criticize them for their pan-Indo-European focus, resulting in such oddities as Vedic Druids and Roman Druids.

Other differences between CR groups and Neo-Druid groups can include such elements as differing ideas on hierarchical structures and acceptance of Enlightenment-era druidic revivals. Some philosophical differences exist as well, especially in terms of what "Druid" means. Some Neo-Druidic groups call anyone with an interest in Celtic Spirituality a Druid, and refer to the practice of Celtic spirituality as "Druidry", while CR groups tend to look at the older definition, seeing it as an office that requires decades of training and experience and is only attained by a small number of practitioners.

Despite these differences, there are generally good relations between Neo-Druid and CR groups, with, as noted previously, a great deal of sharing of ideas and even memberships.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Celtic Reconstructionism and Neo-Druidry", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki