Order of WhiteOak - Statement of Belief

The Order of the White Oak is a modern Druidic order which bases its beliefs and practices on what we know of the original faith and practices of the pagan Celts. We use historical research and poetic inspiration to build a viable tradition. Our source material for this research includes such names as Miranda Green, Alwyn and Brinley Rees, and Barry Cunliffe.

Based on our studies of works by those and other authors, we believe that the ancient Druids were philosophers, lawyers, healers, judges, lorekeepers, and poets as well as ritual leaders and teachers. Thus, we strive to achieve similar skills in these modern times.

We also draw upon the writings of the Celts, such as the Audacht Morainn and the Brehon Laws. From those, we learn that the Celts respected the virtues of justice, impartiality, conscientiousness, firmness, generosity, hospitality, honor, stability, beneficence, capability, honesty, eloquence, steadiness, truth in judgment, and mercy.

We seek to uphold these virtues in our daily lives. Some of us have found value in studying other Indo-European traditions in the search for understanding, such as the Vedic texts of the Hindus, while others turn more inward in the quest to fill the gaps in the records.

We do not believe we are inheritors of the priesthood of Atlantis. We do not believe that Druidry was the sole province of men, as our studies have shown us that women were Druids both in the insular areas as well as on the continent. We do not derive our traditions from medieval romances about Arthur and Merlin. We are not Wiccans or Witches of any sort, as witchcraft and Druidry have been separate though coexistent paths throughout their mutual histories. We do not believe we are the only true Druids.

We do not seek to control all Celtic Pagans as a dogmatic priesthood. We do not even hold all of our members to one interpretation of the ways of the Celts, as not even they worshipped identically to each other across the multitude of tribes and centuries.