To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.

So begins Auguries of Innocence by the British poet and artist William Blake. This is the same William Blake who, upon being required to take an oath in a London court refused and as part of that refusal proclaimed publicly that he was a Druid.

When we think of Edward Williams, aka Edward of Glamorgan or Iolo Morgannwg, our thoughts tend to focus on his inspired work as one of the founding father’s of the Druid revival. Of course at the same time we remember that much of his inspired work (read that as forgeries) did much to obfuscate the scholarly study of ancient texts and Welsh history. But rarely do remember him as a political and religious activist delving into social causes and championing liberalism in religion. In the heart of a country filled with Anglican zeal, he was instrumental in founding the South Wales Unitarian Society.

We remember Robert McGregor Reid as an early 20th Century AOD Chosen Chief. Yet rarely do we remember that he holds the distinction of being one of the few men to ever stand for election to the US Senate… and the British Parliament. He was a champion of the working man.

Winston Churchill was a twice initiated Druid; once in AOD and later in AOAD. While much has been made of the idea that the two orders were fraternal rather than religious, the fact remains that Churchill did take time out from the pressing business of WW II to intervene in the trial of Helen Duncan, the last woman prosecuted as a witch in the UK. Publicly an Anglican, Churchill once made the curious comment that he was, “not a pillar of the Church but more a flying buttress…I support it from the outside.”

Rushing forward the notables above are joined by the likes of Ross Nichols, Ellen Evert Hopman, Phllip Carr-Gomm, John Michael Greer and a host of other Druids from around the world who realize the basic principle of commitment in life, and espouse the fundamental principles of peace, truth and justice.

It may be this idea of being engaged in the greater world that sets Druidry apart from other contemporary Pagan traditions. The twin taboo arenas of religion and politics are not subjects to be ignored or shuffled to the background.

This doesn’t mean we should be out in the streets carrying banners or tromping through the halls of government bedecked with clever slogans. But perhaps it does mean that we should be more conscientious about responding to political blogs, writing to representatives, commenting on news items, and participating in community organizations.

Our agenda is simple and clear; peace in terms of an amicable settlement of differences wherever possible, justice in the sense of fundamental fairness, and truth in terms of accuracy and integrity in representations of belief and history.

We will not all be political figures, religious reformers, or noted peace activists. We do however hold a vested interested in the health and welfare of this rocky orb and a spiritual obligation to do our part. Our final legacy will be found not in grand gestures and sweeping reform but will be the cumulative result of small steps taken by we ordinary people.

To quote Philip Carr-Gomm:

The challenge for us as Druids is to come out of the closet, and to start envisioning the future we want with clarity. That is, after all, one of the purposes of magic. I believe it will be a sign of the maturing of our movement if we start to do this ­ if we start to engage the wider ocean that we find ourselves in.