The Druid Network Granted Status by the Charity Commission

"Druidry has been recognized as an official religion in Britain for the first time, thousands of years after its adherents first worshipped in this country," reads the first line of a news story about a decision of the Charity Commission for England and Wales to an application of The Druid Network. The group, founded by neo-pagan Druid and Author Emma Restall Orr, will now benefit from a charitable tax status. Its standing as a religious body has also been confirmed.

The decision is the result of a process that spanned more than four years. It involved in-depth questioning of the applicants about their beliefs and practices, as well as the services they provide to the community. Druids in England are perhaps best known for organizing Midsummer rituals at locations such as Stonehenge, but The Druid Network also provides services to individuals and small groups. These include ministry in hospitals and prisons, and rites of passage for such occasions as the birth of a child or retirement from the work force.

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(Photo: Andrew Dunn/Wikimedia Commons)