Arbishop criticises press over ‘pagan’ link

icWales, Aug. 4, 2002
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/

By Jamie Lyons and Phil Hazlewood

The incoming Archbishop of Canterbury today criticised the press for portraying him as a pagan.

Dr Rowan Williams will tomorrow be made an honorary white druid as part of an ancient Celtic cultural tradition.

But Dr Williams, who was last month named as the successor to Dr George Carey, said the suggestion that the honour was linked to paganism was offensive.

“The suggestion perpetrated recently by some elements of the British daily press that the Gorsedd is even remotely associated with paganism is deeply offensive – not just in the suggestion that I would wish to associate myself in any way with paganism, but also to those people of goodwill in Wales who appreciate the Gorsedd and Eisteddfod for the colour and culture which they bring to Wales’s national life,” he said.

The award was “one of the greatest honours which Wales can bestow on her citizens”, he said.
Dr Williams, currently Archbishop of Wales, will attend a ceremony in St David’s, Pembrokeshire, to become a member of the highest of the three orders of the Gorsedd of Bards.

The Gorsedd is made up of Welsh-speaking poets, writers, musicians, artists and others who have made a distinguished contribution to Welsh language and culture.
[...]

Previous Archbishops of Wales were similarly honoured, as was former Welsh Secretary Ron Davies.

The word druid is used because when the Gorsedd was founded in 1792 there was a fantasy that druids had supremacy in ancient Britain.

Dr Williams, 52, will wear a long, white cloak during his initiation at the national Eisteddfod.

The ceremony starts with a trumpet fanfare and the partial sheathing and unsheathing of a 6ft 6ins sword.

Dr Williams will join his hands in prayer and have them enfolded in those of the Archdruid, retired lawyer and deputy circuit judge Dr Robyn Lewis.

The churchman will then be given a new bardic name while the Mistress of the Robes, Sian Aman, will dress him in a white headdress before he joins other members inside the sacred circle.

Read Another Article

Eisteddfod honours ‘pagan’ archbishop
Russia: Orthodox, Other Authorities Troubled By Marii Pagans

Related News Articles Topic(s): Rowan Williams Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Rowan Williams Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog