Reading Room

"Confessions of a Pagan Nun~A Novel" by Kate Horsley (2001 Shambhala Publications, Inc.) captivated me completely with it's poetic writing style and historical insight. The story is presented as though it is the manuscript of a woman named Gwynneve, who lived at a 6th century monastery of Saint Brigit in Ireland. Chapter One begins with Gwynneve telling her childhood story and of life in a pagan tuath (tribe) before the spread of Christianity. The next chapter, called First Interruption, brings us to Gywnneve's present time where she is transcribing the writings of Saint Patrick, but takes time to write her own story. A new woman has joined Saint Brigit's order about whom there is much speculation. Is she the daughter of a chieftan, or simply mad? Thereafter each chapter fluctuates between Gwynneve's past and present life.

Gwynneve is very close with her Mother, who would be what we would call a "wise woman" and is well respected. She has a knowledge of herbs and their uses and is sought after for healing. She often takes Gwynneve along on her sojourns into the forest to wildcraft. After Gwynneve's Mother dies, she leaves her home in search of Giannon, the solitary Druid with whom she has fallen in love. Giannon agrees to take Gwynneve as a student and the two live alone together as husband and wife in the forest for many years. Gwynneve learns writing, which is her passion. Meanwhile, Christianity continues to get a foothold and many changes are occuring. Giannon and Gwynneve choose to remain neutral, neither joining forces with their fellow Druid sisters and brothers nor embracing the new religion. To further complicate the picture, there is dissension between the Christians themselves, the Pelagians and the priests of Rome. So when Giannon is abducted in the night, their hut on fire, Gwynneve knows not whether the hooded figures are Druid or Christian.

This story brings to life the chaotic times of religious/cultural change in a land and it's inhabitants. It addresses many issues and asks many questions. I highly recommend this book! 188 pages; glossary of Celtic terms included

Some of my favorite excerpts: "I see the improvements the Christians have brought, but these improvements and payments in gold have seduced the chieftans away from powers older amd more elemental than scripture. The chieftans themselves relied too much on druids for their knowledge and did not make themselves wise enough."

"I have seen that the Christian philosophy of the bishops compels people to turn away from the earth and toward heaven. It encourages a view of earth as a place of degradation and temptation and spreads this view of our one mother to include all mothers, whose wombs are considered unclean."

"The philosophers who now control the Christian cult and condemn Pelagians as heretics love the ideal as a measure by which to judge those who do not agree with their authority. Whoever reads this, do not be told what to do to receive grace. You know in your heart, unless your mind is sick. And if your mind is sick, then make a country where all the people have sick minds and kill each other over philosophies and hallucinations."

For information on Pelagianism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagianism

For information on Druidism:
www.geocities.com/Athens/7326/druid.htm