My Personal Code of Ethics as an ADF Priest

• As ADF Clergy I will strive to maintain reasonable hospitality; as both host and guest; with the Earth Mother, the Kindreds, the People and all others in my life.
• As ADF Clergy I will strive to maintain pious relationships with the Earth Mother, the Kindreds, and lay-persons alike at all times.
•  As ADF Clergy I will strive to at all times conduct affairs with as much integrity to my values as reasonably possible where my role as spiritual leader is required.
• As ADF Clergy I will strive to maintain clear vision before the Kindreds and laypersons so I can best serve both the Kindreds and the People alike.
• As ADF Clergy I will strive to broaden my knowledge and understanding so I may advice and education the People with wisdom in regards to the Kindreds and right actions toward and for both.
• As ADF Clergy I will strive to live a life of moderation that will benefit my mind, body, and spirit while allowing for fertile growth for myself, the Earth Mother, the Kindreds, and the People.
• As ADF Clergy I will strive to persevere through whatever obstacles should stand in my way of serving the Earth Mother, the Kindreds, and the People.
• As ADF Clergy I will strive to follow these principles with courage so I can be an example for others who are part of our path and for those outside of our tradition.

 Creating this Clergy Code of Ethics was honestly one of the easiest parts of the Clergy Training Program for me. As an ADF Dedicant I became entranced with the Nine Virtues and how they very easily applied to life. In my Dedicant Path work I talked about how many of the Nine Virtues worked hand in hand with others. I also found that much of what the Nine Virtues offered I already worked hard to live by. Deriving this Code has been a journey I started years ago when James Lock invited me to my first ADF Druid ritual. They will continue to evolve, change, and be added too as I grow into the role of ADF Clergy until the day I step from this world into the next. 


Applying them to a Clergy Code of Ethics is just another step to reaffirming what I already strive to do in my daily life. A lot of that is because I do not see being a Druid Priest as something that ends when ritual or an event ends. It is not a mantle that can be taken off and put back on. For me, it is one that is a calling and lifelong. When I chose to take up the calling to work towards being a Druid Priest and ADF Clergy I did so with the personal expectations that I would live my life reflecting these values. I also believe that it is very important to remember that our values should always apply to every aspect of our lives and to every being we come into contact with. Through consistent application we begin to truly live them. In truly living them we begin to reshape the world around us, which is the most pious magic a Druid can hope to achieve in life. 

One of the main principles of ethics is to "do no harm." A discussion of the meaning of this principle as it applies to the clergy-lay relationship

                The idea of “do no harm” is a very vague ideal to live by. The way this phrase has been stated it leaves very little room for any unintentional harm that might be done. No matter what choices we make in life there is always the possibility or likelihood that someone or something will be harmed in our decisions. I think a better way of looking at this is “strive to never intend to do harm.”

               Now with that said, I have always believed that the role of clergy to the lay person is to strive to help better their lives by being a source of comfort, knowledge, and wise advice. To do that, we as clergy need to learn how to listen, learn our limits both personally, professionally, and ethically, and always have available resources we can refer the lay person to.

               I feel this also applies to our relationship as clergy to the Kindred. We are responsible for maintaining a good working spiritual relationship with our gods, nature spirits, and ancestors so that we are able to serve the people and the Kindred as best we can. We should strive to be the best possible examples as clergy and stewards of our faith, our community, and our earth mother. When we do this we “strive to never intend to do harm.”

A discussion on the mening of confidential privilege, the laws in my state that provide for this priviliege and the extent to which it applies to clergy-lay communications in my community

               “Confidentiality refers to the ethical duty… not to disclose information learned… to any other person or organization without the consent of the (person) or under proper legal compulsion.” (M.D.) Privileged communication is defined as:

 “An exchange of information between two individuals in a confidential relationship.

A privileged communication is a private statement that must be kept in confidence by the recipient for the benefit of the communicator. Even if it is relevant to a case, a privileged communication cannot be used as evidence in court. Privileged communications are controversial because they exclude relevant facts from the truth-seeking process.

Privileged communications exist because society values the privacy or purpose of certain relationships. The established privileged communications are those between wife and husband, clergy and communicant, psychotherapist and patient, physician and patient, and attorney and client.

These relationships are protected for various reasons. The wife-husband and clergy-communicant privileges protect the general sanctity of marriage and religion.” (West's Encyclopedia of American Law)

Defining these two concepts is very important from the standpoint of a clergy when information is being disclosed by a lay-person. As a clergy person we need to know what the law allows and what it prohibits so that we can make the proper ethical decisions when faced with a situation where it is in the safety of a lay person to act upon information we are given.

               In Arkansas we have the following laws and regulations when it comes to confidential and privilege information/communications: (Arkansas State Code)

Ark. R. Evid. 505 (2012). Religious Privilege

(a)    Definitions. As used in this rule:

(1)    A “clergyman” is a minister, priest, rabbi, accredited Christian Science Practitioner, or other similar functionary of a religious organization, or an individual reasonably believed so to be by the person consulting him.

(2)    A communication is “confidential” if made privately and not intended for further disclosure except to other person present in furtherance of the purpose of the communication.

(b)    General Rule of Privilege. A person has a privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent another from disclosing a confidential communication by the person to a clergyman in his professional character as spiritual adviser.

(c)     Who May Claim the Privilege. The privilege may be claimed by the person, by his guardian or conservator, or by his personal representative if he is deceased. The person who was the clergyman at the time of the communication is presumed to have authority to claim the privilege but only on behalf of the communicant.

Ark. Code Ann. 12-18-402 (2012). Mandated Reporters

(a)    An individual listed as a mandated reporter under subsection (b) of this section shall immediately notify the Child Abuse Hotline if he or she:

(1)    Has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has:

(A)    Been subject of child maltreatment; or

(B)    Died as a result of child maltreatment; or

(2)    Observes a child being subject of conditions or circumstance that would reasonably result in child maltreatment.

(b)    The following individuals are mandated reporters under this chapter:

….

(29) A clergy member, which includes a minister, priest, rabbi, accredited Christian Science practitioner, or other similar functionary of a religious organization, or an individual reasonably believed to be so by the person consulting him or her, except to the extent the clergy member

(A) Has acquired knowledge of suspected child maltreatment through communications required to be kept confidential pursuant to the religious discipline of the relevant denomination or faith; or

(B) Received the knowledge of the suspected child maltreatment from the alleged offender in the context of a statement of admission;

Ark. Code Ann. 12-18-803 (2012). Privileged communications as evidence—Exception

(a)    It is the public policy that the State of Arkansas to protect the health, safety, and the welfare of children within the state.

(b)    No privilege, except that between a lawyer and client or between minister, including a Christian Science practitioner, and a person confessing to or being counseled by the minister shall prevent anyone from testifying concerning child maltreatment.

(c)     When a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed counselor or therapist conducts interviews with or provides therapy to a subject of a report of suspected child maltreatment for purposes related to child maltreatment, the physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed counselor or therapist is deemed to be performing services on behalf of the child.

(d)    An adult subject of a report of suspected child maltreatment cannot invoke privilege on the child’s behalf.