Assignment 4 (3-5 pages): Read and report on a pagan group of your choice
using internet materials posted by Neopagans. Be sure to use your critical
faculties
in evaluating these sources. If two sources disagree, note this in your report,
and include a list of all websites used.
For each tradition, report on the following aspects if available:
• size and structure
• how hierarchical is the leadership? How authoritarian is the group?
• is there formal ordination or seminary? How are practitioners initiated
(if applicable) or trained? Is there a disciplinary process for members who
stray?
• is there any particular dogma or characteristic beliefs?
• what deities, if any, are recognized? What is their relative importance?
• how big a role does ritual play?
• how big a role do magical practices (spells, shamanism) play?
• what are the holidays and/or festivals, if any?
• is the tradition connected to a particular place or piece of land?
• in what sense is this an “earth-based” religion?
• what are the ethical teachings of this group?
Here are some websites of pagan groups for you to consider:
Stregheria: traditional Italian witchcraft, like Wicca, said to be descended
from ancient pagan traditions. Raven Grimassi is the best-known practitioner
and popularizer of stregheria in the US through several books. There are many
different stregheria groups in the US and Italy.
A good scholarly article about stregheria (not clear if this is by a practitioner):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stregheria
Stregheria.com: website of Raven Grimassi, devoted to “the Old Religion
of Italy,” which is a witchcraft tradition said to descend from the Etruscans;
also incorporates a mystery tradition adapted from cult of Diana at Aricia as
described in Frazer’s Golden Bough.
http://www.stregheria.com/
Druidism: depending on the practitioner, druidism can be a religion, a “spiritual
path” that is complementary to another religion, or a secular cultural
activity. Druidism is a modern revival and adaptation of the traditions practiced
by the druids of antiquity, who were the religious leaders of various Celtic
peoples in Europe (Britain, Ireland, Gaul, etc.).
Isaac Bonewits is the best-known practitioner and popularizer of druidry in the
US and has written several books on druidry, witchcraft, and magic. His books
are preferable to his website which is clogged with ads and difficult to navigate,
but the website contains a great deal of interesting material including excerpts
from his books. For the site map see: http://www.neopagan.net/Contents.html#PartTwo
Á r nDraíocht Féin (ADF), the druid organization founded
by Bonewits:
http://www.adf.org/core/
The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids was founded in 1964 by an English historian,
Ross Nichols. The OBOD website is very detailed and well-organized.
http://www.druidry.org/
Reformed Druids of North America (RDNA): this group began in the 60s at Carleton
College as a protest against required attendance at Christian chapel services.
It continued, expanded, and divided into numerous other druidic groups. This
website, run by a member, is an extensive collection of information on druidry
including a chart comparing the size, structure, leadership, and “degree
of humorousness” of RDNA, OBOD, ADF, and Keltria.
http://www.geocities.com/mikerdna/
Shamanism: a spiritual technique rather than a religion in itself, shamanism
can be found as an element of many contemporary pagan traditions. People practicing
shamanism seek alternate states of consciousness through various means, which
may include lucid dreaming, trance, and use of hallucinogenic drugs. Practitioners
may believe that these altered states allow them to have out-of-body experiences,
visit spirit worlds, heal others, etc. Awareness of shamanic practices entered
the US cultural mainstream through academic study and theorizing about phenomena
encountered in traditional tribal cultures such as those of Siberia, Africa,
and the Americas.
A FAQ and collection of bibliographical sources, from an enthusiast’s perspective:
http://deoxy.org/shaover.htm
The Foundation for Shamanic Studies, run by anthropologist and practicing shaman
Michael Harner, provides training in “core shamanism” without a specific
cultural perspective.
http://www.shamanism.org/
Reclaiming: a goddess-based Wiccan tradition developed by Starhawk. Has a strong
focus on feminism, social justice and environmental activism.
http://www.reclaiming.org/about/index.html
Asatru/Heathenism: The following site, run by Frigga’s Web (http://www.friggasweb.org/)
has links to numerous well-researched web articles by practitioners.
http://www.asatru-u.org/beginner/asau-beginner-outline.htm
The Troth is one of the largest Heathen organizations:
http://www.thetroth.org/
Another large Heathen group is the Asatru Alliance:
http://www.asatru.org/
Egyptian (Kemetic) reconstructionism has several varieties. Some are exclusively
concerned with replicating ancient Egyptian worship as closely as possible, while
others are more theologically eclectic, such as the Fellowship of Isis.
(Kemet): http://www.inkemetic.org/
http://www.hwt-hrw.com/
http://www.kemet.org/home.html
Fellowship of Isis: this group, founded in 1976, describes itself as an “international,
multi-faithed organization that is dedicated to honoring the Goddess in Her many
forms.” It has many affiliate organizations throughout the world, including
the Temple of Isis in California.
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/intro.html
Temple of Isis: http://www.isisoasis.org/temp1/docs/about.htm
Church of All Worlds: widely thought to be the first neopagan
religious group
to achieve recognition as a “church” in the US when it was chartered
in 1968. The inspiration for the church was Robert Heinlein’s science fiction
novel Stranger in a Strange Land, but it evolved into an earth-based religion
dedicated to “reawakening Gaia.” One of the founders, Tim Zell (now
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart), is known for proposing that Earth is itself a complex
organism, before the scientific “Gaia hypothesis” of James Lovelock
was published in Nature. The Church’s magazine Green Egg was very influential
in the early development of paganism in the US. The organization has been through
many ups and downs in leadership.See Margot Adler's chapter on the CAW in her
book Drawing Down the Moon.
http://www.caw.org/
Hellenic reconstructionism (ancient Greek religion):
http://www.hellenion.org/
http://www.tcnj.edu/~adler/Hellenism.htm
http://www.tahiera.org/