A Rodnover ritual in modern Russia. Rodnovery is a pagan religion that attempts to recreate forms of pre-Christian Russian religion.

Contemporary Paganism, or Neopaganism,^[1] is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe.^[2][3][4] Although they do share commonalities, contemporary Pagan religious movements are extremely diverse, and there is no set of beliefs, practices or religious texts shared by all of them.^[2]

Contemporary Paganism has been characterized as "a synthesis of historical inspiration and present-day creativity",^[5] in this manner drawing influences from pre-Christian, folkloric and ethnographic sources in order to fashion new religious movements. The extent to which contemporary Pagans use these sources differs; many follow a spirituality which they accept is entirely modern, whilst others attempt to reconstruct or revive indigenous, ethnic religions as found in historical and folkloric sources as accurately as possible.^[6]

Neopagan movements emerged in Europe during the 19th and early 20th centuries, influenced by the wider occult movement; these included Thelema, Wicca and Adonism. With the rise of the counterculture during the 1960s, Paganism continued to adapt and spread, particularly throughout the U.S., where radical new approaches emerged that dealt with contemporary social issues and interests, such as Neoshamanism, the Goddess movement and the Radical Faeries. At the same time, some ethnic nationalist groups began to adopt pagan religions during the 20th century, leading to the rise of forms of Heathenry and Slavic neopaganism, which were centered primarily in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Today, there are active Pagan groups in the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe and other parts of the world.

Although the Pagan movement is extremely disparate in its beliefs and practices, a number of sociologists and religious studies scholars involved in Pagan studies have highlighted commonalities shared within many, if not all, pagan groups. Most modern Pagan groups hold to a theology that embraces such beliefs as polytheism, animism, and pantheism, although there are groups who have instead advocated forms of Goddess-centred monotheism, agnosticism or atheism. Similarly, beliefs about an afterlife vary widely, as do conceptions on ethics and morality. Ritual plays a prominent part in pagan religious movements, where it is typically employed to induce an altered state of consciousness in the participants. The choice of festivals and days of special commemoration again differs widely among Pagans, although a majority adhere to a set of eight seasonal-based festivals, which are collectively referred to as the Wheel of the Year.

Terminology and definition[link]

The term neo-pagan was coined in the 19th century in reference to Renaissance and Romanticist Hellenophile classical revivalism.^[7]

"Pagan" as a self-designation appeared in 1964 and 1965, in the publications of the Witchcraft Research Association; at that time, the term was in use by "revivalist Witches" in the United States and the United Kingdom, but unconnected to the broader, counter-culture Pagan movement.^[8] The modern popularisation of the terms "pagan" and "neopagan", as they are currently understood, is largely traced to Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, co-founder of "the 1st Neo-Pagan Church of All Worlds" who, beginning in 1967 with the early issues of Green Egg, used both terms for the growing movement.^[8] This usage has been common since the pagan revival in the 1970s, and is now used by academics and adherents alike to identify new religious movements that emphasize pantheism or nature-worship,^[9] or that revive or reconstruct aspects of historical polytheism. Increasingly,^{[citation needed]} scholarly writers prefer the term "contemporary paganism" to cover all new polytheistic religious movements, a usage favoured by The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies, the leading peer-reviewed journal in the field.

The term "neopagan" provides a means of distinguishing between historical pagans of ancient cultures and the adherents of modern religious movements.^{[citation needed]} This category of religions includes syncretic or eclectic approaches like Wicca, Neo-druidism, and neoshamanism at one end of the spectrum, as well as culturally specific traditions, such as the many varieties of polytheistic reconstructionism, at the other.^[10] Some Reconstructionists reject the term "neopagan" because they wish to set their historically oriented approach apart from generic "neopagan" eclecticism.^[11][12] "Heathen", "Heathenism" or "Heathenry" as a self-designation of adherents of Germanic neopaganism (Theodism in particular) appeared in the late 1990s.^[13]

The American scholar of religious studies Michael F. Strmiska argued that the modern adoption of the term "Pagan" was "a deliberate act of defiance" against traditional, Christian-dominated society, comparing it to the adoption of the surname "X" amongst African-Americans or the term "queer" amongst LGBT people.^[14] The term "Neopagan" is deemed offensive and not used by many contemporary Pagans, who claim that the inclusion of the term "neo" disconnects them from their ancient polytheistic ancestors.^[14]

Beliefs[link]

Beliefs and practices vary widely amongst different pagan groups, however there are a series of core principles common to most, if not all, forms of contemporary paganism.^[15] The English academic Graham Harvey noted that Pagans "rarely indulge in theology."^[16]

Polytheism[link]

Heathen altar for Haustblot in Björkö, Westgothland, Sweden. The big wooden idol represents god Frey (Ing), the picture in front of it goddess Sunna, and the small red idol god Thor.

One of the "most important principles" of the pagan movement is polytheism, the belief in, and veneration of, more than one god and/or goddess.^[15][16] Polytheism was a trait common to the pre-Christian religions of Europe, and is also common to a wide variety of religions around the world, from which contemporary pagans draw on.

For many in the pagan community, these polytheistic deities are however not viewed as literal entities, but as Jungian archetypes that exist in the human psyche.^[17] Many pagans adopt attitudes similar to that of American theologian David Miller, the professor of religion at Syracuse University who argued, in his book The New Polytheism, that the adoption of a polytheistic worldview would be beneficial for western society, replacing the dominant monotheism that both Miller and many pagans believe is by its very nature politically and socially repressive.^[18] Adler remarked that many pagans informed her of how they had adopted polytheism because it allowed a greater freedom, diversity and tolerance of worship amongst the community than that permitted in monotheistic religions.^[19] Adler noted that it was this belief in polytheism that had allowed the "multitude" of different pagan religions to "exist more or less in harmony", as in enabled them to accept the existence and worship of one another's deities.^[20] Indeed, most pagans adopt an ethos of "unity in diversity" regarding their religious beliefs.^[21]

In Wicca, (especially Dianic Wicca) the concept of an Earth or Mother Goddess similar to the Greek Gaia is emphasized. Male counterparts are usually also evoked, such as the Green Man and the Horned God (who is loosely based on the Celtic Cernunnos.) These Duotheistic philosophies tend to emphasize the God and Goddess' (or Lord and Lady's) genders as being complementary opposites analogous to that of yin and yang in ancient Chinese philosophy. Many Oriental philosophies equate weakness with femininity and strength with masculinity; this is not the prevailing attitude in paganism and Wicca.^[22] Among many pagans, there is a strong desire to incorporate the female aspects of the divine in their worship and within their lives, which can partially explain the attitude which sometimes manifests as the veneration of women.^[23] Other neopagans reject the concept of binary gender roles.

Animism[link]

Another pivotal belief in the contemporary pagan movement is that of animism.^[16] For modern pagans, this "is used to imply a reality in which all things are imbued with vitality."^[24] Many pagans believe that there are specific spirits which inhabit various features in the natural world, and that these can be actively communicated with.^[25] Some pagans have reported experiencing communication with spirits dwelling in rocks, plants, trees and animals, as well as power animals or animal spirits who can act as spiritual helpers or guides.^[25] Animism was also a concept common to many pre-Christian European religions, and in adopting it, contemporary pagans are attempting to "allow their participants to reenter the primeval worldview, to participate in nature in a way that is not possible for most Westerners after childhood."^[26]

Pantheism and panentheism[link]

A Wiccan altar belonging to Doreen Valiente, displaying the Wiccan view of sexual duality in divinity.

A third pivotal belief in the pagan community is that of either pantheism or panentheism, both beliefs that divinity and the material and/or spiritual universe are one and the same.^[27] For pagans, it means that "divinity is inseperable from nature and that deity is immanent in nature."^[28]

Dennis D. Carpenter noted that the belief in a pantheistic or panentheistic deity has led to the idea of interconnectedness playing a key part in pagans' worldviews.^[27] The prominent Wiccan priestess Starhawk related that a core part of goddess-centred pagan witchcraft was "the understanding that all being is interrelated, that we are all linked with the cosmos as parts of one living organism. What affects one of us affects us all."^[29]

Such views have also led many pagans to revere the planet Earth as Mother Earth, who is often referred to as Gaia after the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth.^[30]

Afterlife and the soul[link]

A number of pagan religions purport the existence of a spirit or soul that inhabits the human body and which survives bodily destruction.

Ethics and morality[link]

Views of ethics and morality differ widely throughout the pagan movement. The most prominent and widespread moral code to be found in the contemporary pagan movement is the Wiccan Rede, which states that those who follow it should "do as you will, as long as you harm none". First developing in the Gardnerian tradition of Wicca, the Rede spread throughout much of the pagan movement in the 1960s.

Alternative ethical codes can also be found within the pagan movement. The pagan religion of Thelema, founded in 1904 by the English occultist Aleister Crowley, instead advocated the law of "Do What Thou Wilt", arguing that Thelemites should attune themselves to follow their own True Will, and therefore the Cosmic Will of the universe.

Practices[link]

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and other members of the Icelandic Ásatrúarfélagið conduct a blót on the First Day of Summer in 2009.

Ritual[link]

Contemporary pagan ritual is typically geared towards "facilitating altered states of awareness or shifting mind-sets."^[31] In order to induce such altered states of consciousness, pagans utilise such elements as drumming, visualization, chanting, singing, dancing, and meditation.^[31] American folklorist Sabina Magliocco came to the conclusion, based upon her ethnographic fieldwork in California, that certain pagan beliefs "arise from what they experience during religious ecstasy".^[32]

Sociologist Margot Adler highlighted how several pagan groups, like the Reformed Druids of North America and the Erisian movement refuse to take their rituals seriously, instead incorporating into them a great deal of play. She noted that there are those who would argue that "the Pagan community is one of the only spiritual communities that is exploring humor, joy, abandonment, even silliness and outrageousness as valid parts of spiritual experience."^[33]

Festival[link]

A painted Wheel of the Year at the Museum of Witchcraft, Boscastle, Cornwall, England, displaying all eight of the Sabbats.

Most modern pagan religions celebrate the cycles and seasons of nature through a festival calendar that honours these changes. The timing of festivals, and the rites celebrated, may vary from climate to climate, and will also vary (sometimes widely) depending upon which particular pagan religion the adherent subscribes to (see Wheel of the Year).

Magic and witchcraft[link]

The belief in magic and the practice of magical rituals are followed by a "significant number" of contemporary Pagans.^[34] Among those who do believe in it, there are a variety of different views as to what magic is, but many Pagans adhere to the definition of magic provided by the founder of Thelema, Aleister Crowley, who defined it as "the Science and Art of causing change to occur in conformity with Will."^[35] Another related definition accepted by many Pagans is that purported by the ceremonial magician Dion Fortune, who declared that "Magic is the art and science of changing consciousness according to the Will."^[36]

Among these are Wicca, Neoshamanism, Neo-Druidism, and other pagan belief systems, the rituals of which were at least initially partially based upon those of ceremonial magic.

History[link]

Renaissance and Romanticism[link]

The roots of contemporary paganism begin with the Renaissance, and the reintroduction of Classicism and the resurgence of interest in Graeco-Roman polytheism in the wake of works like the Theologia mythologica of 1532 as well as a revived interest in Greco-Roman magic, studied systematically in Renaissance magic. Although apart from the practice of magic, this was not a revival of pagan cultic practice, the Renaissance was a "rebirth" of the philosophy of pagan antiquity especially Platonism (or Neo-Platonism, Plotinism), but also Epicureanism, re-introduced by Baroque philosopher Pierre Gassendi, described as a "new paganism" in the history of philosophy.^[37]

The Romantic movement of the 18th century led to the re-discovery of Old Gaelic and Old Norse literature and poetry. Neo-druidism can be taken to have its origins as early as 1717 with the foundation of The Druid Order. The 19th century saw a surge of interest in Germanic paganism with the Viking revival in Victorian Britain^[38] and Scandinavia. In Germany the Völkisch movement was in full swing. These pagan currents coincided with Romanticist interest in folklore and occultism, the widespread emergence of pagan themes in popular literature, and the rise of nationalism.^[39]

19th century[link]

During this resurgence in the United Kingdom, Neo-druidism and various Western occult groups emerged, such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Ordo Templi Orientis, who attempted to syncretize "exotic" elements like Egyptian cosmology and Kabbalah into their belief systems, although not necessarily for purely religious purposes. Influenced by the anthropologist Sir James George Frazer's The Golden Bough, several prominent writers and artists were involved in these organizations, including William Butler Yeats, Maud Gonne, Arthur Edward Waite, and Aleister Crowley. Along with these early occult organizations, there were other social phenomena such as the interest in mediumship, magic, and other supernatural beliefs which was at an all time high in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Another important influence during this period was the Romantic aesthetic movement, which venerated the natural world and frequently made reference to the deities of antiquity.^[40] The Romantic poets, essayists, artists and authors who employed these themes in their work were later associated with socially progressive attitudes towards sexuality, feminism, pacifism and similar issues.^{[citation needed]}

Early 20th century[link]

In the 1920s Margaret Murray theorized that a Witchcraft religion existed underground and in secret, and had survived through the witchcraft prosecutions that had been enacted by the ecclesiastical and secular courts. Most historians now reject Murray's theory, as she based it partially upon the similarities of the accounts given by those accused of witchcraft; such similarity is now thought to actually derive from there having been a standard set of questions laid out in the witch-hunting manuals used by interrogators.^[41] Murray's ideas nevertheless exerted great influence on certain pagan currents; in the 1940s, Englishman Gerald Gardner claimed to have been initiated into a New Forest coven. Gardnerian Wicca is used to refer to the traditions of neopaganism that adhere closely to Gardner's teachings, differentiating it from similar traditions, such as Alexandrian Wicca or more recent Wiccan offshoots.

In the meantime, Germanic mysticism in Germany and Switzerland had developed into baroque forms such as Guido von List's "Armanism", from the 1900s merging into antisemitic and national mysticist (völkisch) currents, notably with Lanz von Liebenfels' Guido von List Society and Ostara magazine, which with the rise of Nazism were partially absorbed into Nazi occultism. Such distortions of Germanic mythology were denounced by J. R. R. Tolkien, e.g. in a 1941 letter where he speaks of Hitler's corruption of "...that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved and tried to present in its true light."^[42] Because of such connections with Nazism, interest in neopaganism was virtually eclipsed for about two decades following World War II.

Other Germanic mysticist groups, such as the Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft of Ludwig Fahrenkrog were disendorsed by the Nazi regime. Another of these German neopagan groups was Adonism, founded in the nineteenth century.

Late 20th century[link]

The 1960s and 1970s saw a resurgence in Neodruidism as well as the rise of Germanic neopaganism and Ásatrú in the United States and in Iceland. In the 1970s, Wicca was notably influenced by feminism, leading to the creation of an eclectic, Goddess-worshipping movement known as Dianic Wicca.^[43] The 1979 publication of Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon and Starhawk's The Spiral Dance opened a new chapter in public awareness of paganism.^[44]

With the growth and spread of large, pagan gatherings and festivals in the 1980s, public varieties of Neo-Wicca continued to further diversify into additional, eclectic sub-denominations, often heavily influenced by the New Age and counter-culture movements. These open, unstructured or loosely structured traditions contrast with British Traditional Wicca, which emphasizes secrecy and initiatory lineage.^[45]

The 1980s and 1990s also saw an increasing interest in serious academic research and reconstructionist pagan traditions. The establishment and growth of the Internet in the 1990s brought rapid growth to these, and other pagan movements.^[45]

Historicity[link]

Romuvan priestess leading ritual.

Many pagans and pagan traditions attempt to incorporate elements of historical religions, cultures and mythologies into their beliefs and practices, often emphasizing the age of their sources. Thus, Wicca in particular is sometimes referred to by its proponents as "The Old Religion", a term popularised by Margaret Murray in the 1920s, while Germanic neopaganism is referred to in some of its varieties as Forn Sed ("Old Custom"). Such emphasis on the antiquity of religious tradition is not exclusive to modern paganism, and is found in many other religions. For example the terms Purana, Sanatana Dharma, and the emphasis on the antiquity of the Ancient Egyptian sources of the Hellenistic Mystery religions.

Some claims of continuity between contemporary paganism and older forms of paganism have been shown to be spurious, or outright false, as in the case of Iolo Morganwg's Druid's Prayer. Wiccan beliefs of an ancient monotheistic Goddess were inspired by Marija Gimbutas's description of Neolithic Europe. The factual historical validity of her theories has been disputed by many scholars, including historian Ronald Hutton.

While most pagans draw from old religious traditions, they also adapt them. The mythologies of the ancient traditions are not generally considered to be literally factual by pagans, in the sense that the Bible and other Abrahamic texts are often thought of by their followers. Eclectic pagans in particular are resistant to the concept of scripture or excessive structure, considering personal freedom to be one of the primary goals of their spirituality.^[47] In contrast, some Reconstructionist movements, like those who practise Theodism, take a stricter religious approach, and only recognize certain historical texts and sources as being relevant to their belief system, intentionally focusing on one culture to the exclusion of others, and having a general disdain for the eclectic mentality.

Contemporary Romuvan sacred space in Šventoji, Lithuania.

The mythological sources of the various pagan traditions are similarly varied, including Celtic, Norse, Greek, Roman, Sumerian, Egyptian and others^{[citation needed]}. Some groups focus solely on one cultural tradition, while others draw from several. For example, Doreen Valiente's text The Charge of the Goddess used materials from The Gospel of Aradia by Charles G. Leland (1899), as well as material from Aleister Crowley's writings.

Some pagans also draw inspiration from modern traditions, including Christianity, Buddhism and others, creating syncretisms like "Christian Witchcraft"^[48] or "Buddheo-Paganism". Since many pagan beliefs do not require exclusivity, some pagans practise other faiths in parallel.

Eclectic pagans take an undogmatic religious stance,^[47] and therefore potentially see no one as having authority to deem a source "apocryphal". Contemporary paganism has therefore been prone to fakelore, especially in recent years as information and misinformation alike have been spread on the Internet and in print media. A number of Wiccan, pagan and even some "Traditionalist" or "Tribalist" groups have a history of "Grandmother Stories" – typically involving initiation by a Grandmother, Grandfather, or other elderly relative who is said to have instructed them in the secret, millennia-old traditions of their ancestors. As this "secret wisdom" can almost always be traced to recent sources, tellers of these stories have often later admitted they made them up.^[49]

It is the belief of modern Pagans that the religious beliefs of pre-Christian Europe "possess continuing value for us in our own time, even after centuries of suppression and neglect."^[50] Strmiska asserted that contemporary Paganism could be viewed as a part of the "much larger phenomenon" of efforts to revive "traditional, indigenous, or native religions" that were occurring across the globe.^[51]

Encompassed religions and movements[link]

Symbols of several neopagan faiths:
Slavic • Celtic • Germanic
Greek • Wicca • Roman
Goddess Worship • Egyptian • Semitic

The term "Contemporary Paganism" encompasses a very broad range of groups and beliefs. Syncretic or eclectic approaches are sometimes inspired by historical traditions, but are not bound by any strict identification with a historical religion or culture; eclectic and syncretic movements freely combine elements of multiple religious traditions. At the other end of the spectrum are the ethnic reconstructionist traditions, which focus on historicity, folklore, and the revival of culturally-specific rites and beliefs.

Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, British Traditional Wicca, and variations such as Dianic Wicca are examples of eclectic traditions, as are Neo-druid groups like Ár nDraíocht Féin. These contrast with the culturally-focused, polytheistic reconstructionst traditions like Germanic, Celtic, or Greek Reconstructionism.

Goddess movement[link]

Goddess Spirituality, which is also known as the Goddess movement, is a Pagan religion in which a singular, monotheistic Goddess is given predominance.^[52] Designed primarily for women, Goddess Spirituality revolves around the sacredness of the female form, and of aspects of women's lives which have been traditionally neglected in western society, such as menstruation, sexuality and maternity.^[52]

Adherents of the Goddess Spirituality movement typically envision a history - or "herstory" - of the world that is different from traditional narratives about the past, emphasising the role of women rather than that of men.^[53] According to this view, human society was formerly a matriarchy, with communities being egalitarian, pacifistic and focused on the worship of the Goddess; such a society was subsequently overthrown by violent patriarchal hordes who worshiped male sky gods and who continued to rule through the form of Christianity.^[54] Adherents look for elements of this mythological history in "theological, anthropological, archaeological, historical, folkloric and hagiographic writings",^[55] particularly the writings of Lithuanian-American archaeologist Marija Gimbutas.

Heathenry[link]

A Heathen altar for household worship in Gothenburg, Sweden. The painted tablet on the back depicts Sunna, the two larger wooden idols Odin (left) and Frey (right), in front of them there are the three Norns, and in the front row a red Thor and other idols. In front of the cult images are two ritual hammers.

Heathenism, also known as Germanic Neopaganism, refers to a series of contemporary Pagan traditions that are based upon the historical religions, culture and literature of Germanic-speaking Europe.^[56] Heathenry is spread out across north-western Europe, and also North America and Australasia, where the descendants of historic Germanic-speaking people now live.^[56]

Many Heathen groups adopt variants of Norse mythology as a basis to their beliefs, conceiving of the Earth as being situated on a great world tree called Yggdrasil.^[57] Heathens believe in multiple polytheistic deities, all adopted from historical Germanic mythologies;^[58] the majority of Heathens are "polytheistic realists", believing that the deities are real entities, whilst others view them as Jungian archetypes.^[59]

Forms of Heathenism have also been adopted by white separatist and white supremacist groups. In the 1990s, Swedish historian Mattias Gardell studied the white separatist Heathen community in the United States, noting that it had become one of the "most dynamic trends" within the "radical-racist milieu" of the U.S., surpassing more traditional white separatist groups like the Ku Klux Klan in "terms of numbers and influence".^[60]

Neo-Druidism[link]

Three female druids on the morning of the summer solstice at Stonehenge after sunrise. They wear brown and green robes in sympathy with Mother Earth and carry wooden staves. Their headresses contain tree leaves (poplar and beech), ferns and honeysuckle.

Neo-Druidism forms the second largest pagan religion after Wicca, and like Wicca in turn shows significant heterogeneity.^{[citation needed]} It draws several beliefs and inspirations from the Druids, the priest caste of the ancient pagan Celts. With the first Druid Order founded as early as 1717, the history of Neo-Druidism reaches back to the earliest origins of modern paganism. The Ancient Order of Druids founded in 1781 had many aspects of freemasonry, and have practised rituals at Stonehenge since 1905. The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids was established in 1964 by Ross Nichols. In the United States, the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) was founded in 1912^{[citation needed]}, the Reformed Druids of North America (RDNA) was established in 1963 and Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF) in 1983 by Isaac Bonewits.

New Age syncretism and eco-paganism[link]

Contemporary paganism emerged as part of the counter-culture, New Age and Hippie movements in the 1960s to 1970s.^[61] Reconstructionism rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s. The majority of pagans are not committed to a single defined tradition, but understand paganism as encompassing a wide range of non-institutionalized spirituality, as promoted by the Church of All Worlds, the Feri Tradition and other movements. Notably, Wicca in the United States since the 1970s has largely moved away from its Gardnerian roots and diversified into eclectic variants.

Paganism generally emphasizes the sanctity of the Earth and Nature. Pagans often feel a duty to protect the Earth through activism, and support causes such as rainforest protection, organic farming, permaculture, animal rights and so on. Some pagans are influenced by Animist traditions of the indigenous Native Americans and Africans and other indigenous or shamanic traditions.

Eco-paganism and Eco-magic, which are off-shoots of direct action environmental groups, have a strong emphasis on fairy imagery and a belief in the possibility of intercession by the fae (fairies, pixies, gnomes, elves, and other spirits of nature and the Otherworlds).^[62]

Some Unitarian Universalists are eclectic pagans. Unitarian Universalists look for spiritual inspiration in a wide variety of religious beliefs. The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, or CUUPs, encourages their member chapters to "use practices familiar to members who attend for worship services but not to follow only one tradition of paganism."^[63]

Occultism and ethnic mysticism[link]

Historically the earliest self-identified revivalist pagans were inspired by Renaissance occultism. Notably in early 20th century Germany with Germanic mysticism, which branched into Ariosophy and related currents of Nazi occultism. Outside Germany, occultist neopaganism was inspired by Crowleyan Thelema and Left-Hand Paths, a recent example being the "Dark Paganism" of John J. Coughlin.

In 1925, the Czech esotericist Franz Sättler founded a pagan religion known as Adonism, devoted to the ancient Greek god Adonis, whom Sättler equated with the Christian Satan, and which purported that the end of the world would come in the year 2000. Adonism largely died out in the 1930s, but remained an influence on the German occult scene.^[64]

In the United States, ethnic mysticist approaches are advocated in the form of anti-racist Asatru Folk Assembly founder Stephen McNallen's "metagenetics" and by David Lane's openly white supremacist Wotanism.

According to historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, ccultist currents persist in "neo-völkisch movements", such as neo-fascist and national mysticist neopaganism, since the 1990s revived in the European Nouvelle Droite in the context of the Traditionalist School of Julius Evola and others (Alain de Benoist, Werkgroep Traditie; see Neopaganism and the New Right).

Queer paganism[link]

Radical Faeries with banner at 2010 London Gay Pride.

In the western world, distinct forms of paganism have developed for members of the LGBT community. Margot Adler noted how there were many pagan groups whose practices revolved around the inclusion and celebration of male homosexuality, such as the Minoan Brotherhood, a Wiccan group that combines the iconography from ancient Minoan religion with a Wiccan theology and an emphasis on "men-loving-men", and the eclectic pagan group known as the Radical Faeries. Similarly, there are also groups for lesbians, like certain forms of Dianic Wicca and the Minoan Sisterhood. When Adler asked one gay pagan what the pagan community offered members of the LGBT community, the reply was "A place to belong. Community. Acceptance. And a way to connect with all kinds of people, gay, bi, straight, celibate, transgender, in a way that is hard to do in the greater society".^[65]

Other forms of Wicca have also attracted queer people, for instance, the theologian Jone Salomonsen noted that there was an unusually high number of LGBT, and particularly bisexual individuals within the Reclaiming tradition of San Francisco when she was doing her fieldwork there in the 1980s and 1990s.^[66]

Reconstructionism[link]

In contrast to the eclectic traditions, Polytheistic Reconstructionists practice culturally-specific, ethnic traditions, basing their practices on the surviving folklore, traditional songs and prayers, as well as reconstructions from the historical record. Thus, Hellenic, Roman, Kemetic, Celtic, Germanic, Baltic and Slavic Reconstructionists aim for the preservation and revival of historical practices and beliefs of Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, the Celts, the Germanic peoples, the Balts and the Slavs, respectively.^[67][68][69]

In the early 2000s, a "Traditionalist" or "Folklorist" current of neopaganism emerged in Scandinavian neopaganism, advocated by Jon Julius Filipusson (of Foreningen Forn Sed, Norway), Paul Jenssen (Denmark) and Keeron Ögren (Samfälligheten för Nordisk Sed, Sweden), which rejects Reconstructionism and syncretism alike, advocating a strict focus on regional folklore and folk religion.^{[citation needed]}

Wicca and Pagan Witchcraft[link]

Pagan Witchcraft is the largest contemporary pagan religion, having originally developed in the United Kingdom and since spread across the world. It is commonly called "Wicca", a term that came to be adopted in the early 1960s, although in the late 1970s and 1980s certain Pagan Witches began to instead use that term purely in reference to specific traditions of the Pagan Craft, and in the contemporary pagan community both definitions are now employed, causing some confusion.^[70]

The Wiccan religion revolves around the veneration of a Horned God and a Goddess, elements of a variety of ancient mythologies, a belief in and practice of magic and sometimes the belief in reincarnation and karma.

This pentacle, worn as a pendant, depicts a pentagram, or five-pointed star, used as a symbol of Wicca by many adherents.

The scholar of Religious Studies Graham Harvey noted that a poem known as the Charge of the Goddess remains central to the liturgy of most Wiccan groups. Originally written by Wiccan High Priestess Doreen Valiente in the mid-1950s, Harvey noted that the recitation of the Charge in the midst of ritual allows Wiccans to gain wisdom and experience deity in "the ordinary things in life".^[71]

The historian Ronald Hutton identified a wide variety of different sources that influenced the development of Wicca. These included ceremonial magic, folk magic, Romanticist literature, Freemasonry, and the historical theories of the English archaeologist Margaret Murray.^[72] The figure at the forefront of the burgeoning Wiccan movement was the English esotericist Gerald Gardner, who claimed to have been initiated by the New Forest coven in 1939. Gardner claimed that the religion which he discovered was a modern survival of the old Witch-Cult described in the works of Murray, which had originated in the pre-Christian paganism of Europe. He claimed it was revealed to him by a coven of witches in the New Forest area of southern England. Various forms of Wicca have since evolved or been adapted from Gardner's British Traditional Wicca or Gardnerian Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca. Other forms loosely based on Gardner's teachings are Faery Wicca, Kemetic Wicca, Judeo-Paganism or "jewitchery", Dianic Wicca or "Feminist Wicca" – which emphasizes the divine feminine, often creating women-only or lesbian-only groups.^[73]

In the 1990s, Wiccan beliefs and practices were used as a partial basis for a number of U.S. films and television series, such as The Craft, Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, leading to a dramatic upsurge in teenagers and young adults becoming interested and involved in the religion.^[74][75]

Jewish Wicca

Surveys have shown that people with Jewish backgrounds are twice as likely to become Neopagans, in comparison to Gentiles (non-Jews). Some Jewish Pagans have returned to their own Semitic traditions for inspiration.

Beit Asherah "the house of the Goddess Asherah", was one of the first Neopagan synagogues, founded in the early 1990s by Stephanie Fox, Steven Posch, and Magenta Griffiths (Lady Magenta). Magenta Griffiths is High Priestess of the Beit Asherah coven, and a former board member of the Covenant of the Goddess.^[76][77]

Paganism in society[link]

Propagation[link]

Based upon her study of the pagan community in the United States, the sociologist Margot Adler noted that it is rare for Pagan groups to proselytize in order to gain new converts to their faiths. Instead, she argued that "in most cases", converts first become interested in the movement through "word of mouth, a discussion between friends, a lecture, a book, an article or a Web site." She went on to put forward the idea that this typically confirmed "some original, private experience, so that the most common experience of those who have named themselves pagan is something like 'I finally found a group that has the same religious perceptions I always had'."^[78] A practicing Wiccan herself, Adler used her own conversion to paganism as a case study, remarking that as a child she had taken a great interest in the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, and had performed her own devised rituals in dedication to them. When she eventually came across the Wiccan religion many years later, she then found that it confirmed her earlier childhood experiences, and that "I never converted in the accepted sense. I simply accepted, reaffirmed, and extended a very old experience."^[79]

A simple Heathen altar.

Folklorist Sabina Magliocco supported this idea, noting that a great many of those Californian Pagans whom she interviewed claimed that they had been greatly interested in mythology and folklore as children, imagining a world of "enchanted nature and magical transformations, filled with lords and ladies, witches and wizards, and humble but often wise peasants." Magliocco noted that it was this world which pagans "strive to re-create in some measure."^[80] Further support for Adler's idea came from American Wiccan priestess Judy Harrow, who noted that amongst her comrades, there was a feeling that "you don't become pagan, you discover that you always were."^[81] They have also been supported by Pagan studies scholar Graham Harvey.^[82]

Many pagans in North America encounter the movement through their involvement in other hobbies; particularly popular with U.S. Pagans are "golden age"-type pastimes such as the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), Star Trek fandom, Doctor Who fandom and comic book fandom.^[83] Other manners in which many North American pagans have got involved with the movement are through political and/or ecological activism, such as "vegetarian groups, health food stores" or feminist university courses.^[84]

Adler went on to note that from those she interviewed and surveyed in the U.S., she could identify a number of common factors that led to people getting involved in Paganism: the beauty, vision and imagination that was found within their beliefs and rituals, a sense of intellectual satisfaction and personal growth that they imparted, their support for environmentalism and/or feminism, and a sense of freedom.^[85]

Class, gender and ethnicity[link]

Based upon her work in the United States, sociologist Margot Adler found that the pagan movement was "very diverse" in its class and ethnic background.^[86] She went on to remark that she had encountered pagans in jobs that ranged from "fireman to Ph.D. chemist" but that the one thing that she thought made them into an "elite" was as avid readers, something that she found to be very common within the pagan community despite the fact that avid readers constituted less than 20% of the general population of the United States at the time.^[87] The folklorist Sabina Magliocco came to a somewhat different conclusion based upon her ethnographic research of pagans in California, remarking that the majority were "white, middle-class, well-educated urbanites" but that they were united in finding "artistic inspiration" within "folk and indigenous spiritual traditions."^[88]

The sociologist Regina Oboler examined the role of gender in the U.S. Pagan community, arguing that although the movement had been constant in its support for the equality of men and women ever since its foundation, there was still an essentialist view of gender engrained within it, with female deities being accorded traditional western feminine traits and male deities being similarly accorded what western society saw as masculine traits.^[89]

Demographics[link]

Adherents.com estimates that there are roughly one million pagans worldwide (as of 2000), including "Wicca, Magick, Druidism, Asatru, neo-Native American religion and others".^[90]

High estimates by pagan authors may reach several times that number.^[91] A precise number is impossible to establish, because of the largely uninstitutionalised nature of the religion and the secrecy observed by some traditions,^[92] – sometimes explained by fear of religious discrimination.

North America[link]

In the United States, the ARIS 2001 study, based on a poll conducted by The Graduate Center at The City University of New York found that an estimated 140,000 people self-identified as pagans; 134,000 self-identified as Wiccans; and 33,000 self-identified as Druids.^[93] This would bring the total of groups largely accepted under the modern popular western definition of pagan to 307,000.

Europe[link]

Wiccans gather for a handfasting ceremony at Avebury in England.

A study by Ronald Hutton compared a number of different sources (including membership lists of major UK organizations, attendance at major events, subscriptions to magazines, etc.) and used standard models for extrapolating likely numbers. This estimate accounted for multiple membership overlaps as well as the number of adherents represented by each attendee of a pagan gathering. Hutton estimated that there are 250,000 neopagan adherents in the United Kingdom, roughly equivalent to the national Hindu community.^[94]

A smaller number is suggested by the results of the 2001 Census, in which a question about religious affiliation was asked for the first time. Respondents were able to write in an affiliation not covered by the checklist of common religions, and a total of 42,262 people from England, Scotland and Wales declared themselves to be Pagans by this method. These figures were not released as a matter of course by the Office of National Statistics, but were released after an application by the Pagan Federation of Scotland.^[95] From a British population of 59 million this gives a rough proportion of 7 Pagans per 100,000 population. This is more than many well known traditions such as Rastafarian, Bahá'í and Zoroastrian groups, but fewer than the 'Big Six' of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. It is also fewer than the adherents Jediism, whose campaign made them the fourth largest religion after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.^[96]

The UK Census figures do not allow an accurate breakdown of traditions within the pagan heading, as a campaign by the Pagan Federation before the census encouraged Wiccans, Heathens, Druids and others all to use the same write-in term 'Pagan' in order to maximise the numbers reported.^{[citation needed]} The PaganDASH campaign actively worked with the ONS to amend the rules for The 2011 UK Census, allowing pagans to write their denomination in the form "PAGAN — path". This was to reduce problems as encountered in the 2001 Census such as a range of neopagan paths being counted under atheist.^[97]

Census figures in Ireland do not provide a breakdown of religions outside of the major Christian denominations and other major world religions. A total of 22,497 people stated 'Other religion' in the 2006 census; and a rough estimate is that there are 2,000–3,000 practicing pagans in Ireland as of 2009. Numerous pagan groups – primarily Wiccan and Druidic – exist in Ireland though none is officially recognised by the Government. Irish Paganism is often strongly concerned with issues of place and language.^[98]

A neopagan graveyard in Iceland

Paganism in Scandinavia is dominated by Ásatrú (Forn Sed, Folketro). The Swedish AsatruSociety formed in 1994, and in Norway the Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost formed in 1996 and Foreningen Forn Sed formed in 1999. They have been recognized by the Norwegian government as a religious society, allowing them to perform "legally binding civil ceremonies" (i.e. marriages). In Denmark Forn Siðr also formed in 1999, recognized in 2003^[99] and in Sweden Nätverket Gimle formed in 2001, as an informal community for individual Heathens. Nätverket Forn Sed formed in 2004, and has a network consisting of local groups (blotlag) from all over Sweden.

In German-speaking Europe, Germanic and Celtic paganism co-exist with Wicca and neoshamanism. Paganism in Latin Europe (France, Italy, Spain) focuses on Neo-Druidism and Esotericism based on megalith culture besides some Germanic Pagan groups in areas historically affected by Germanic migrations (Lombardy). Paganism in Eastern Europe and parts of Northern Europe is dominated by Baltic and Slavic movements, rising to visibility after the fall of the Soviet Union (except for Latvian Dievturība which has been active since 1925). Since the 1990s, there have been organized Hellenic groups practising in Greece.

The Church of the Guanche People is a pagan sect founded in 2001 in the city of San Cristobal de La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain). According to its followers this organisation aims to revive and spread the Pagan religion of the Guanche people. It was founded by a group of Canarian citizens, devotees of the goddess Chaxiraxi. The Church of the Guanche People performs baptisms and weddings according to aboriginal Guanche forms. On December 14, 2003, the first wedding for more than 500 years was held according to the aboriginal Guanche rite on the island of Tenerife. In 2008 the group had approximately 300 members.^[100]

Pagan studies[link]

The earliest academic studies of contemporary Paganism were published in the late 1970s and 1980s by scholars like Margot Adler, Marcello Truzzi and Tanya Luhrmann, although it would not be until the 1990s that the actual multidisciplinary academic field of Pagan studies properly developed, pioneered by academics such as Graham Harvey and Chas S. Clifton. Increasing academic interest in Paganism has been attributed to the new religious movement's increasing public visibility, as it began interacting with the interfaith movement and holding large public celebrations at sites like Stonehenge.^[101]

The first international academic conference on the subject of Pagan studies was held at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, North-East England in 1993. It had been organised by two British religious studies scholars, Graham Harvey and Charlotte Hardman.^[102] In April 1996 a larger conference dealing with contemporary Paganism then took place at Ambleside in the Lake District. Organised by the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Lancaster, North-West England, it was entitled "Nature Religion Today: Western Paganism, Shamanism and Esotericism in the 1990s", and led to the publication of an academic anthology, entitled Nature Religion Today: Paganism in the Modern World.^[103][102] In 2004, the first peer-reviewed, academic journal devoted to Pagan studies began publication. The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies was edited by Clifton, while the academic publishers AltaMira Press began release of the Pagan Studies Series.^[104] One of the books AltaMira released was Researching Paganisms, an anthology edited by Jenny Blain, Douglas Ezzy and Graham Harvey in which different Pagan studies scholars discussed their involvement with the subject and the opposition that they've faced.^[105]

The relationship between Pagan studies scholars and some practicing Pagans has at times been strained. The Australian academic and practicing Pagan Caroline Jane Tully argued that many Pagans can react negatively to new scholarship regarding historical pre-Christian societies, believing that it is a threat to the structure of their beliefs and "sense of identity." She furthermore argued that some of those dissatisfied Pagans lashed out against academics as a result, particularly on the internet.^[106]

References[link]

Footnotes[link]

Bibliography[link]

Academic books[link]

Academic anthology articles[link]

Academic journal articles[link]

Contemporary pagan literature[link]

Further reading[link]

• Bonewits, Isaac (2003). Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach. Miami, Fla.: Earth Religions Press. ISBN 1-59405-501-7. 
• Bonewits, Isaac (2006) Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. New York, Kensington Publishing Group ISBN 0-8065-2710-2.
• Clifton, Chas and Harvey, Graham (2004), The Paganism Reader, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-30352-1.
• Hunt, Stephen (2003). Alternative Religions: A Sociological Introduction. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7546-3409-4. 
• Pike, Sarah M. (2004). New Age and Neopagan Religions in America. New York City, New York, US: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12402-3. http://books.google.com/?id=-vt8nTsS3XUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=New+Age+and+Neopagan+Religions+in+America&q. 
• Rabinovitch, Shelley and Lewis, James (2004), The Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism, Kensington Publishing Corporation, ISBN 978-0-8065-2407-8.
• Seznec, Jean (1953). The Survival of the Pagan Gods: The Mythological Tradition and Its Place in Renaissance Humanism and Art. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-02988-1. 
• Strmiska, Michael F. (2005). Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-85109-613-2. 

External links[link]

• What Neo-Pagans Believe (beliefnet.com)
• Neopagan & Pagan religious traditions (religioustolerance.org)
• Wicca and Neo-Paganism (sacred-texts.com)
• The Pagan Federation (paganfed.org)

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (b. Timothy Zell, November 30, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, also formerly known as Otter G'Zell) is a co-founder of the Church of All Worlds, as well as a writer and speaker on the subject of Neopaganism. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri in 1965. In 1967, he received a Doctor of Divinity from Life Science College in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, then a teaching certificate from Harris Teacher's College in St. Louis in 1968. He also attended graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis.^[1]

In an interview with Natalie Zaman in 2008, Zell described himself as a "Wizard". Distinguishing his practice from the wizards of fiction, Zell added a "k" to his spelling of "magick", and claimed that his interest therein began at an early age with the reading of Greek myths and fairy tales. As a child, Zell had visions, which his mother told him were derived from the life of his grandfather.^[2]

An early advocate of deep ecology, Zell-Ravenheart articulated the Gaia Thesis (preferred spelling Gæa or Gaea) in 1970, independently of Dr. James Lovelock, who is usually credited therewith.^[3] Along with his wife Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart and the other members of his group marriage, he has been influential in the modern polyamory movement.^[4]

Zell-Ravenheart also co-founded the Ecosophical Research Association in 1977, an organization that explores the truth behind myths. This group was known for the "living unicorns" they created by minor surgery to the horn buds of goats. One of their unicorns, Lancelot, toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.^[5]

Church of All Worlds[link]

With R. Lance Christie, Zell-Ravenheart formed the Church of All Worlds (CAW) on April 7, 1962, by the ritual of "sharing water". This foundation ritual was practiced by a fictional church of the same name in Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Zell-Ravenheart and Christie attributed their inspiration to Heinlein's novel. From the 1960s through the late 1990s, Zell-Ravenheart served as High Priest and Primate of the church.^[6] Zell-Ravenheart returned to lead the Church of All Worlds, Inc. in 2005 and currently serves as First Primate.^[7]

Role in Neopagan community[link]

A sculptor as well as an author, Zell has created numerous images of Pagan deities—some based upon historical images, others his original creations. With his family, he runs Mythic Images, a business through which his artwork is distributed.^[6]

[edit] Green Egg

As the creator and original editor of the Neopagan magazine Green Egg in 1968,^[8] Zell-Ravenheart was an early popularizer of the term "Neo-Pagan". When Green Egg began publishing as a spirit-duplicated newsletter, Zell used the term "Neo-Pagan" to describe the new religious movement he was helping to create. Green Egg later grew to be a semi-glossy magazine with international distribution and, in an era before the Internet, its letters column provided a widely distributed public forum for discussion and networking.^[6] From 1994 to late 2001, Green Egg was edited by Maerian Morris, a former High Priestess of the Church of All Worlds.^[9]Green Egg is currently published as an e-zine, edited by Ariel Monserrat.^[10]

Grey School of Wizardry[link]

Zell-Ravenheart is one of the founders and is the current Headmaster of the "Grey School of Wizardry", an online school specializing in the teaching of a wide range of esoteric magic. The Grey School incorporated on March 14, 2005^[11][12][13] as a non-profit educational institution in the State of California. The school grew from lessons originally created by the Grey Council, a team of two dozen magickal practitioners who together with Zell-Ravenheart wrote the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard and later the Companion for the Apprentice Wizard. While initially conceived for ages 11-17, the school also accepts adult students.^[14] The school comprises sixteen departments of study, various clubs and organizations, a forum area, a prefect/captain system, opportunities for awards and merits and a house/lodge system for adults and youths in which they can communicate directly with each other. Youth (under 18) students are sorted into four houses: Sylphs, Salamanders, Undines, and Gnomes. Adult (18+) students are sorted into four lodges: Society of the Four Winds, Order of the Dancing Flames, Coterie of the Flowing Waters, and Circle of the Standing Stones.^[15]

Speaker and teacher[link]

Zell-Ravenheart regularly presents workshops, lectures, and ceremonies at Neopagan and New Age events, as well as at science fiction conventions and renaissance fairs. He and his wife "Morning Glory" Zell-Ravenheart have appeared at over 20 Starwood Festivals (and a few WinterStar Symposiums) over 25 years, and have maintained Church of All Worlds presence at Starwood, called the CAWmunity, for over a decade.^[1]

Oberon and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart currently live in Sonoma County, California, where they are members of the Sonoma County Pagan Network. He is a frequent speaker at the organization's local activities, and has contributed articles to its website.^[16][17]

Health concerns[link]

During a routine colonoscopy, doctors found a cancerous growth attached to Zell's colon, and removed it laparoscopically at Petaluma Valley Hospital. Following surgery, he underwent a six-month course of chemotherapy and has continued a reduced schedule of travel and teaching. Another surgery repaired a hernia at the cancer surgery incision in August 2009, but was otherwise not cancer-related. Zell regards himself as cured of the cancer.^[18]

Bibliography[link]

• The Rites of Summer by Gwydion Pendderwen‎- Nemeton (1980) (art only)
• Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. New Page Books, US (February 14, 2004) ISBN 1-56414-711-8, ISBN 978-1-56414-711-0
• Companion for the Apprentice Wizard New Page Books, US (January 1, 2006) ISBN 1-56414-835-1, ISBN 978-1-56414-835-3
• Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons and Reasons (with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart) New Page Books (August 1, 2006) ISBN 1-56414-864-5, ISBN 978-1-56414-864-3
• Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. Dekirk, Ash "Leoparddancer", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (August 1, 2006) ISBN 1-56414-868-8, ISBN 978-1-56414-868-1
• Gargoyles: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. Pesznecker, Susan "Moonwriter", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (February 15, 2007) ISBN 1-56414-911-0,

ISBN 978-1-56414-911-4

• A Wizard's Bestiary. Dekirk, Ash "Leoparddancer", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (December 30, 2007) ISBN 1-56414-956-0, ISBN 978-1-56414-956-5

Discography[link]

• The Church of All Worlds - Lecture on cassette ACE
• Men and the Goddess - Lecture (on cassette) ACE
• A Bouquet of Lovers - Lecture with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (on CD and cassette) ACE
• Living Your Own Myth - Lecture with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (on cassette) ACE

Media appearances[link]

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart has been interviewed on many television and radio shows in the United States, England, and Australia. Some of these include:

References[link]

External links[link]

Articles and interviews[link]

• Laneth Sffarlenn (February 11, 2008). "Wizards of Old and New, the Grey School is Calling For You!". The Witches' Voice. http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=auvic&c=words&id=12285. Retrieved 2010-05-11. 
• Online Wizardry Recognized with a 501(c)(3) Alternative Approaches article
• Interview With a Living Pagan Icon The Goddess interview by Mabyn Wind
• 10 Questions with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart The Magical Buffet

Additional reading[link]

Other links[link]

• Official Website
• Oberon Zell Ravenheart biography (Church of All Worlds) (Archived)
• Grey School of Wizardry
• Green Egg Zine - Legendary Journal of the Awakening Earth
• "Defining paganism". Isaac Bonewits (2007).
• Mythic Images website
• Oberon Zell Ravenheart Interview

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Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits
Isaac Bonewits in 2004
Born	(1949-10-01)October 1, 1949 Royal Oak, MI
Died	August 12, 2010(2010-08-12) (aged 60) Valley Cottage, NY
Spouse	Phaedra Bonewits (m. 2007)
Children	Arthur Shaffrey Lipp-Bonewits
Website
http://www.neopagan.net

Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits (October 1, 1949 – August 12, 2010^[1]) was an influential American Druid who published a number of books on the subject of Neopaganism and magic. He was also a public speaker, liturgist, singer and songwriter, and founded the Druidic organization Ár nDraíocht Féin, as well as the Neopagan civil rights group, the Aquarian Anti-Defamation League. Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, Bonewits had been heavily involved in occultism since the 1960s. He died in 2010.

Early life and education[link]

Bonewits was born in 1949 in Royal Oak, Michigan, as the fourth of five children. His mother and father were Roman Catholics.^[2] Spending much of his childhood in Ferndale, he was moved at age 12 to San Clemente, California, where he spent a short time in a Catholic high school before he went back to public school to graduate from high school a year early. He enrolled at UC Berkeley in 1966; he graduated from the university in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts in Magic,^[3] becoming the first^[1] and only person to have ever received any kind of academic degree in Magic from an accredited university.^[4]

Personal life[link]

Bonewits was married five times. He was married to Rusty Elliot from 1973 to 1976. His second wife was Selene Kumin Vega, followed by marriage to Sally Eaton (1980 to 1985). His fourth wife was author Deborah Lipp, from 1988 to 1998. On July 23, 2004, he was married in a handfasting ceremony to a former vice-president of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Phaedra Heyman Bonewits. At the time of the handfasting, the marriage was not yet legal because he had not yet been legally divorced from Lipp, although they had been separated for several years. Paperwork and legalities caught up on December 31, 2007, making them legally married.^[2][5]

Bonewits' only child, Arthur Shaffrey Lipp-Bonewits, was born to Deborah Lipp in 1990.^[2]

Career[link]

Early Years[link]

Isaac Bonewits (right) interviewed in Mondo Pagan June 1999 by Rock Savage at Camp Ramblewood.

In 1966, while enrolled at UC Berkeley, Bonewits joined the Reformed Druids of North America, or RDNA. Bonewits was ordained as a Neo-druid priest in 1969. During this period, the 18 year old Bonewits was recruited by the Church of Satan,^[2] but left due to political and philosophical conflicts with Anton LaVey. During his stint in the Church of Satan, Bonewits appeared in some scenes of the 1970 documentary Satanis: The Devil's Mass.^[6] Bonewits, in his article "My Satanic Adventure", asserts that the rituals in Satanis were staged for the movie at the behest of the filmmakers and were not authentic ceremonies.^[7]

Author and Druid[link]

His first book, Real Magic, was published in 1971. Between 1973 and 1975 Bonewits was employed as editor of Gnostica magazine in Minnesota (published by Llewellyn Publications), established an offshoot group of the RDNA called the Schismatic Druids of North America, and helped create a group called the Hasidic Druids of North America (despite his life-long status as a "gentile"). He also founded the short-lived Aquarian Anti-Defamation League (AADL), an early Pagan civil rights group.

In 1976, Bonewits moved back to Berkeley and rejoined his original grove there, now part of the New Reformed Druids of North America (NRDNA). He was later elected Archdruid of the Berkeley Grove.

Founder of Ár nDraíocht Féin[link]

Over the years Bonewits also had varying degrees of involvement with mystical organizations such as Ordo Templi Orientis, Gardnerian Wicca, and the New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn (a Wiccan organization not to be confused with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) as well as others.^[4] Bonewits was a regular presenter at Neopagan conferences and festivals all over the US.

In 1983, Bonewits founded Ár nDraíocht Féin (also known as "A Druid Fellowship" or ADF), which was incorporated in 1990 in the state of Delaware as a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization. He made the organization's first public announcement in 1984, and began the membership sign-up at the first WinterStar Symposium in 1984. Since that time, ADF has developed into one of the world's largest forms of contemporary Druidism practiced as a religion.

Although illness curtailed many of his activities and travels for a time, he remained Archdruid of ADF until 1996. In that year, he resigned from the position of Archdruid but retained the lifelong title of ADF Archdruid Emeritus.

Musician and activist[link]

A songwriter, singer, and recording artist, he produced two CDs of Pagan music and numerous recorded lectures and panel discussions, produced and distributed by the Association for Consciousness Exploration. He lived in Rockland County, New York, and was a member of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS).

Bonewits encouraged charity programs to help Neopagan seniors,^[8] and in January 2006 was the keynote speaker at the Conference On Current Pagan Studies at the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA.^{[citation needed]}

Illness and death[link]

In 1990, Bonewits was diagnosed with Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. The illness was a factor in his eventual resignation from the position of Archdruid of the ADF.

On October 25, 2009, Bonewits was diagnosed with a rare form of colon cancer,^[9] for which he underwent treatment. He died at home, on August 12, 2010, surrounded by his family.^[1]

Contributions to Neopaganism[link]

In his book Real Magic (1971), Bonewits proposed his hypothesis on the Laws of Magic. These "laws" are synthesized from a multitude of belief systems from around the world, and were collected in order to explain and categorize magical beliefs within a cohesive framework. Many interrelationships of these areas exist, and some are subsets of others.

Bonewits also coined much of the modern terminology used to define and articulate many of the conceptual themes and issues which affect the North American Neopagan community.

• Pioneered the modern usage of the terms thealogy, "Paleo-Paganism", "Meso-Paganism", and numerous other retronyms.
• Possibly coined the term "Pagan Reconstructionism", though the communities in question would later diverge from his initial meaning.^[10][11]
• Founded Ar nDraiocht Fein, which was incorporated in 1990 in the state of Delaware as a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
• Developed the Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame (ABCDEF)
• Coined the phrase "Never Again the Burning."^[12]
• Critiqued the Burning Times / Old Religion Murray thesis (in Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca)

Bibliography[link]

• Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Magic. (1972, 1979, 1989) Weiser Books ISBN 0-87728-688-4
• The Druid Chronicles (Evolved). (1976 Drunemeton Press, 2005 Drynemetum Press)
• Authentic Thaumaturgy. (1978, 1998) Steve Jackson Games ISBN 1-55634-360-4
• Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach. (2003) Earth Religions Press ISBN 1-59405-501-7 OP
• Witchcraft: A Concise Guide or Which Witch Is Which?. (2003) Earth Religions Press ISBN 1-59405-500-9
• The Pagan Man: Priests, Warriors, Hunters, and Drummers. (2005) Citadel ISBN 0-8065-2697-1, ISBN 978-0-8065-2697-3
• Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca. (2006) Citadel ISBN 0-8065-2711-0, ISBN 978-0-8065-2711-6
• Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. (2006) Citadel ISBN 0-8065-2710-2, ISBN 978-0-8065-2710-9
• Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, And Substances to Heal, Change, And Grow. (2007) New Leaf ISBN 1-56414-904-8, ISBN 978-1-56414-904-6. Co-authored with Phaedra Bonewits.
• Neopagan Rites: A Guide to Creating Public Rituals that Work. (2007) Llewellyn ISBN 0-7387-1199-3, ISBN 978-0-7387-1199-7

Discography[link]

Music[link]

• Be Pagan Once Again! – Isaac Bonewits & Friends (including Ian Corrigan, Victoria Ganger, and Todd Alan) (CD) (ACE/ADF)
• Avalon is Rising! – Real Magic (CD)(ACE/ADF)

Spoken word[link]

• The Structure of Craft Ritual (ACE)
• A Magician Prepares (ACE)
• Programming Magical Ritual: Top-Down Liturgical Design (ACE)
• Druidism: Ancient & Modern (ACE)
• How Does Magic Work? (ACE)
• Rituals That Work (ACE)
• Sexual Magic & Magical Sex (with Deborah Lipp) (ACE)
• Making Fun of Religion (with Deborah Lipp) (ACE)

Panel discussions[link]

• The Magickal Movement: Present & Future (with Margot Adler, Selena Fox, and Robert Anton Wilson) (ACE)
• Magick Changing the World, the World Changing Magick (with AmyLee, Selena Fox, Jeff Rosenbaum and Robert Anton Wilson) (ACE)

References[link]

Further reading[link]

This article's further reading may not follow Wikipedia's content policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive, less relevant or many publications with the same point of view; or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (January 2012)

• Berger, Helen A. (2005) Witchcraft and Magic: Contemporary North America. University of Pennsylvania Press ISBN 0-8122-3877-X, ISBN 978-0-8122-3877-8
• Berger, Helen A. (1998) A Community of Witches: Contemporary Neo-Paganism and Witchcraft in the United States. University of South Carolina Press ISBN 1-57003-246-7, ISBN 978-1-57003-246-2
• Berger, Helen A. & Helen H. & Evan A. Leach, Leigh S. Shaffer (2003) Voices from the Pagan Census: A National Survey of Witches and Neo-Pagans in the United States. University of South Carolina Press ISBN 1-57003-488-5, ISBN 978-1-57003-488-6
• Bond, Lawrence & Ellen Evert Hopman (1996) People of the Earth: The New Pagans Speak Out. (reissued as Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans & Witches Today in 2002 Destiny Books ISBN 0-89281-904-9) Interview.
• Clifton, Chas S. (2006). Her hidden children: the rise of Wicca and paganism in America. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press. ISBN 0-7591-0202-3. 
• Lewis, James R. & Shelley Rabinovitch (2002) The Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism. C Trade Paper ISBN 0-8065-2406-5, ISBN 978-0-8065-2406-1
• Pike, Sarah M. (2004) New Age and Neopagan Religions in America. Columbia University Press ISBN 0-231-12402-3, ISBN 978-0-231-12402-7
• Urban, Hugh B. (2006) Magia Sexualis: Sex, Magic, and Liberation in Modern Western Esotericism. University of California Press ISBN 0-520-24776-0, ISBN 978-0-520-24776-5
• Vale, V.; Sulak, John (2001). Modern pagans : an investigation of contemporary pagan practices. San Francisco, Calif.: RE/Search Publications. pp. 70–77. ISBN 1-889307-10-6. 

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Isaac Bonewits

• Neopagan Net (formerly "Isaac Bonewits' Homepage")
• The laws
• A Reformed Druid Anthology includes The Druid Chronicles (Evolved)
• "An Open Letter to Selena Fox"