Where does the concept of grace belong in a Pagan worldview? A few weeks ago, the minister at the Unitarian Universalist church I attend gave a Sunday sermon discussing the idea of grace, and how it can still apply to those of us who are no longer Christian. It has given me a great deal of food for thought. I’ll be honest – first hearing that word, my mind kind of shuts down into “Christian buzzword, must ignore” mode. It holds very little meaning for me outside of remembering long childhood conversations about the depth of my sin and general terribleness. But sitting rather captive between sweet members of my rather small congregation, I was forced to confront that immediate shutting down, to face the fact that Christians do not hold an exclusive patent on the concept of grace. I began to consider what it could mean to me in my own practice.
Through most of my life, I have tried to treat others with grace. Forgive and forget was my model for a very long time. But as I’ve gotten older, I have perhaps unconsciously tried to move away from that. Part of it is being Heathen – in Heathenry, a great deal of emphasis is placed on one’s deeds, and much less importance on forgiving and moving past hurts that have been inflicted. In exploring this path for myself, I’ve found that it affected me in many positive ways; but this de-emphasis on grace and forgiveness has perhaps shaped me to be a less understanding person. Another reason is my exploration of feminism – having been socialized from birth to be nice, to understand, to forgive, as part of learning to be a woman in this world; it has soured me slightly on these ideas. I have no desire to be a doormat, to let the world walk over me because I am so ready to forgive and forget both mistakes and intentional pain caused. I fear that in extending grace, that in forgiving, I am opening the door to being that person all over again.
Grace in Norse Cosmology
But I believe there is a middle ground. I believe there is a place for the concept of grace in Paganism, and in Heathenry. In Norse cosmology, there is the story of Ragnarok; the ‘end of the world’ where many of the Gods are defeated and die. Because of Their own dishonorable actions, through Their own fault, the Gods enter into an unwinnable war, and almost all of humanity is wiped out. But what is often left untold is the ending of the tale – Baldur, the brightest of the Gods, returns from the realm of Hel to once again rule. The last two people to survive once again repopulate the earth. Despite the Gods’ mistakes, Their realm endures and They are remembered. In this way, even the Gods are extended grace by the hands of fate. If even deities can give and receive forgiveness, then surely it has a place; even in a religion generally more focused on our actions in this life.
I am forever thankful to my Unitarian Universalist congregation for bringing these ideas to the table, these concepts that are largely Christian in the minds of most, but which ought to be considered for their place in any religion. In a belief system without original sin, it is true that grace has a more limited role, but I personally am unwilling to discount it entirely. I know I have received a great deal of it in my life, from both Pagans and non-Pagans, and I am so grateful for that. Like all people, I have made mistakes, many of which I don’t think I deserve to be forgiven for. But I have been, nevertheless, and this allows me to continue to participate in community and to contribute in meaningful ways; things I would not be able to do if I had been ostracized because of my actions. I’m still not an advocate of forgetting the prior actions of others, whether good or ill – I think it is important to weigh a person’s contributions over time and consider their actions in that light. It is unethical to allow abusive or harassing persons to continue that behavior indefinitely because we’re trying to practice grace. But for the average person, who tries and succeeds and sometimes tries and fails, this grace can be a powerful thing; an idea that can bind communities closer together.
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