Coming Together

The analogy that springs to mind when pondering the future of paganism is sewing a quilt. Most of us were drawn to paganism because we relish diversity, question rigid dogmas and march to the tune of our own drummers. While this may make a sense of community cohesion a challenge at times, there is an incredible opportunity for varied and rich expression of the family of faiths that fall under the broader pagan umbrella.

Let me take a second to say that I have found the pagan theology series enlightening. There are a lot of different perspectives and passionately held beliefs. One of the things I most enjoyed was the way that pagan theology has the room to include so much variation. So many ideas are being floated out there…sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. I imagine for a person new to paganism, it can be daunting. However, the freedom to explore our relationships to our Gods, our path and our own souls is key to fostering genuine spiritual experience. The involved pagan has had to sift through many perspectives and define their own worldview in a way few other faiths allow, much less encourage.

Therefore I choose to celebrate the many paths and perspectives that I encounter among my pagan cohorts. Each fits in like a colorful panel into an ever growing quilt. Sometimes the faultlines clash, sometimes the threads don’t quite match up. But the panels are each sewn with care, intention and love and if we remain open to one another and build bridges, I believe our future is bright. I am particularly interested in seeing how second and third generation pagans raised with respect for the land spirits and the ancestors will further our understanding and blaze the trail ahead.

In many ways, paganism is about choice. As we grow and learn we have the space to choose new and deeper ways of interacting with our Gods, our planet, our ancestors, communities and our own selves. We see ourselves in relation to an entire web of life that is dynamic and evolving. We ask “why?”, even when there is no easy answer, even when the search to know more impels us to travel avenues that may challenge our current paradigms or make us uncomfortable. With freedom comes responsibility. With diversity comes the challenge to keep extending ourselves in order to prevent the Balkanization of paganism…we need to honor our own dearly held viewpoints while also honoring the right of other pagans to express their devotion in alternate ways. In this way our challenge is not just “Interfaith ministry” but Intrafaith ministry within our various component communities. We can maintain our unique traditions while working to advance perspectives that we can all agree upon and cherish in common. Equality, diversity, intellectual curiosity, a belief in the sacredness of our planet and our interconnectedness with all life, respect for our ancestors…these are deep and ancient values that are sorely needed in our world today.

In many ways we are the perfect poster children for religious pluralism. I won’t use the word “tolerance”, as it seems to imply living with something irritating rather than a celebration of the richness of the diversity that has produced a riotously colored and fabulous quilt. My hope for the future is that we find a way to be both unique and cohesive and inspire our up and coming generations to build on our foundations in new and unexpected ways.