Dowsing for Divinity
I have always felt it would be better to define Paganism and Pagan traditions on their own terms. If we draw a contrast with some other tradition's theology, we always reinforce a simplistic outsider's view of that tradition. Read more
I have always felt it would be better to define Paganism and Pagan traditions on their own terms. If we draw a contrast with some other tradition's theology, we always reinforce a simplistic outsider's view of that tradition. Read more
What is cultural appropriation? It's about power, and context, and histories of persecution. The Native Americans had their land and livelihoods taken away, their cultural identity erased and derided, and now people are taking their spiritual practices. Read more
Evangelical and Pagan-Christian interfaith advocate John Morehead writes: I understand the mistrust that many Pagans have toward Christians and the forms of Christianity that have undergirded our hostile interactions with the Pagan community. But aren't there alternatives to continuing to distrust and demonize each other? Read more
If Paganism is going to survive as a diverse movement, we need to improve communication between different traditions and paths. Listen to audio of the recent PantheaCon Pagan Intrafaith panel, featuring six Patheos Pagan writers and the managing editor. Read more
I attended Jason Pitzl-Waters' talk on "Preserving Our Past, Preparing for Our Future." Here's my summary of what Jason had to say on libraries, oral history, fundraising, including the younger generation, and proactively addressing community issues. Read more
As those of you who have been reading along know, I've spent the past three and a half years on an academic theology that's going to be called Eros and Touch from a Pagan Perspective. Here's a snapshot of my progress. Read more
There are several ways in which to construe the relationship of religious discourse to the world it attempts to describe. The various positions available in both scientific and religious discourse show that the debate is not simply happening between science and religion, but also within both those discourses, and so it is not accurate to talk about either discourse as if it were a monolithic entity engaged in a titanic struggle for truth and authority with the other discourse; the whole picture is far more complex. Read more
Interestingly, many Pagans (including myself) seem to prefer the word "sacred" to the word "holy". To me, sacred implies something that celebrates the sanctity of being alive, and it can include the erotic and the wild. Holy, on the other hand, implies abstinence from the erotic and embracing 'civilisation'. Read more
The alternative understanding of Torah being presented in Jewcraft will give Pagans juicy food for thought when it comes to their perceptions of Jews and their god. (Also, if you enjoy the calculated use of profanity in our theology, this blog is for you.) Read more
Truth is a much-debated concept. There is (presumably) an objective underlying reality which is the same for everyone. But perspectives on it, and perceptions of it, differ. Read more
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