The Future Of Paganism Is Our Future

Paganism is very much a grassroots movement, rich with diversity. Although we have well-known authors, such as Margot Adler and Raven Digitalis, represented here, Paganism is definitely a religious movement of the people, by the people, and for the people. Here are the thoughts of clergy, authors, and ordinary Pagans on the future of Paganism. We hope you enjoy this compendium of short thoughts.

Contributing authors: Margot Adler , author, journalist Wiccan priestess Raven Digitalis , author, Neopagan priest Selena Fox , founder Circle Sanctuary Rev. Wes Isley Masery Rev. Robert Paxton , Circle Sanctuary minister Pitch Scott Shadow Weaver Sharon

Margot Adler

In the last fifteen years the Contemporary Pagan Movement, which includes Wicca, Goddess Spirituality, and the Pagan Reconstructionist religions -- Norse, Druidic, Egyptian, Greek -- have all come of age. Paganism is now a world religion. Adherents.com puts the number of Pagans at one million; scholars as early as eight years ago counted at least five thousand Pagan websites. Pagan veterans can now have the pentagram on their gravestones at Arlington and other military cemeteries. There are Pagan and Wiccan chaplains in prisons and hospitals. There are Pagans working as interfaith chaplains. There are Pagan events for charity, and Pagan AA groups. There is at least one peer-reviewed academic Pagan magazine, and there are courses in Paganism at mainstream seminaries. Papers on Paganism and Wicca are presented at the AAR's annual conference on religion, by Pagans as well as about Pagans. Pagans had a huge presence at the last two meetings of the Parliament of the World's Religions , and two members of our faith are on the Board of Trustees.

Once a very youth-oriented movement, Contemporary Paganism is now dealing with many of the issues that all religions deal with. Not just coming of age ceremonies and marriages, but with elder care and death and dying. Now, a multigenerational movement, Pagan festivals have huge numbers of children, teens, and young adults.

The movement has changed in other ways. Once it was hard to find a grove, coven, or kindred. People entered only through membership in tiny, closed, and often secretive groups. Contemporary Paganism is now more open and less secretive. People enter the religion through festivals, through small groups, through the internet, and through larger cross traditional organizations.

In short, Paganism has become a mainstream movement, which has mostly been a good thing. We are no longer talked about only on Halloween, and much less frequently confused with cults or Satanism. However there is a downside to the mainstream. Our movement remains important partly because of its critique of monotheistic and patriarchal religions. Will that critique be lost or watered down as Paganism takes its rightful place as a respected religion?"

Margot Adler is an NPR correspondent based in NPR's New York Bureau. Her reports can be heard regularly on " All Things Considered ," " Morning Edition," and " Weekend Edition ." Adler joined the NPR staff as a general assignment reporter in 1979, after spending a year as an NPR freelance reporter covering New York City. From 1972 to 1990, Adler hosted a weekly live talk show on WBAI-FM/New York City. She is the author of the book , Drawing Down the Moon , a study of contemporary nature religions, and Heretic's Heart , a 1960s memoir.

Raven Digitalis

Paganism is a term that applies to the earliest spiritual practices of the world. As patriarchy gained control of much of the world, and as politics became more deeply intertwined with spirituality (and certainly hid behind the mask of religion), the world fell into a whole new level of disarray. Neopaganism, in many ways, is the fight against socio-political control, and is a reclaiming of the spirituality of humankind's earliest ancestors -- for the division between spirituality and life itself is a relatively new phenomenon of thought in human history!

It seems to me that Neopaganism will continue to evolve and redefine itself. Barriers of communication and knowledge are things of the past -- as the world's veil of Maya (illusion) continues to fall, the significance of spiritual living will be more acutely revealed. The freedom of mind, body, and spirit that the spiritual seeker desires can be found in the world's Pagan religions and within spiritual paths that don't claim to hold the one and only Golden Ticket to God. The duality of spiritual eclecticism and traditional rigidity are both highly significant, and I believe the world will see an evolution of both lines of thinking (traditional vs. non) not only in the Neopagan sphere, but in global spirituality as a whole. The perceived differences between religions is being replaced with the perception of similarities and shared values, which is a step toward a global religion; this, in fact, is not a religion at all, but is instead simply an evolved mode of operating in the world: one that transcends dogma, political control, and divisive thinking. As with all evolutionary steps, these changes in perception and consciousness are individual in nature; we must individually take positive steps to change the world as a whole.

Raven Digitalis is a Neopagan priest and the author of Shadow Magick Compendium , Planetary Spells & Rituals , and Goth Craft . Visit his website at www.ravendigitalis.com .

Selena Fox

We are the ancestors of tomorrow.

Selena Fox is the founder of Circle Sanctuary .

Rev. Wes Isley

I think pagans should be involved in interfaith work in order to build bridges between our faith communities and others. It's essential for our own growth and survival, and I believe it will help educate others about us, dispel myths and misinformation, and generally be good for everyone involved. I understand, however, the reluctance of some pagans to step out there. What will the Christians say about us? Will the Muslims look at us funny? Come on, aren't we bigger than that? If our pagan faiths and traditions have any value whatsoever, we should be able to handle it. I believe that pagans have much to offer the wider community.

We are a minority spiritual group, many of us have experienced religious discrimination and many of us fight stereotypes and misinformation every day. Every religion has experienced this at some point, and many still do today. Just consider the uproar over a Muslim center being built near New York City's Ground Zero. I can only imagine what would happen if some local pagans in my little burg decided to open a temple or community center. Devil worshippers! Interfaith dialogue is critical to preventing this from happening. How do we do this? That's something I'm beginning to explore.

I'm looking to get involved with area Christian, Jewish and Muslim ministers and groups. They need to see us. They need to hear our messages of inclusiveness, respect and joy. Earlier this spring, I had an opportunity to offer the invocation at a county commissioners meeting, a practice that has grown increasingly controversial because some religious groups want to dominate while secular groups want prayers like this to disappear completely. I was nervous, certainly, but focused my prayer on what we all have in common. And it went off without a hitch, no angry tirades in the media, no lawsuits. Maybe my pagan prayer touched someone spiritually, giving them the courage to be more open about why they believe as they do.

Ours is not a conquering or evangelizing faith, and I think that is important in this modern age. So find those quiet corners where a pagan voice is missing and speak up. Be seen and heard, give something back to the community, but most of all, be respectful. You have to give respect in order to get it.

Rev. Wes Isley lives in Greensboro, NC and was ordained as an interfaith minister by Earthstar Spiritual Center . His website is GreensboroMinister.com .

Masery

The future of Paganism lies in embracing both modern and ancient ideas. It isn't in recreating rituals down to ancient cultural specifics and languages; it is in reconnecting to our ancient human roots. The community will thrive by embracing the idea of tribalism. An individual cannot survive alone, especially in today's economy and environmental change. We can benefit from sharing our resources -- time, finances, or goods -- with each other and our groups. We can look to our ancestors, even those from just a few generations ago, to learn how to reconnect to our planet by growing our own food and learning how to reconnect to our spirit by living simply. Modern Paganism is very young. To remain far into the future, we must be a living religion -- one that thrives and changes its social structure, ritual style, and content; one that meets the different needs of each new generation.

Masery is a Pagan Panentheist and follower of Gaia. Her past activities in the community include Pagan college groups, Pagan Pride Day, the Order of the Elodrym, and teaching magick and mysticism. Her blog at Patheos is "Pagans with Disabilities." She lives in Missouri with her husband, Arkayne, and small zoo of pets.

Rev. Robert Paxton

Paganism has been (with a few exceptions such as Reclaiming) largely inward-focused and centered on personal growth and transformation. Where Paganism has engaged with the larger culture, it has largely been to defend its own rights. However, in a world where the effects of climate change are becoming more and more apparent, Paganism's environmental ethos could be an important cultural contribution. As I see it, Paganism will remain a niche path unless more Pagans engage -- as Pagans -- in the public discourse about how we allocate and use natural resources.

Rev. Robert Paxton is a Minister with Circle Sanctuary living in Madison, WI. He counts himself an eclectic Wiccan, is married, and works in the IT field.

Pitch

I think that the Neo-Pagan Revival (mostly post-WWII) expresses a range of adaptations to some circumstances of living in today's complicated and quite technological world. It looked and continues to look to ancient forms in order to accomplish innovative, experimental, and DIY postmodern adaptations. The telling contrast is not between "ancient" and "modern," but between more fitting and less fitting postmodern adaptations.

Pitch: Bobcats, redwood trees, ravens, and the lay of the Land drew me into Neo-Paganism at an early age. I never left. These days I am affiliated with BTW and California grown Craft and with the Underworld Tradition shared by R.J. Stewart.

Scott

How do you think Paganism should handle the challenges of entering the mainstream? By creating a unifying body of Pagans from different faith or belief systems to represent our interests in society. By shaping an organization combined of individuals to help make the Pagan community more visible through public events geared toward informing people of the beliefs of Paganism as a whole. By reaching out to society and informing them about what Paganism represents in their beliefs, so society can see through public functions and peaceful, informative activities that show what the faiths are about. The more the public sees what we're about, the more acceptance the belief system will get.

I believe it is possible for Paganism to fizzle out by a lack of public awareness of what each faith represents. Books are often only picked up by other Pagans, but they do not show the public the true spirit of the heart of Paganism to the average non-Pagan individual. If we reveal ourselves to the world as a unified group, where they can see what we believe in through everyday works in the public eye, we can show the world what they are ordinarily blinded by through lack of knowledge or lack of visibility of Paganistic involvement in a positive public way.

I am a Canaanite Pagan who has also reverence for Faerie presences in our lives. I believe that the Faerie have a strong presence in the world as we know and experience it -- a combination of pantheist and monotheistic beliefs. I believe in a monotheistic force, which I name "The Source" (i.e., the source of all things) and also a diverse pantheon of different gods and goddesses that guide us through life.

Scott is a practicing solitary for thirteen years in Upstate NY. He is an employee of Walmart, and a spiritual counselor on the side for those in need.

Shadow Fire Weaver

I have been a practicing solitary for twenty-two years. My husband's newfound interest meant I had to find a structured way of teaching him. When I found the Witchschool (WS), I fell in love with the tradition and we both joined. While I am reviewing the basics, I am blessed to see hubby experience them for the first time. WS enables me to continue on my Spiritualist path as well as my exploration of Voodoo. I am a devotee of Kali Ma and consider myself a Spiritualist Witch. By this I mean that my personal focus is on communication with those on the other side.

I believe one's "tradition" is becoming less important while how one practices is becoming more important. For example, WS, as an online, accepting, open, communal portal is the way of the future. Bringing people, even of different traditions, together to practice is more important than finding people to fit into a strictly run tradition. I believe we always need to be open to coexistence with other faiths. I doubt we will ever be mainstream; however I also believe we need to be peaceful and accepting toward non-Pagan faiths and neutralize, never reflect, the prejudice and negativity we may experience at their hands. Yes, Pagan study needs to continue to grow on all levels, including theology! Lastly, I like to believe that we as a people tend to change with the times more easily than do those of other faiths. We know the wheel turns, not just "out there" but within. We celebrate those changes. I know we will continue to do so.

Shadow Fire Weaver

Sharon

Just a quick note about inter-faith work -- here in West Yorkshire in the UK, the Pagan Federation is active within Concord , an inter-faith group in Leeds. We have had a "walk of friendship," involving members of many faiths, to a mosque, a synagogue, a local stone circle, and a Christian church; we've had neighborhood litter-picking days; and more to come! We are very lucky to live in a multi-cultural and, in the majority, tolerant community.

A 40-year-old Kitchen Witch, been a witch for (ouch) twenty years now, I am married to a wonderful man who isn't Pagan but considers himself "Pagan Friendly"! We have two little witchlets, one of each variety. After many years of travelling the world for work, I have settled into the stay-at-home mum role, bringing up our lovely babes with a reverence for all of nature and spending hours growing and making our own food (with all the mess that entails!) and celebrating the seasons with them. You can normally find me up to my wrists in baking, up to my elbows in compost, or up to my ears in the kids' toys!

The Future of Paganism Is Our Future