My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.

The UU World files a report on the veteran’s Pentacle lawsuit, and in the process mentions the deep inroads modern Pagans have made within Unitarian Universalism.

“The pentacle, a symbol with meaning for many Unitarian Universalist pagans, is the cause of a lawsuit brought by Americans United for Separation of Church and State against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs over the VA’s refusal to include the Wiccan symbol on its official list of emblems for headstones and other grave markers…According to the Rev. Jerrie Hildebrand, a former board member of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans who was ordained by Circle Sanctuary and is now a member of First Universalist Society in Salem, Mass., “some 20 percent of UUs consider themselves earth-centered in some way.” Hildebrand encouraged all UUs to support the inclusion of the pentacle as a gravestone symbol.”

No word yet on if the UUA will officially lend its support to this case.

The Guardian has published an editorial by Stephen Tomkins (author of “A Short History of Christianity”) on the virtues of fasting and in the process kicks the “Christmas warriors” to the curb.

“Cue Christian rant about the commercialization of our religious calendar and Christian festivals being consumed by paganism. Well, up to a point. Actually, I have little sympathy for Christians who complain about Christmas becoming pagan. The truth is that we stole it off pagans in the first place and can hardly object if they want it back.”

An entirely sensible attitude. But then I would say that wouldn’t I?

Speaking of Pagan and Christian ideas during the holidays, the Hutsuls in the Carpathian Mountains seem to have no problem blending the two.

“In general, the Hutsuls are conservative,” says Prof. Roman Kyrchiv, professor emeritus of philology at the Institute of Ukrainian Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. “It was difficult for them to accept Christianity. They were very attached to traditions.” In some areas, they still sing carols at Christmas time which pre-date Christianity in Ukraine. Many of these pre-Christian winter songs have no trace of baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, or the Magi. They simply recount village life, usually wishing health and wealth for their neighbors. “There are remnants of the pre-Christian pantheon in some songs,” says Prof. Kyrchiv. To “Christianize” these carols, they sometimes add a little refrain after every verse, like “O, God, grant.”

Elsewhere, some are trying to extract ancient paganism from the history of the early Christian church. Not to purify Christianity, but to enrich modern Paganism. Such is the case of author John Lamb Lash who’s book “Not in His Image: Gnostic Vision, Sacred Ecology, and the Future of Belief” is reviewed in the LA Times.

“Lash seeks to rescue Gnosticism from the dustbin of Christian history and restore it to its rightful place amid the splendors of pagan antiquity. To signal his admiration for the fecund religious imagination of paganism, he capitalizes the word “Pagan” as if it were a single faith rather than a phantasmagorical assortment of beliefs and practices. But he does point out that Gnosticism itself shouldn’t be described as a religion or even a sect, if only because gnostokos was “the generic term for any person learned in divine matters.” Above all, he insists that Gnosticism represents the path toward “spiritual deep ecology,” symbolized by today’s adherents of the Greek earth goddess Gaia…Lash is not concerned merely with scolding biblical scholars. His goal is to melt down the religious and philosophical ideas of antiquity and recast them as a serviceable faith for our world.”

I’m willing to bet there are some modern Gnostics who would disagree with Lash’s assertions about the nature of Gnosticism. But the author (who has appeared on the consipiracy-loving show Coast to Coast) seems to have his fans convinced.

“Not In His Image is perhaps the most important book of the past 100 years…”

Finally, the Battle Creek Enquirer looks at the traditions surrounding Yule, and in the process calls forth the Episcopagans!

“Every year they take a Yule log, which is traditionally saved from the first cut of the season’s winter fuel, and place wishes on it. The log is then burned or left outside to return to nature. “When we had a fireplace, yes, we burned it,” Fleming said. “Last year we decorated the log and set it outside to kind of decompose and become a part of the Earth.” In Carol Koehler’s home in Battle Creek, family and friends tie wishes with red ribbons to a tree. Then they burn it in a bonfire. “It sends it off into the universe,” said Koehler, who considers herself an “Episco-pagan” and celebrates a multitude of winter traditions.”

That would be an Episcopalian (American Anglicanism) with modern Pagan leanings. A theological mixture that gives the more orthodox members of the Episcopal Church the vapors.

“Many of us have taken solace in humor whenever we read of Episcopal clerics and prominent lay activists heavily involved in paganism, but it has not been without the knowledge that there is a sinister core to these peoples’ alternative beliefs. Many pagans and Wiccans insist that they don’t worship the devil, and that may be true as far as it goes, but it’s small comfort to those Christians who have put their spiritual trust in those who, at best, profess contradictory beliefs and, at worst, are willing to serve up a potion of part Christianity, part Wicca to unsuspecting seekers.”

No doubt her local church will be receiving some phone-calls soon from the appointed watch-dogs on the right. I hope they don’t spoil her Yule plans!

That is all I have for now. Have a good day!

Tags: Paganism