Pagan Community Notes: BBC petition, Cherry Hill Seminary, Arnold Crowther, and more

As we reported in the past, a U.K.-based petition has been making its way around the internet. Its mission is to urge the BBC to be more considerate of Pagan religious views. Created in January 2018 by Druid Stuart Jeffrey, the petition, which is titled BBC should make Pagan voices heard, has garnered closed to 2,000 signatures. Jeffrey believes that the station should contain occasional programming that explores Paganism and that “they should feature a Pagan voice on Thought for the Day at least once a year.” He writes, “The BBC recently published a review of its religious programming however despite getting the views from a range of religious leaders, no Pagans were consulted. Thought for the Day (T4tD) goes out on Radio 4 and despite it being multi-faith it has no Pagan voices on it.”

In a press release, Jeffrey announced that the petition will be delivered to the BBC Tuesday, July 17 at 11am. He said, “Almost 2,000 people have call [sic] on the BBC to make Pagan voices heard.

Pagan Community Notes: Theoi.com, FaerieCon Seattle, BBC petition and more

The site Theoi.com is closing its doors. Run by Aaron Atsma, the site has been a go-to resource for polytheists since its opening in 2000. The site reads, “The Theoi Project profiles each deity and creature of Greek mythology on a separate page, incorporating an encyclopedia summary, quotations from a wide selection of ancient Greek and Roman texts, and illustrations from ancient art.” The site, which is considered to be based in the Netherlands and New Zealand, has reportedly had the support of the the universities of Auckland and Leiden, both of which Atsma said “were invaluable in the research of this project.” Last week, Atsma announced his intention to shut down the site and his interest in finding a buyer.

A Very Merry May!

For many Pagans, Heathens, and polytheists, it is once a time of celebration. The days surrounding the first of May mark many traditional spring festivals and religious holidays recognized around the world. Of these, the most well known is Beltane or Bealtaine, which, in some traditions, honors the union of goddess and god, or marks the beginning of a Celtic summer. It is also considered the high point of Spring on some Wiccan calendars. In many secular and non-Pagan religious communities, the day is celebrated as May Day, complete with the iconic Maypole, music, and dancing.

A blessed spring equinox

TWH – This week marks the celebration of the vernal (spring) equinox and the astronomical beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. The actual equinox occurs Tuesday, Mar. 20 at 12:15 am EDT (10:29 UTC). At the same time in the southern hemisphere, it will be the autumnal equinox, and the beginning of the fall season. Many Pagans, Heathens, and polytheists celebrate the spring equinox as Ostara, Lady Day, Shubun-sai, or simply the coming of spring.