Paganism

Column: Follow Your Arrow

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North American Paganism is being slowly choked by exceptionalism.  There, I said it. If you’d like to skip ahead and scream at me now, just scroll down to “comments” and say what you need to say. First, let’s talk about the Lord of the Rings. Of all the characters who inhabited Middle Earth, there were but a handful who could potentially subjugate the ring. As a reminder, the ring was enjoined with the spirit of Sauron, the most powerful servant of evil. He is both the master of the ring and the spirit to which the ring wants to return.

News

Call for papers for Heathen Women’s Conference in England

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LANCASHIRE, England — A call for papers has been issued for an academic conference dedicated to the study of aspects of the lives of Heathen women, which will be held here July 6-8 at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. the multi-disciplinary conference has the aim of bringing together scholars and non-academics “who engage with the juxtaposition of historical and modern approaches to and practices of Heathenry, with an emphasis on women’s voices past and present.”

This will have a dual approach of looking at Heathen women in the past — for example, in the sagas — and in the present, regarding the roles of women in contemporary Heathen practice. Topics may include magic and seidrecraft, women’s relationships with the land, women’s roles in community mediation, and the role of spirits and ancestors. Suggestions for papers also include looking specifically at female forms of Heathen practice, “distinct from the male-oriented ideas of ‘Asatru’,’ and the role of re-enactment. The conference will also be running fringe events with an emphasis on crafts, such as spinning and weaving.

News

Wendy Griffin retires as academic dean of Cherry Hill Seminary

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COLUMBIA, S.C. –After serving as academic dean at Cherry Hill Seminary since 2011, Wendy Griffin retired from that position on Jan. 31 and has been proclaimed “academic dean emerita” by that institution’s board members. During her tenure at the seminary, a number of new programs introduced and behind-the-scenes infrastructure changes were made, and important steps taken on the difficult path to accreditation. When she was readying to retire from the California State University system after more than 30 years in higher education, Griffin did not intend on taking a new position. However, she experienced one of those coincidences that make some elders nod sagely.

News

Boundary-setting training to be offered at Paganicon 2018

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Twin Cities Pagan Pride will host Paganicon 2018 in the Minneapolis area from Mar.16 -18. This indoor Pagan conference will have workshops, rituals, and music. Becky Munson, its programming director, emphasized its community aspects. “It’s the community coming together, teaching, and sharing.” This year will differ from past Paganicons; conference organizers will introduce a training program, “Healthy Boundaries.”

Pagan Community Notes

Pagan Community Notes: Mountain Magic, Raleigh Pagan Pride Day, Vanessa Goldman, and more

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RICHLANDS, Vir. —  Mountain Magic and Tarot Shop will not be offering tarot readings within the store any time soon. The shop owners, Jerome VanDyke and Mark Mullins, challenged a local zoning regulation that prohibits “fortune telling” in the store. They asked the city council to consider changing the code so that divination would be permitted. At a standing-room-only meeting Feb.