Pagan Community Notes: Week of May 22, 2025

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Sojourn: The Witch-hunt Justice Project & Protections for Nature-faith Religion

My ordination and ministerial experience are rooted in Pagan, Interfaith, and folklore-based spiritual traditions. My personal faith blends elements of Mysticism and Paganism, reflecting the beliefs of my Midwestern community.

From my perspective, the role of a spiritual leader—regardless of title—is to be a person of service, insight, compassion, and resourcefulness for their community. Ideally, we work to honor and preserve the beliefs of the ‘village’ from a place of altruistic creed. But we must also challenge and reframe historical narratives of oppression, cultural erasure, and the injustice woven into systems dominated by religious hegemony.

In 2021, I turned my focus toward understanding the rise in violence, bigotry, and ignorance directed at those who practice alternative, minority, or eclectic faiths in the Western world. I often ask myself: What can one person do to help heal such deeply rooted wounds in our society? How do we begin to unravel patterns of injustice so tightly interwoven into the human experience?

That search led me to the Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project, co-founded by Sara Jack and Joshua Hutchinson, along with respected historians, authors, activists, and descendants of those condemned in witch hunts—not just in Salem, but in Boston, Essex, New Haven, and beyond. Similar justice initiatives have successfully passed exoneration laws across the East Coast. I have proudly joined this team in its mission to amend legislation that will fully exonerate the remaining victims of the witch trials in Massachusetts.

We currently have four sponsors for House Bill H.1927 in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. This legislation seeks to update a prior law, allowing for the exoneration of additional victims recently confirmed by historians and genealogists to have suffered under the Salem—and broader Massachusetts—witch trials.

History shows that most of the accused were not mystics, witches, or consorts of the Devil. They were women. They were poor. They were immigrants. Above all, they were people deemed “undesirable” by their communities—pariahs cast out by fear and social conformity. This reality forces us to ask: Who will be next?

In our time, anyone—especially those who live outside the religious or cultural mainstream—can become the next target of societal moral panic. As a Pagan minister and spiritual educator, I believe this work is essential to advancing justice, dignity, and peace for those who practice differently. It also contributes to modern legal reform by helping correct the prejudices of the past.

But protections for Pagan, polytheistic, and nature-based spiritualities will not be secured by passion alone. They will come only when even those who once opposed religious pluralism recognize that no one holds sovereignty over faith. True peace requires the acknowledgment that all beliefs are equal under the law—and that peace for one must mean peace for all.

Laws like the amendment to the Exoneration Act matter because they help rewrite the narrative. They remind us that women, spiritualists, and Pagans were not criminals, but victims—scapegoated by superstition and systemic injustice. They were condemned not for breaking laws, but for living outside the expectations of religious orthodoxy.

You can support the Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project by:

• Contacting your legislators in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to express support for H.1927,

• Donating via the project’s official website,

• Signing the petition at massachusettswitchtrials.org to help exonerate those wrongly accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts.

Blessed Be
Rev. Torre Journey

 

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From the First Flame in the Dark

So, in those first three centuries, where did Peter and the disciples go after Yeshua ben Yosef was crucified? They ran to Rome. To the enemy, ostensibly. They ran the “wrong” way. For three centuries, Christianity in Rome was persecuted—a minority religion with no theocratic power. It operated in secret, moved in silence.

That all changed in the early 4th century when Emperor Constantine converted. Christianity was gaining traction fast.

The Christianization of Rome began with the Edict of Milan and the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE. Constantine legalized Christianity and began reshaping it into an imperial religion. He saw the political advantage. Under Theodosius I, who made Christianity the official state religion in 380 CE, this fusion of church and empire deepened. Pagan practices were outlawed. Bishops—the curia—gained immense political power. This was the foundation of Europe’s Christian theocracy.

By 330 CE, the Byzantine Empire had become a Christian theocracy. The emperor was God’s representative on Earth, wielding both religious and civic authority. He appointed patriarchs and convened councils—a system known as Caesaropapism. It was also the seed of modern patriarchy.

Even under so-called pagan rule, many cultures had queens, warrior women, and diverse systems of governance—from village councils to royal courts. But with the rise of the Byzantine theocracy, patriarchy became cemented in the human story.

The Rise of Christian Theocracy

Enter the Papal States. A true theocracy in central Italy, governed directly by the Pope. Established in 754 with the Donation of Pepin, they lasted nearly a millennium. The Pope controlled land, law, banks, and armies until 1870. Through Crusades and medieval upheaval, this was Christendom (800–1806), culminating with the dawn of industrialization.

The Holy Roman Empire wasn’t technically a theocracy, but it embodied a deep entanglement of church and state. Popes crowned emperors, who were tasked with defending the faith, enforcing morality, and shaping education. Think Charlemagne.

Then came 1541—Calvin’s Reformation. In Geneva, a strict Protestant theocracy emerged. Church elders ruled. Heresy meant exile or worse. Religious observance wasn’t a personal choice—it was law.

This focus has been on the West, though Eastern powers are no less steeped in patriarchal religious rule.

Fast forward to the 1600s. Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Puritans—what a show. They built a theocracy where only church members could vote or lead. Dissenters like Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams were banished. Williams later founded Rhode Island on the principle of religious liberty. We owe both of them a debt—they stood for freedom of belief.

By the 19th century, Christian theocracy in the U.S. had mostly faded. The Constitution enshrined the separation of church and state. The right to free speech. The pursuit of happiness, as long as you respect civil law.

Modern Threats and Project 2025

But today, the Vatican remains one of the last surviving theocratic powers. And now, a different kind of threat is rising: evangelical movements in the U.S. pushing Christian nationalism, isolationism, and law rooted in their version of biblical interpretation.

Orthodox-majority nations like Russia and Greece still see their churches wield strong political influence. But the spotlight is now on the U.S.—not because authoritarianism is new here, but because our influence amplifies its danger.

Every wave of immigrants to this country has faced mistreatment, marginalization, and struggle. Theocracy didn’t take root in the U.S., but patriarchy sure did. And now, there’s Project 2025.

This is more than policy. It’s an attempt to redefine “religious liberty” to protect only certain faith-based groups, even while they receive federal funds, empowering them to discriminate against anyone who doesn’t conform.

They want to replace federal employees with Christian nationalist loyalists. Does that sound familiar? Like that government-wide email urging employees to report “unchristian” behavior?

This is a push to rewrite policy:

• Restrict reproductive rights

• Ban LGBTQ+ protections

• Defund public education in favor of religious indoctrination

• Label queer content as “pornography”

It’s already happening.

This is governance by Christian doctrine. It sidelines non-Christian communities—Indigenous, Pagan, Jewish, you name it. It erodes civil liberties. It’s racist. It’s fascist. It’s an attempt to plant theocratic authoritarianism in American soil.

Spiritual Resistance: Remember and Resist

What can we do?

When most politicians stay silent—save a few like Bernie, AOC, maybe Buttigieg—it’s hard to trust leadership. Even Booker, who filibustered for justice, sent weapons to Israel just days earlier. How do we reconcile that?

People are afraid. And fear leads to complicity. To normalization. But we can’t let that happen.

Let’s talk about protest. Let’s talk about spiritual resistance.

What does spiritual resistance look like when theocracy sits in the Oval Office?

Authoritarianism always cloaks itself in religion. When pulpits become podiums for power instead of peace, the wise must rise.

Spiritual resistance doesn’t wield swords. It breathes in memory. It speaks through herbs and dreams. It cries out for justice in the streets. It is fierce. It is rooted.

So we remember. We live the old ways out loud.

Keep the altar candle lit. When they demand we kneel to their God, smudge your space. Sing the old songs. Speak the old languages. Tell the stories of our ancestors. That is resistance.

Every time you teach a child a myth—especially about our grandmothers—you awaken cosmic memory. Indoctrination feeds on amnesia. Memory is your weapon.

Guard your inner sanctuaries. In a hostile world, your body, breath, and intuition are holy ground. Meditation, dreams, walking barefoot—these are not luxuries. They are armor.

Refuse to bow to false godliness. They weaponize fear, dressed as faith, to justify control. But that’s not our God.

Our allegiance—as Pagans, as witches, as spiritual rebels—is not to profit or power, but to compassion, truth, and wild divine chaos. Speak that truth. Scream it if you have to.

We are rebuilding the community. Circle, coven, council. They may try to erase us, but we gather. We feed one another. We give each other sanctuary. We choose to live as we are.

Hold a ritual in your backyard. Start a drum circle. Light a fire. This is the revolution—creeping like vines through the cracks.

The Dream Beyond Empire

We must dream beyond empire.

The spiritually resistant soul doesn’t just say no—she dreams what’s next.

She seeds the future in her community, her craft, her creativity. That’s the portal. That’s the map.

So dream wildly. Dream now.

Even if they burn the books. Even if they silence us.

Our fire—our sacred fire—was never theirs to extinguish.

It comes from the stars.
From our grandmothers and grandfathers.
From the first flame in the dark.

Gwendolyn H Barry
Daughters of Isis

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We are saddened to share that Kevin Matthew Roddy crossed the Veil. We heard he crossed in great peace, with his husband at his side and his favorite harp music filling the room, on April 9, 2025, in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, at the age of 69.

Kevin lived a life of astonishing richness, having touched souls across the globe with his kindness, empathy, selflessness, and wonderfully diverse passions. On one hand, he was remarkably generous in helping people through organizations, ranging from designing online educational systems, to performing therapeutic music in hospital and hospice settings, to serving as a hospital chaplain. But more personally, as cousin Kathy noted upon Kevin’s passing, “he magically made time for whomever called, wrote, or was in need of a listening ear or hug”, and “desired to make a difference in every life he encountered (whether it be person, animal, or even insect)”. His impact was truly remarkable.

Kevin’s last great passion was clinical chaplaincy. In late 2023 he began Clinical Pastoral Education at the Pacific Health Ministry in Honolulu at the age of 68. Kevin was quite unlike other HPM’s students in that he had no previous academic religious training. However, he found the work to be immensely rewarding, and progressed to the point of having 24-hour shifts at Queens Medical Center as the on-call Chaplain, typically with numerous early hour calls to the Emergency Department. Unfortunately, this new path for helping others was abruptly cut short when his cancer treatment began in May 2024.

In 2004 Kevin was introduced to Fire Tribe Hawaii gatherings on Oʻahu. These were, in his words, “held on the Equinoxes and Solstices every year, each consisting of three all-night events where music (acoustic only), poetry, dancing, theater and story-telling spontaneously happened around a roaring bonfire. These events were drug and alcohol-free spaces where all were welcome…I learned to play Middle Eastern percussion, I met the harp there, and I came out as a musician…[T]his gathering, a mixture of Christians, Buddhists, Wiccans, and Humanists, helped me tremendously on my Spiritual path by showing me what was possible when diversity meets for a common vision.”

Kevin is remembered as a fearless chef, combining unexpected tastes in delightful, surprising ways; recipes for him were just starting points for culinary improvisation. He delighted in entertaining friends and family by serving them a hearty meal, one that was always spiced with lively discussions amongst the diners. And his favorite entertaining was hosting a Winter Solstice party to celebrate Yule every December. He made sure it extended over two weekend evenings so everyone could easily attend, and it was quintessential Kevin in its Wiccan roots, hearty meal, diversity of guests, and spontaneous music. It’s a tradition that will continue on, with Kevin’s spirit drifting through the gathering, in the moonlight of the year’s longest night.

Besides his husband Frank, Kevin is survived by sister Denny, her daughter Jennifer and husband Will, and their children Maleah and Maya; brother Terry; brother Pat and wife Linda; and hānai son Steve and wife Ela. Kevin also leaves Frank’s sister Cecelia; his brother Phil and wife Linda, their children Liz and Allison, and four grandsons; his Aunt Aggie; and his numerous cousins and their families spread across the United States and several countries. They all miss Kevin dearly.

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News from The Wild Hunt

In response to recent events, concerns, and requests from our readers, The Wild Hunt has updated our main page to better serve the community. If you witness or become aware of violence or threats against Pagans, you can now report these concerns directly through a dedicated section on our site. Our team will investigate and provide reporting as appropriate.

Additionally, we’re expanding our coverage of community gatherings through Pagan Community Notes. We are also developing a comprehensive event calendar to help you more easily discover opportunities to connect with others in our community.

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Events Calendar

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Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte

Deck: Fenestra Tarot by Chatriya Hemharnvibul, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Card: Major Arcana, V (5), The Hierophant

This week, there is likely to be an emphasis on spiritual beliefs and possibly even expanding established practices. If there are spiritual practices that have fallen by the wayside, perhaps even a family tradition, now might be a good time to reintroduce or renew those rituals or practices. There is also the potential for seeking out members of the community who share similar values and practices to join an established spiritual group or maybe even create a new group. Wise folks will thoroughly vet any new mentors and groups before committing.

Conversely, custom-tailoring spiritual practices that do not require the approval or participation of others or a mentor could be indicated. This may be particularly true for those who feel constrained or even oppressed by spiritual practices that are very strict or rigid and do not allow for personal interpretation. While questioning beliefs and practices is likely to raise the hackles of those in positions of power, those questions can lead the way to a more expansive and expressive practice.

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