Witches Weekly: Pagan Clergy
Pagan Clergy
Witches Weekly for the week of July 03, 2005
Questiond donated by: Malory
1. What do you think the role of pagan clergy is in our society/communities?
This is a challenging question, because to me, paganism always seemed to promote a view that YOU are the clergy you seek. We don't have the same divide between clergy and laity. Yet we do also need advisors, teachers, mentors... that is the clergy role I find most relevant. I hope it's obvious to most pagans that unlike other religions, we don't need clergy to intercede with or interpret the Divine for you.
2. If there was a pagan temple in your community like the Temple of Sekhmet, would you use it for a place to hold handfasting, naming, and coming of age rituals?
I'm lucky in that there is a pagan temple in my community, although it is for women only. I used to spend a lot more time there than I do now, but men are now a more important part of my spiritual life than they used to be. What I mean by that is that I coven and study with men now, and am less comfortable in a space that does not welcome them. It would be nice to have a temple that welcomed all members of the local Pagan community.
3. Would you feel comfortable getting counseling from a member of the pagan community?
Yes, and in fact, as I learn and experience more as a Witch, I find I would be most comfortable with a pagan counselor. In fact, I was recently challenged to seek counseling about some personal issues (ie, my relationship with my mother), and am planning to see a counselor of my own tradition. Lucky that I can find that in my community!
Witches Weekly for the week of July 03, 2005
Questiond donated by: Malory
1. What do you think the role of pagan clergy is in our society/communities?
This is a challenging question, because to me, paganism always seemed to promote a view that YOU are the clergy you seek. We don't have the same divide between clergy and laity. Yet we do also need advisors, teachers, mentors... that is the clergy role I find most relevant. I hope it's obvious to most pagans that unlike other religions, we don't need clergy to intercede with or interpret the Divine for you.
2. If there was a pagan temple in your community like the Temple of Sekhmet, would you use it for a place to hold handfasting, naming, and coming of age rituals?
I'm lucky in that there is a pagan temple in my community, although it is for women only. I used to spend a lot more time there than I do now, but men are now a more important part of my spiritual life than they used to be. What I mean by that is that I coven and study with men now, and am less comfortable in a space that does not welcome them. It would be nice to have a temple that welcomed all members of the local Pagan community.
3. Would you feel comfortable getting counseling from a member of the pagan community?
Yes, and in fact, as I learn and experience more as a Witch, I find I would be most comfortable with a pagan counselor. In fact, I was recently challenged to seek counseling about some personal issues (ie, my relationship with my mother), and am planning to see a counselor of my own tradition. Lucky that I can find that in my community!
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