Nobody’s Theology

In a recent post over at his Arkadian Anvil, friend and esoteric colleague Sam Webster M.Div. has a fascinating article about the difficulties of language in the field of theology from a Pagan perspective. Having many friends myself who, like him, are self-identified Pagans from a myriad of different traditions and backgrounds, I deeply sympathise with his concerns which I would encourage my readers to spend some time thinking about. From a Gnostic perspective I frequently run into similar difficulties of expression on one hand because of the differences between historical Gnosticism of the 2nd and 3rd Centuries and Gnosticism as it has come into being since the Gnostic Revival of the late 19th Century which itself is deserving of its own essay. However, there are some things I think that Sam absolutely correct on and some that he is mistaken on and so I offer my critique here:

In his recent essay Theology Is God-Talk, scholar and modern mage Sam Webster approaches the difficulties of expressing contemporary pagan religious ideas in a field that, since at least the early first millennium has lacked a voice of pluralism under the dominance of monotheistic cultures. In this essay he squarely levels the playing field by citing the misunderstanding of the role of theology in the Hellenic mind by the nascent Christian religion where it became refined by apologists seeking to explain to their contemporaries the importance of Christianity as a religious world-view as well as pointing out the role that theology played in the late Roman Empire as a means of uniting the populus by consolidating state and religion as a monolithic structure of one God, one Emperor, and one State. Although correct in his assertion that the current language of theology is perhaps insufficient for discourse from a pagan perspective, he fails to account for the plurality of theologies that have been developed in response to the early Christian movement when a monotheistic culture once sought out to do what modern pagans must hammer away at for themselves today.

As Webster correctly points out, “[theology] is God talk” however is incorrect in his assertion that it is something particularly new. In his Metaphysics, Aristotle divides theoretical philosophy into what today would be understood as mathematics, physics and theology – the latter corresponding more correctly to what today would be considered abstract metaphysics. By the time of the early Christian era religious philosophy would become divided culturally into Eastern and Western theologies with early Christian theologians in the West following a more Stoic form of dividing philosophy into three forms of discourse consisting of mythic, rational and civil interpretations while those in the East – in particular those early in the early Christian eremitic tradition – following a much more poetic and mythic exegetical form owing to the strong influence of Neoplatonism. On account of this, it is difficult to state there is one Christian theological template that would generalize the opinions of the early Church in the same way it would be difficult to say that Roman or Hellenic pagan philosophers were drawing from the same well.

Webster’s example of the ‘problem’ of the development of Christian theology as a means to appeal to the powers that be is particularly problematic in that it proposes that the symbol set used by the early Christians in explaining the Christian doctrines of the Trinity and incarnation are particularly new or unique. The Doctrine of the Trinity, while arguably having little scriptural basis, is none-the-less a very interesting reinterpretation of Neoplatonic concept of emanation theory through an Hellenized, Jewish lens using apocalyptic narrative as a framework. Similarly, the concept of incarnation is also not particularly new, especially when one considers the vast corpus of material accounting for the wholly human and wholly divine statuses of various deities, demi-gods and heroes. While I personally disagree with the literal interpretation that later doctors of the Church would ascribe to these ideas, they did exist and are not strictly speaking new in theological discourse. The tools of the ancient philosophers in this vein were not so much put to new use as they found new meaning in the language of the early Christians.

In the centuries following the arguable collapse of Paganism, Western Scholastic Theology filled in the void left by classical philosophers and theologians until the Renaissance and has sense captivated the Western mind seeking, as Saint Anselm points out, the intellectual desire to “believe so as to understand.” This cataphatic form of religious philosophy, in spite of its failings, would ultimately be the form that would become dominant in Western Europe with the exception of apophatic or mystical understanding of the Christian concept of Divinity held by some theologians. It is also this form of theology that would give rise to later philosophical schools such as humanism as well as the philosophies of materialism that would gain later prominence in the post-Enlightenment era.

It is out of Enlightenment philosophy that modern systematic theology came into being, in particular among more liberal circles such as the Society of Friends (Quakers), Unitarian and Universalist movements, and contemporary ‘liberal’ and mainline Christian churches in contrast to the strong anti-modernist reactions exemplified by the Roman Catholic Church pre-Vatican II as well as modern evangelical Christianity. It is also in this milieu that modern Pagans must seek to find their voices in the dynamic tensions of philosophical ideas – even more important for modern Pagans, many of whom are refugees from the excessive pressure put on them by conservative socio-religious structures.

Owing to the diverse perspectives within modern Paganism, it will naturally be difficult but not impossible for a new theological plurality to emerge that can draw upon the rich wells and bury the dry sources provided by the different perspectives offered by Christians following the end of the classical world in a manner that is at once old and new and speaks not as a monolithic structure for all, but like a fertile apple tree, exists for individuals to pluck fruit from while still leaving other apples for other members of greater Paganism. Although theology has its origins in a pagan milieu, it has ceased to belong to any one religious or philosophical school, but is now that tree standing in the middle of the field of human experience from which all can draw.

Making Retrogrades Work for You

Phone gone missing? E-mails getting dropped left and right? Inability to express a simple thought without drooling all over your chin? Yup – that’s Mercury retrograde. In a departure from my typically more thoughtful posts, I figured I’d share some reflections on this particular astrological occurrence which seems to have become every astro-geek’s favorite whipping boy and “devil made me do it” excuse.

Since March 11^th of this year until around April 4^th, Mercury has been in a retrograde cycle. It happens at least three times per year when the apparent motion of a planet seems to move backward from its usual course from our perspective. As seen from Earth, all the planets appear to periodically switch direction as they cross the sky. In reality, the planets aren’t doing anything different than usual but since we’re the only sentient species on this planet that seems to have an interest in the motion of planetary spheres, our geocentrism tends to get the better of us and, when retrogrades were first observed, tended to puzzle ancient astronomers who viewed such occurrences as unfavorable at best or malefic at worst.

Is there anything to this – I can only answer, “Maybe.” From my own anecdotal experiences, periods of Mercury retrograde tend to be less than optimal times to start new projects in communication or practicing divination or anything dealing with electronics. Beyond my own anecdotal experiences, I can neither confirm nor deny the veracity of the hype. Also, from a strictly Gnostic perspective, we are informed in texts such as Excerpta ex Theodoto:

“[T]hrough the fixed stars and the planets, the invisible powers holding sway over them direct and watch over births. But the stars themselves do nothing but display the activity of the dominant powers, just as the flight of the birds (for omens) indicates something but effects nothing…Now the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the seven stars which follow them rising now in conjunction, now in opposition, . . . these, moved by the powers, show the movement of substance toward the, creation of living beings and the turn of circumstances. But both the stars and the powers are of different kinds: some are beneficent, some maleficent, some right, some left, and that which is born shares in both qualities. And each of them comes into being at its own time, the dominant sign fulfilling the course of nature, partly at the beginning, partly at the end…Until baptism, they say, Fate is real, but after it the astrologists are no longer right. But it is not only the washing that is liberating, but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.”

In this context, any astronomical or astrological event should be considered in its due place as a natural occurrence with some subtle action upon the vast tapestry of creation but not as a fatalistic event that holds complete sway over every facet of our lives. This being said, certain astrological and astronomical events can be used as intentional periods of reflection on certain themes whereby we may better align our lives in concord with nature.

As mentioned by friend and fellow blogger Sam Block on his Digital Ambler: “[Mercury retrograde is] a good time for reviewing what’s been going on in one’s life, gathering up one’s thoughts, and contemplating without much planning.” He goes on listing some of his accomplishments and interactions during periods of retrograde and how one can proactively use it to one’s advantage. In agreement with him, I tend to treat retrograde periods as similar period for “deep thoughts” and “deeper questions” and actually tend to focus more on appreciating the luminary spheres for their placement in the kosmos.

Being a Mercurial person myself in many regards, I tend to amplify my thoughts and appreciation of the wanderer through various devotional practices such as meditating upon the corresponding celestial divinities associated with this planet.

 

Planet	Mercury
Heavenly Sphere	Kokab
Divine Name	Elohim Tzabaoth
Archangel	Michael
Angels	Beni Elohim (Sons of God)
Intelligence	Tiriel
Spirit	Taphthartharath
Psalms	22(14), 24(7), 40(5), 145
Scent	Cassia or Storax
Ikon	Christ the Good Shepherd, Holy Hermes Trismegistus

 

Above are enough correspondences to set up a working Mercury altar within a grimoire-based or Gnostic practice. One may even make a special altar cloth using the 8×8 planetary grid of Mercury to add a bit of flair to the occasion. The ikon of Christ the Good Shepherd has, in my opinion, a good association with Mercury as it is historically identical with the image of Hermes Kriophoros; alternately, at least amongst some in the Rennaisance, Hermes Trismegistus would also be appropriate since he was considered by many to be a contemporary of Moses and works attributed to him deemed not completely incompatible with Christian thought.

From here one may banish and purify the temple according to their usual practice and then recite a conjuration of Mercury such as the Orphic Hymn to Hermes:

TO HERMES

Hear me, Hermes, messenger of Zeus, son of Maia;
almighty is your heart, O lord of the deceased and judge of contests; gentle and clever, O Argeiphontes, you are a guide
whose sandals fly, and a man-loving prophet to mortals.
You are vigorous and you delight in exercise and in deceit;
interpreter of all, you are a profiteer who frees us of cares
and who holds in his hands the blameless tool of peace.
Lord of Korykos, blessed, helpful and skilled in words,
you assist in work, you are a friend of mortals in need,
and you wield the dreaded and respected weapon of speech.
Hear my prayer and grant a good end to a life
of industry, gracious talk, and mindfulness.

Or, for a more grimoire-influenced flavor, one may also use the following invocation modified from Pietro d’Abano’s Heptameron:

I CONJURE and call upon you, ye strong and holy angels, good and powerful, in a strong name of fear and praise, Ja, Adonay, Elohim, Saday, Saday, Saday; Eie, Eie, Eie; Asamie, Asamie; and in the name of Adonay, the God of Israel, who hath made the two great lights, and distinguished day from night for the benefit of his creatures; and by the names of all the discerning angels, governing openly in the Sixth Heave] before the great angel, Tiriel, strong and powerful; and by the name of his star which is Mercury; and by the name of his seal, which is that of a powerful and honoured God; and I call upon thee, Raphael, and by the names above mentioned, thou great angel who presidest over the fourth day: and by the holy name which is written in the front of Aaron, created the most high priest, and by the names of all the angels who are constant in the grace of Christ, and by the name and place of Ammaluim, that you assist me in my labours. Amen.”

Following this, one may silently meditate or pray on the Psalms or perform a basic divination (I prefer to use the method of coin divination outlined by Sannion which can be found here) and communicate with the intelligences briefly over concerns regarding lessons one may benefit from learning and record these in one’s journal. It’s important to remember that this isn’t a full-on conjuration practice in any traditional sense, merely information gathering and reflection.

The same type of outline can be used for other planets as well when in their retrograde stations to great effect – especially during periods when a planet appears to be in retrograde in one’s natal chart. The purpose, again, is not to become a fatalistic fool but to be able to intelligently communicate with the nature of the kosmos. With luck, this can become a regular practice even done in more opportune times that can be a middle ground between high-ceremony and simple devotion.

 

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The Lyon Ritual Revisited

Lately, as I’ve been spending a lot of time researching the enigmatic sect known as the Cathars. While there is much that we do know based on the historical accounts and by what little literature remains from their liturgies, there is still much that we don’t know. What makes this research even more difficult is that it is difficult to make a sweeping generalization of what was once such a popular movement spread over a relative large geographic region which, in turn, makes it difficult to ascertain the degree of agreement in various beliefs between one community and another as well as how their liturgies were practiced.

For the purposes of this entry, I have attempted to reconstruct the Cathar Rite known as Traditio, which was a rite for the transmission of prayer during which the postulant or person approaching the Cathars would be instructed in directed prayer using the Pater Noster (Lord’s Prayer) as its basis. This rite is of particular interest to me for many reasons, but primary above all is that I imagine it would have more meaning to the believer and people would actually learn efficacious prayer instead of learning it by rote.

The reconstruction below  is based off the Lyon Ritual, (ms. Lyon, Bibliothèque municipale, PA 36, 235v-241) as found in the Cathar Texts and Rituals portion of the Gnostic Society Library. Where there were textual omissions, I have attempted to fill in the blanks and notate as such wherever possible. In order to provide an idea of what the ritual could look like when performed, I have included ritual directions in italics based off instructions provided in the Lyon Ritual itself or off precedents of similar Christian and initiatory ritual.

A Reconstruction of the Cathar Rite commonly called, Traditio

The Postulant, dressed in plain clothes, is brought before the Elder dressed in a black robe who is standing next to a table upon which there is a Bible opened to the Gospel of John.

The Witness, or sponsor, of the Postulant stands behind them on their right.

The Assembly, if any, are seated behind the Postulant in a semi-circle wearing their robes.

Elder               O child of God, [Name of Postulant][1], you must realize that when you are before the Church of God you are before the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, as the Scriptures teach. For Christ said in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew: “Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them.”[2]

And in the Holy Gospel according to Saint John he said, “Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them.”, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.”[3]

And Saint Paul says in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, “Ye are the Temple of the Living God, as God hath said by Isaiah, his prophet; I dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord; and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”[4]

And in another place he says, “Seek ye the proof of Christ Who speaketh in me.”[5]

And in the First Epistle to Timothy he says, “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly; but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”[6]

And he said also to the Hebrews, “But Christ is a Son over His own house, Whose house we are[7].”

That the Spirit of God is with the followers of Jesus Christ, Christ has shown thus in the Gospel according to Saint John, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you[8].”

And in the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew He said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.[9]“

And Saint Paul said in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.[10]“

Christ shows it thus in the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew, “For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.[11]“

And Saint John says in his epistle, “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, for He has given us His Spirit.[12]“

And Saint Paul said to the Galatians, “Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying “Father! Father![13]“

Wherefore be it understood that your presentation made before the sons of Jesus Christ confirms the faith and teaching of the Church of God as the Holy Scriptures tell us. For in former times the people of God separated themselves from the Lord their God. And they abandoned the will and guidance of their Heavenly Father through the deceptions of the wicked spirits and by submission to their will.

And for these reasons, and many others, we are certain that the Heavenly Father would have pity on His people and receive them again in peace and concord by the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ, and now is the time.

For you are here before the disciples of Jesus Christ in the place where Father, Son and Holy Ghost have their spiritual abode as is shown above, to receive that Holy Prayer which the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples, so that your prayers might be granted by our Heavenly Father.

Therefore must you learn that if you would receive this Holy Prayer you must repent your sins and forgive all men. For Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father, forgive your trespasses.[14]“

Hence it is meet and right that you be resolved in your heart to keep this Holy Prayer all your life according to the custom of the Church of God, in purity and truth, and in all other virtues which God would bestow upon you.

Wherefore we pray the good Lord who bestowed upon the disciples of Jesus Christ the virtue to receive this Holy Prayer steadfastly that He may grant to you also the grace to receive it steadfastly, in His honour and for your salvation.

The Elder then says the Lord’s Prayer and the postulant follow him phrase by phrase.

Our father, which art in Heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our supplementary bread,

And remit our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And keep us from temptation and free us from evil.

Thine is the kingdom, the power and glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

 

Pater noster qui es in celis,

sanctificetur nomen tuum;

adveniat regnum tuum.

Fiat voluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra.

Panem nostrum supersubstancialem da nobis hodie.

Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.

Et ne nos inducas in temptationem sed libera nos a malo.

Quoniam tuum est regnum et virtus et gloria in secula.

Amen.

After which the Elder will say:

Elder               “We deliver you this Holy Prayer that you may receive it of us and of God and of the Church, that you may have the power to say it all your life, day and night, alone or in company, and that you must never eat or drink without first saying it. If you omit to do so you must do penance.”

Postulant         “I receive it of you and of the Church.”

Then he turns and give thanks and make his melioramentum [15](bowing at the feet of the Elder).

Then the Elder asks the postulant:

Elder               “My brother, do you desire to give yourself to our faith?”

The postulant being asked three times, and answering “Yes” on all, makes a bow and advances one step between each, saying “Bless me,” to which the Elder replies, “God bless and keep you.”

At the third time bowing thus the postulant adds:

Postulant         “Lord, pray to God for me, a sinner[16], that He will lead me to the good end,”

The Elder replies:

Elder               “God bless you and make you a good Christian and bring you to the good end.”

The Elder then inquires of the Postulant.

Elder               “Do you give yourself to God and the Gospel?

Postulant         “Yes”

Elder               “Do you promise that henceforth you will eat neither meat nor eggs, nor cheese, nor fat, and that you live only from water and wood (i.e. vegetables and fish), that you will not lie, that you will not swear, that you will not kill, that you will not abandon your body to any form of luxury, that you will never go alone when it is possible to have a companion, that you will never sleep without breeches and shirt and that you will never abandon your faith for fear of water, fire or any other manner of death?”

Postulant         “Yes”

Elder               [Do] you wish to receive the spiritual baptism whereby the Holy Spirit is given in the Church of God with the Holy Prayer by the laying on of hands of the Good Men. Of this Baptism Our Lord Jesus Christ said in the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew:

“Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” And in the Gospel of Saint Mark he said,”Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned”.[17]

And in the Gospel of Saint John He said to Nicodemus, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God[18].”

And John the Baptist spoke of this baptism when he said, “I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to loosen; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”[19]

This gift of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands has been instituted by Jesus Christ as Saint Luke tells, and he said that his friends would confer it as Saint Mark says, “They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.[20]“

And Ananias conferred this Baptism on Saint Paul when he was converted. For Saint Luke says thus in the Acts of the Apostles, “Now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God they sent unto them Peter and John, who when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive of the Holy Spirit, for as yet He was fallen upon none of them[21].”

Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. This Holy Baptism by which the Holy Spirit is given the Church of God has kept from the Apostles until now, and it has come from the Good Men to the Good Men until now and shall do till the end of the world.

And you must understand that power is given to the Church of God to bind and to loose, to forgive sins and to retain them, as Christ said in the Gospel of Saint John, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them “Receive Ye the Holy Ghost”; whatsoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them, and whatsoever sins ye regain, they are regained.”[22]

And in the Gospel of Saint Matthew he said to Simon Peter, “I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven[23].”

And again, “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven. For wheresoever two or three are gathered in my name there am I in the midst of them[24]“

And in another place he said, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils[25]“

And in the Gospel of Saint John he said, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do he shall do also.[26]“

And in the Gospel of Saint Mark he said, “These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.[27]“

And in the Gospel of Saint Luke he said, “Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.[28]“

And if you wish to receive this power you must keep all the commandments of Christ and the New Testament according to your ability. And know that He has commanded that man shall not commit adultery or murder or lie, that he must not swear any oath, that he shall not seize or rob, nor do to others what he would not have done to himself, that man must forgive whoever wrongs him and love his enemies, pray for his detractors and accusers and bless them; and if anyone strike him on one cheek, turn to him the other also, and if anyone takes away his cloak, to leave him his coat also; and that he should neither judge nor condemn, and many other commandments which the Lord made for His Church.

Also you must hate this world and its works and the things of the world, for Saint John says in his epistle: “O my beloved, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life , is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.[29]“

And Christ said unto the Gentiles, “The world cannot hate you, but me it hates because I bear witness of it that its works are evil.[30]“

And in the Book of Solomon[31], it is written, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and vexation of Spirit[32].”

And Jude the brother of James said for our instruction in his Epistle, “Hate the solid garment of flesh[33].”

And by these witnesses and any others you must keep the commandments of God and hate the world. And if you continue well to the end, we have the hope that your soul shall have life eternal.

And the Credent shall say:

Credent           “I have this will, pray to God for me that He will give me His power”

The Elder directs the Postulant to kneel. Elder and Witness lay their hands on the head of the postulant.

Witness, say:

Witness           “Parcite Nobis[34]. Good Christians we pray you by the love of God that you grant this blessing, which God had given you, to our friend here present.”

The Postulant, now known as the Credent, after making his melioramentum says:

Credent           “Parcite Nobis. For all the sins I have ever done in thought, word and deed. I ask pardon of God, of the Church, and of you all.”

Assembly of Cathars and Witnesses say:

Assembly         “By God and by us and by the Church, may your sins be forgiven and we pray God to forgive you them.”

Adoremus, Patrem, et Filium et Spiritum Sanctam.[35]

Adoremus, Patrem, et Filium et Spiritum Sanctam.

Adoremus, Patrem, et Filium et Spiritum Sanctam.

 

Here may follow a hymn such as Veni Creator Spiritus, this followed by a homily on the Pater Noster and or one of the readings given in the ritual.

---

[1] My reconstruction.

[2] Matthew 18:20

[3] John 14:23

[4] 2 Corinthians 6:16-18

[5] 2 Corinthians 13:3

[6] 1 Timothy 3:15

[7] Hebrews 3:6

[8] John 14:15

[9] Matthew 28:20

[10] I Corinthians 13:17

[11] Matthew 10:20

[12] I John 4:13

[13] Galatians 4:6

[14] Matthew 6:15

[15] Literally, “betterment” – penance. In practice, a full prostration on the ground, arms likely spread out in cruciform position.

[16] The Prayer of the Heart: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

[17] Matthew 28:19

[18] John 3:5

[19] Luke 3:16; Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:7

[20] Mark 16:18

[21] Acts 8:14

[22] John 20:21-23

[23] Matthew 16:13-19

[24] Matthew 18:19-20

[25] Matthew 10:8

[26] John 14:12

[27] Mark 16:17-18

[28] Luke 10:19

[29] I John 2:15-17

[30] John 7:7

[31] Ecclesiastes, commonly attributed to Solomon, “son of David”.

[32] Ecclesiastes 1:14

[33] Jude 1:23

[34] “Spare us, [O, Lord].”

[35] “Let us worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

A Season for Krampus

As I have written in previous entries, I am and remain a very strong supporter of the Occupy movement and what it represents as the largest and most diverse social, economic and civil rights demonstration of the past sixty years. While some may argue that it is too slap-dash and incapable of formulating a coherent set of demands, it is important to consider that it is a peoples’ movement and there are a lot of questions and concerns and demands on the plate that still need to be sorted out. Discussing politics is, however, not the purpose of this essay – instead I want to talk a little bit about Krampus.

Krampus vs. Guy Fawkes

Since the beginning of the Occupy movement, the most iconic image has been supporters and demonstrators wearing Guy Fawkes masks reminiscent of the one worn by the anti-hero “V” in the recent film, V for Vendetta based on a graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore. While I am definitely a big fan of the message of the film itself and think that there are many symbolic elements that can be utilized by participants in the Occupy, one must invariably consider that Guy Fawkes is something of a failed symbol in many ways despite the rehabilitation effort on part of the character, “V”.

The original Guy Fawkes, a British soldier and citizen, belonged to a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 that was aimed at destroying the British Parliament and re-instating Catholic interests in post-Reformation England. Fawkes as inevitably discovered and was subject to trial during which he and his co-conspirators were to be “put to death halfway between heaven and earth as unworthy of both”, their genitals mutilated and burnt before their eyes, their internal organs removed, their heads decapitated, and what remains survived be put on display as “prey for the fowls of the air”. Fawkes was the last to stand on the scaffold. He asked for forgiveness of the King and state, while keeping up his “crosses and idle ceremonies”, and aided by the hangman began to climb the ladder to the noose. Although weakened by torture, Fawkes managed to jump from the gallows, breaking his neck in the fall and thus avoiding the agony of the latter part of his execution. In short, he died and celebration of his death continues in England to this day in which his effigies are placed on public display every November 5^th amidst chanting and celebration and publicly burned.

Guy Fawkes on Fire

Krampus, on the other hand, is an interesting symbol whose origins from the European Alpine region are largely shrouded in mystery.  In these regions, Krampus is represented by a demon-like creature accompanying Saint Nicholas, whose job it is to dole out frighten and doll out punishments to naughty girls and boys during the Christmas season. Throughout many cities in Switzerland, Austrai and Southern Bavaria, especially the market town Berchtesgaden; young men dress up as Krampus on the evening of the fifth of December and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells with the hopes of encouraging them to engage in more responsible behavior throughout the rest of the season and the year to come.

Krampus holding the torch

While there are many good reasons for members of the Occupy movement to related to the rehabilitated image of Guy Fawkes/”V”, I am personally convinced that the image of Krampus could potentially be a much more effective iconic symbol of the Occupy movement, especially in the coming weeks leading up to Christmas which is arguably one of the biggest and most lucrative times of year for large banking institutions and corporations that have been shown to have connections to less-than-equitable business practices. Krampus represents responsibility and accountability for one’s actions while more than willing to punish those who engage in harmful practices – business and otherwise.

Krampus has a long history of political action

Even though the image of Krampus is decidedly punitive in nature – a symbol that many in Occupy would gladly see extended to plutocratic industries – it is also creative in origin in that everyone can embody Krampus and each person who don’s that mask and costume puts their own creative faculties and energy into becoming something that is unique and individual and cannot be recreated or pre-packaged. Krampus very much represents community involvement on a highly radical level, something that many Occupiers can appreciate. In addition to the homespun creativity put into making Krampus come to life, there is music, dancing, and community celebration in addition to food. These elements, which are traditional to pre-Coca Cola Christmastide are also values that can be extended throughout the rest of the year as a part of radical self-reliance and community engagement. As an agrarian, pre-Christian folk deity; Krampus’ horns equally represent fertility and the hope for real change in the darkest part of Winter through the Spring.

For the above reasons, I propose the following “Top Five Reasons Why Krampus is Better Than Guy Fawkes” with the hopes that other readers will contribute their reasons in the comments:

Top Five Reasons Krampus is Better Than Guy Fawkes

• Encourages radical community involvement.
• Actually aims to punish wrong-doings.
• Horns are much scarier than a mask and pantaloons.
• Makes reasonable demands.
• Hasn’t been usurped by Time Warner and was never a Papist tool.

While arguing over which symbol is better is arguably childish, the fact is that symbols do have their own peculiar power and can be used by those who seek to make radical changes. I’m not saying that Guy Fawkes/”V” is a bad symbol per se, however I personally feel that Krampus would be a more effective symbol for the needs and goals of the Occupy movement which, hopefully, could provide a little bit of levity as we enter into the darkest part of the year – both in terms of decreasing daylight and the overwhelming suffering brought upon millions by depression, mass-consumerism and a culture addicted to personal gain over community involvement.

A Magical Reflection on Environmentalism

“Seymour once said that all we do our whole lives is go from one little piece of Holy Ground to the next.” – J.D. Salinger, Seymour: An Introduction (1959)

One of the major impasses one finds in contemporary paganism and reconstructionist practices is recapturing or resacralizing our particular regions. For many, the primary problem comes from the fact that many of us who are part of such groups tend to adopt religious practices and devotions to deities and spirits that are not a part of where we currently live and learning to work with local spirits and manifestations of the divine in contexts that may not exactly reflect what was practiced or done back in the third century of the common era, let alone the sixth century before common era. While I definitely have to give my warmest regards to people who aim for strict adherence to historical orthopraxy, in many cases this is not possible nor, in my opinion, particularly desirable.

Whatever the nature of the gods, spirits and demi-gods; the twenty-first century is merely a blink of an eye in a long history of devotion and relationship with humanity and is not the first time things have had to changed, or be adapted. Inability for us to adapt our devotions in a consistent manner to those forms that we worship in many ways can be paralleled to an inability to adapt to our very real, flesh-and-blood relationships – romantic and otherwise. Writers such as H. Jerimiah Lewis, Dver, P. Sufenas Virius Lupus and Erynn Rowan Laurie have written much over the years on this very topic from a reconstructionist perspective in their varying religious practices. Additionally, writers such as Brandy Williams, Sam Webster and Jake Stratton-Kent are great resources for people who are more magically inclined and seeking to reclaim the sacred in the modern world.

Dairy Farm in Fife, Washington

In my own personal journey, coming from an agricultural background, the land on which I live or have lived at varying points has had a profound role in the development of my personal practice and my theology. Growing up on a farm in the Puyallup River Valley, a third generation American from Scandinavian and Central European stock, I remember my grandparents and my parents instilling in me a deep respect of the land where we lived and farmed. The Puyallup River itself formed a major boundary on our property, in the back of the fields we had marshland, and the divides between our property and those of our neighbors was very clearly demarcated by geographical features along with rusty barbed wire fences. At night I remember watching owls swoop down in the fields to catch mice and other rodents; during the day I watched hawks circle the pastures and in the early morning I remember watching coyotes sulk through the raspberry fields.

Seattle skyline

When I moved to the city I had to adapt to a new landscape and introduce myself to new spirits. The city itself is a living organism, a conglomeration of different landscapes, people and energies. In my magical practice, I’ve had to learn to become something of a sacred scavenger when it comes to picking up supplies that are not usually available in the market – specifically stores like Edge of the Circle or Traveller’s. If I need railroad spikes for protection magic, I go to SoDo in the middle of the night and walk along the train-tracks until I find spikes that have been loosened and lying next to the railroad ties; if I need graveyard dirt for something, I research local celebrities such as Henry L. Yesler if I want to enlist their aid for prosperity magic or Bruce and Brandon Lee for martial or protective rites – these are some of the the deii loci of Seattle. If I want to deposit something in a particularly innocuous place, there are plenty of roundabouts to choose from in rough parts of town that I can leave my spell remains and if I need a particular branch or herb, there’s the botanical gardens and various parks where I can what I need.

View of Seattle from the railroad tracks, photo courtesy of Jay Taylor Photography

Hydromancy plays a role in my personal divinatory practice and, thankfully, there are a number of streams, lakes, and springs to choose from; not to mention simply setting out a mason jar with a funnel if I need to collect rainwater. Some places are better than others, of course, due to pollution concerns. This of course reinforces the incentive for magicians and pagans to be involved in local restoration and environmental activism. That the magical path is not separate from the natural world is a common enough idea in various pagan communities, but if we really want to make a difference and be real magicians, we have to use our relationships with the land and our communities to make the real magic happen and change the world in such a way that future generations will be able to enjoy it and our esoteric descendants will be able to walk the same railroad tracks and gather water from the same streams and fountains that we do today.

Yesler gravesite, Lakeview Cemetary Seattle