Interesting Read From Beliefnet

[AmericanMe]

I don't know how old this article (http://www.beliefnet.com/story/155/story_15517_1.html) is or if it's even something new to MW, but it brings up some interesting ideas, especially on the last page:

Dagonet Dewr is executive director of Pagan Pride Day and executive editor of newWitch magazine. He says Wicca doesn’t need an institution to enforce Wiccan orthodoxy because “there ain’t no such bird.” But it does need an organization that would hold accountable its clergy--many of whom are self-declared or recognized as such by their own small band of followers

“We need an institutional model that hasn’t been designed before,” he said. “One that doesn’t include dogma but does include accountability, responsibility and a way to interface with the public.”

Looking for opinions, does Wicca need this?

In my humble yet outspoken opinion Wiccans aren't going to elect a 'pope' anytime soon, but face it, there's alot of books and 'witch kits' published out there that are questionable at best, and I believe it cheapens the religion in a way.

[Garden of Eden]

Well... I'm not really Wiccan, so I can't speak as one of them. But as a Witch, I agree that many of the sets and books on the market today cheapen paganism as a whole. Perhaps it is time that a little more restraint was applied.

[Ahautenites]

**grins evilly** Does this mean I should start creating the Enigma Babylon One-World Faith cards with Leon Fortunato (of the left Behind Series) as Pontifex Maximus?

All hail Leon! All hail Nicolae! Hurray for the Antichrist!

;)

[XxAuroraxX]

hmmmmm that was very interesting

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

This is something that sounds great, but I don't know that it will ever come to fruition. It is something that has been a hot topic for quite some time now, especially in the military.

I lead a small Earth based spirituality group on an Air Force base. While the majority of my members are Wiccan, there are many Pagans, Druids, Shamans, ect that come through my circle.

In my case, to pick one institution (usually going to be Wiccan) to train those who would be recognized clergy leaves a big hole for those of us who aren't Wiccan, and who have no desire to be trained as such, but still fulfill the roles of clergy. Does that make sense?

There has been talk of the DoD naming Sacred Well Congregation to be the one to train Wiccan Chaplains. If you go to their site (sacredwell.org), they have a program in place for Distinctive Faith Group Leaders that would require you to go through their Deaconry training program.

I didn't go through any program to take on leadership of my group. In the Air Force rules for Chaplains and other religious leaders, it is specifically stated that since there is no governing organization for my spirituality, the members of a forming group can designate a leader. That's how I got my position, and I like to think that I'm doing a good job since we're still active four years later.

So basically, to sum all that up...I think it's a great concept but I doubt it would ever work in the "real world." I think the diversity of Paganism would not be able to support something like that. However, if it were specifically Wiccan, it might work.

Avalon's Blessings, ~Rhiannon