Green Priestcraft: A ChristoPagan Pastoralia

"Pastoralia" is a somewhat archaic term denoting the spiritual, pastoral, and ritual care of a community.  "ChristoPagan" is a somewhat emergent term denoting a blend of Christian and Pagan thealogy, cosmology, and spirituality.  So, put the two together, and you have the hopefully intriguing (and, to some, infuriating) description of my own journey as a greenpriest.  I trust that folks of various and sundry spiritual persuasions will find something here to pique their interest, deepen their practice, and feed their souls.  Hear the Rune of Sophia: "God is Love, and Her body is all creation.  She is a Tree of Life, who gathers Her children in Love."  This is the conviction which guides me.  Blessed be.

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Borrowings...

 

I hope it gives offence to no one, but here is a ChristoPagan version of the Charge of the Goddess. I've adapted it from Starhawk's adaption of Ms. Valiente's original, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

 

 

Listen to the words of the Great Green Spirit, Who of old was called Sophia, Ruah, Lady Wisdom, and many other names:

Whenever you have need of anything, once a month, and best it be when the moon is full, you shall gather in grove and adore the Spirit of Me Who is Queen of all the Wise.

You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be transparent and open, one to another.

Sing, feast, dance, make music, and celebrate love, all in My Presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the Spirit and Mine also is joy on earth.

For My law is love is unto all beings. Mine is the mystery that opens the gate of heaven, Mine is the bread of life and the cup of blessing, the holy grail of immortality.

I give the knowledge of Eternity, and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before.

Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all things and My love is poured out upon the earth.

Hear the words of Sophia, the dust of Whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircles the universe:

I Who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters,

I call upon your soul to arise and come unto me.

For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe.

From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return.

Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.

Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

And you who seek to know Me, know that the seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am That which is attained at the end of desire.



It may come as a surprise to some that such a hallowed Wiccan text would be deeply meaningful to a Christian. Of course, the careful reader will notice that I have made a few small changes, tweaking the thealogy slightly, but by and large the prayer stands on its own. As a ChristoPagan, I have borrowed this liturgical gem for my own devotional use, but I do so because there are so many aspects of the Charge which sound familiar to me from my own tradition. Listen:



I, the fiery Life of Divine Wisdom,

I ignite the beauty of the plains, I sparkle the waters,

I burn in the sun, the moon, and the stars,

with Wisdom I order All rightly, and above all I determine Truth.

I am the One whose praise echoes on high.

I adorn all the Earth.

I am the Breath that nourishes all things green.

I encourage blossoms to flourish with ripening fruits.

I feed the purest streams ... I am the yearning for good.

(Hildegard von Bingen)



And also this:



For Godde hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely:

to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements,

the beginning, ending, and midst of the times,

the alterations of the turning of the sun, and the change of seasons,

the circuits of years, and the positions of stars,

the natures of living creatures, and the natures of wild beasts,

the thoughts of spirits, and the reasonings of humans,

the diversities of plants, and the virtues of roots.

And all such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know

For Sophia, which is the worker of all things, taught me.

(Wisdom of Solomon)



Do these sound familiar? Are there echoes of the Charge of the Goddess here? Methinks it is so.

The Source of Wisdom is One, but Her streams are many... I hope we can drink deeply together!

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The Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck is an ecumenical Christian priest, and a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids. He is the author of Christian Animism, and the founder of the Ecumenical Companions of Sophia, an informal online community fostering Christian-Pagan dialogue and spiritual practice.  He lives with his family on an off-the-grid farm community in north-western Saskatchewan (Treaty Six Territory), where he is chaplain to the human and more-than-human wights of the community.  When not writing sermons, chopping wood, or practising magic, Shawn can be counted on to have his nose buried in a book. He can be contacted at greenpriest@hotmail.ca
 

Comments

  • Anthony Gresham
    Anthony Gresham Wednesday, 27 September 2017

    I like it. I liked it enough to print out a copy for my records.

  • Piper
    Piper Thursday, 28 September 2017

    I am a Gnostic Priest, and a Sophian. This is excellent, Blessings Brother

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