Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth

In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.

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On the Dangers of 'Denominationalism' in the Craft

 “She hath a grip of all the Craft.”

(Andrew Mann, of the Queen of Elfhame [1591])

 

“Tradition” is Witch for “denomination.”

For its own good reasons, the collective intuition of the modern Craft has seen fit—you'll pardon the expression—to organize itself into various Traditions.

Some among us strongly identify with a particular Tradition; some of us define ourselves by our Tradition.

There's nothing wrong with that. In some ways, this constitutes a strength.

But there's a difference between letting ourselves be defined by a given Tradition, and letting ourselves be limited by that Tradition.

The Craft is, always has been, and always will be, bigger than any given Tradition.

Were there no witches before Tradition X? Nonsense. There have always been witches. There were witches before there were Traditions. Traditions are made for witches, not witches for Traditions.

The Craft is more than the sum of its Traditions.

No Tradition embodies the fullness of the Craft.

If you're more Tradition X than Craft, you're in trouble, Tradition X is in trouble, and the Craft is in trouble.

For gods' sakes, don't let your Trad delimit you.

By the Horns of yonder Moon, I implore you.

 

 

 

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Poet, scholar and storyteller Steven Posch was raised in the hardwood forests of western Pennsylvania by white-tailed deer. (That's the story, anyway.) He emigrated to Paganistan in 1979 and by sheer dint of personality has become one of Lake Country's foremost men-in-black. He is current keeper of the Minnesota Ooser.

Comments

  • Aline "Macha" O'Brien
    Aline "Macha" O'Brien Sunday, 18 February 2018

    Huzzah! From Macha, Witch at Large

  • Gus diZerega
    Gus diZerega Wednesday, 21 February 2018

    Well said. Denominationalism is a Christian affliction we do not need and that makes no sense in a Pagan context, historically or logically.

  • Steven Posch
    Steven Posch Thursday, 22 February 2018

    It's instructive to note that the Far Right was able to co-opt the word "Christian" because, in effect, mainstream Christianity had ceased to use it; they were too busy being Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Presbyterians instead.
    A word to the Wise.

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