Moving into the Future of Modern Witchcraft

1. Moving into the Futureof Modern Witchcraft Laura A. Wildman-Hanlon, HPs

2. Quick Recap - General trends include: • Belief in plurality and tolerance of diversity of opinion on the forms of, and how to relate to, the Divine • Polytheist • Divinity as immanent • Pantheism (Divine in all things) • Animism (a spiritual consciousness within everything) • Henotheism (The worshiping of one God/dess doesn't nullify the existence of the others) • Beliefs about death • Magical Ethics • Wiccan Rede • Three fold law of return • Beliefs/practices center around natural cycles as seen within agriculture and life • Full Moons • 8 Major seasonal celebrations

3. We also talked very briefly about • magic and energy work – • when Witch casts a spell they are manipulating the magical forces within themselves and in Nature and focusing it towards a specific goal. • Magic is the art of changing consciousness and physical realities in accordance with will

4. Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism The future of this strange of wonderful movement

5. Current issues within the Movement • The development of the religion • The public image of the religion • Generational retention • Cultural appropriation

6. Development Institutionalization vs decentralization Organizations and “churches” or small groups

7. Some practitioners want Neo-Paganism and Wicca to grow into an institutionalized religion Temple of Athena in Nashville, TN

8. Some want it to stay a private and decentralized practice conducted in small groups

9. Concerns about Organization • Developing institutionalized forms will create –institutions • Diminishment of its individual nature. • The mystery would be taken out of the Mystery Religion. • Traditional teaching has always been not for money. Adding money, money for Craft Training creates, an imbalance of power

10. Benefits of Organization • Gain legal rights and protections • Participation on a world level can facilitate change • Develop community relations and public activism • Public organizations can give a voice to those who can not because of fear of persecution. • The popularization of public events provides a safe environment for exploration and experimentation.

11. Interfaith Work • The first Pagan umbrella organizations created were anti-defamation groups. • education of the public and the media about Paganism • Interfaith encourages mainstream acceptance of Paganism. • Local interfaith councils are often engaged in community relations.

12. Hostility • Interfaith work is sometimes hindered on both sides …. • those who don’t want to include or recognize Witchcraft as a religion • and by the hostility and fear of some Pagans towards Christians

13. Routinization Routinization, the development of structure and forms of stabilization is being met with mixed feelings both pro and con. Change is inevitable For better or worse, the creation of structures could change the nature of the religion itself.

14. PUBLIC IMAGE How Witches and Pagans are viewed by society

15. Legal Rights Although Witches have a number of legal rights to practice their religion without harassment, discrimination or persecution, the do not have the same rights as practitioners of mainstream religions.

16. Face Discrimination in • Performing of legal marriage ceremonies within every state • do not have same access to tax-exempt status • ability to take religious holidays off from work or school • rights within the military • access in prison to books and meeting space • child custody cases • wearing of jewelry

17. Hate crimes • Petty harassment (the side words, pestering, insulting) in the most common • Violent, or threats of violence, hate crimes do occur

18. Commercialism • Concerns that the Rise of interest in television programs, movies, spell books and books on Witchcraft commercializes and trivializes the religion. • Gives a poor view of those who practice the religion. • Silly spell books • Reality TV • Secret Spells Barbie

19. Generational Retention Will they stay or Will they go?

20. The Children • The Pagan Census, conducted by Helen Berger in the late 1980s, found that “41.3 percent of all participants stated that they have children.” • Of these, 70 percent “claimed they encouraged their children to follow a Neo-Pagan spiritual path.”

21. Whether the socialization directed to the children within the Neo-Pagan movement has been successful in helping them to develop a solid moral structure, a sense of both self and social identity, and fashioned strong enough ties to their community to cause the new generations to want to remain active within it. The question is

22. Importance of the second Generation • Vital Marker to the success or failure of a religion • Without the continuation of generations, the movement becomes one made entirely of converts, eventually going the way of the Shakers. • But Neo-Pagan parents tend to believe that children are individuals with a right to choose their spiritual calling

23. Generational Retention Research Results from my pilot study • While enjoying the freedom granted by their parents children desired more structure • More religious education • Family Traditions • Routinization is inevitable • 80% are staying within the Movement • Values / world view • Generic practice greater than Tradition Based

24. Children Bring Change • Festivals • The loss of Sex, drugs, drumming? • Ritual format : from Mystery Tradition to a form more inclusive of various ages and experience • Rise of Generic Pagans/Witches • Stability and future

25. Festivals and Changes • Creating Two Levels of ParticipationGeneric/Eclectic versus Tradition Based • Along with providing connection for the greater community, Neo-Pagan festivals and gatherings satisfy the spiritual needs for the “generic Pagans,” those who practice alone, non-structured. • The second level is the religious practice of the mystery Traditions such as Wiccan, Shaministic, Druid and others, which are still only available to adults. • Festivals require organization and people … structure!

26. Witches are a diverse group in attitudes, beliefs and practices. The movement is growing, a second generation is coming to age, bringing with them both stability and change. There is struggle on whether Wicca should become an organized religion, Witches are striving for equal rights to practice their religion. It is slowly gaining mainstream acceptance, a place among the world religions

27. Cultural Appropriation Theft or Borrowing? Insult or Honoring?

28. Cultural Appropriation • The adoption of ideas and ritual practices from Native American and other indigenous traditions • Using, cultural traditions from outside one’s ethnic background • Most practitioners of Paganism are eclectic, blending different cultural elements – not important issue for the religion

29. Not all Pagans are aware of issues of appropriation but many feel conflicted about it Mixed feelings – blending is not advisable others unconcerned…use whatever works others say it is disrespectful But is it Universal? Roman civilization and Christianity both blended local deities during conquest

30. Wiccan Practices appropriated from Indigenous Tribal • Drumming for Trance induction • “Power animals” • Smudging for purification • Use of Circle and Elements, although found in Native American practice are also found in magical societies – not cultural appropriation

31. Witches are a diverse group in attitudes, beliefs and practices. The movement is growing, a second generation is coming to age, bringing with them both stability and change. There is struggle on whether Wicca should become an organized religion, Witches are striving for equal rights to practice their religion. It is slowly gaining mainstream acceptance, a place among the world religions