Thursday, October 28, 2004

Pagan/Christian clergy

Christianity Today's blog continues to be vexed by Pagan ritual in the Episcopal Church.

With Matt Drudge-like glee, the blog notes that the two married Episcopal clergy involved are also contemporary Pagan Druids. (Let's capitalize Pagan, please, Mr. Olsen.) Their Druid group is here.

I have seen people hold clerical positions in Christian denominations and Wiccan groups as well. Back in 1996, the fourth of Llewellyn's Witchcraft Today anthologies, which I edited, carried an article by a woman who is both Wiccan and a minister in the United Methodist Church. So is her husband: they are co-pastors of a UMC church.

From a polytheistic perspective, it all makes sense. From a cultural perspective, it is pretty risky, hence her pseudonym--although at least some of the UMC congregation knew of their dual roles.

UPDATE: Conservative Episcopalians are in full cry, as demonstrated here and here (note the comments).

2 Comments:

Blogger Larry Kamphausen said...

You fail to recognize one thing Christians are not polytheists. To be a polytheist is a rejection of Christian monotheism. You can't have it both ways. Jesus is not just one God among many he is the second person of the one triune God. I have no problem with polytheism, per se but don't try to pass off your polytheism as Christian. Which is what any Christian minister is doing who tries to live in both worlds. The whole point of Christianity is that the source of all things is from one God, as revealed in Jesus Christ. To practice anything else is simply a denial of the Christian faith. These ministers show a great lack in honesty and integrity.
So while it is not problematic for you it is problematic for any one claiming to be a Christian.

12:40 PM  
Blogger Chas S. Clifton said...

Larry:

Read before you rant. If you are familiar with my blog--or you read the About Me link--you will see that I never try to "pass myself off as Christian." I comment on this and other issues from a polytheistic perspective.

However, if by "your" you do not mean "Chas Clifton's" but rather "The Melnyks'," then your other problem is merely hasty writing--an affliction of the Internet in general.

From that polytheistic perspective, then, the Melnyks' dual clerical roles are unusual but not illogical.

The real connection, which I referred to briefly, is the romantic idea of "Celtic Christianity" as more land-centered, more feminist, less hard-edged, and more colorful (without being Papist) than everyday Anglicanism.

3:36 PM  

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