Wiccan and Unitarian

But how can you be Wiccan and Unitarian?

It all depends whether you think religion is about beliefs, practices, or values.  It is often stated that Wicca is an orthopraxy, not an orthodoxy.  Nevertheless, if you think it is about beliefs, I still believe the same as many (if not most) Wiccans.  I believe that the Divine has one substance (the mind of the Universe) and many forms (individual deities).  I believe that the Divine is immanent in the Universe, and includes feminine forms, masculine forms, and forms without gender.

If you think it's about practice, I am still practising Wicca, and haven't modified that practice.

If you think it's about values, I still share the values of Wiccans (though it's less clear to me that Wiccans actually do have a set of unanimously shared values - some covens are hierarchical, others more democratic, some are consensus-based).  But my values are pretty much the same as they always have been.

Then there's the shared history of Pagans and Unitarians.  One early Unitarian was Iolo Morganwg, who is better known in the Pagan community for being one of the founders of the Druid revival.  He was also one of the founders of the South Wales Unitarian Association, and wrote hundreds of Unitarian hymns in Welsh.

Another Unitarian writer who influenced the Pagan revival was Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Although he fell out with the mainstream of nineteenth-century Unitarianism, he had a profound influence on 20th-century Unitarianism.  He also wrote about the concept of polarity, an idea which is very important in Wicca.

POLARITY, or action and reaction, we meet in every part of nature; in darkness and light, in heat and cold; in the ebb and flow of waters; in male and female; in the inspiration and expiration of plants and animals; in the systole and diastole of the heart; in the undulations of fluids and of sound; in the centrifugal and centripetal gravity; in electricity, galvanism, and chemical affinity.

Emerson had been influenced by Rammohun Roy, the Indian liberal who campaigned against sati (widow-burning).  Emerson in turn influenced Edward Carpenter, one of the founders of the Pagan revival, the poet Walt Whitman and the writer Henry David Thoreau.

Unitarianism has a thriving Pagan element, represented in the UK by the Unitarian Earth Spirit Network (founded in 1990), and in the US by the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (founded in 1987).  The first known Pagan UU ritual was in 1980.  Unitarian Paganism and Unitarians' positive attitude to the Goddess is also mentioned in Margot Adler's book Drawing Down the Moon.  Several Unitarian ministers are also Pagans; and many of the hymns are about nature.  I am by no means the only Wiccan to join the Unitarians; I have heard of several others.

Unitarians were also the first denomination to have a woman minister, Gertrude Petzold, and the first to include LGBT people; Dudley Cave, a Unitarian, was a founder of the Lesbian and Gay Switchboard.

Last but not least, Unitarianism includes material from other religions (and has done so since at least 1850).  The UUA includes these in its principles and sources.

If after all that, you're still wondering what attracted me to Unitarianism... well, I rather like Yeshua (even if he didn't actually exist), in spite of the terrible things done in his name, and I like the liberal values of the Unitarians.

Compassion is a human virtue

It has sometimes been claimed that faith, hope and charity (and possibly also forgiveness) are specifically Christian virtues. For example, G K Chesterton claimed this. They are certainly held in high esteem by Christians, but that does not mean that Christians invented them.

But ancient pagans certainly included compassion among their values.

The Religio Romana website lists a number of Roman virtues, including:

• Aequitas: Equity; fairness and justice within society and government
• Caritas: Affection; To love, cherish and hold dear, especially within family
• Clementia: Clemency; Mildness, gentleness, mercy, compassion in private and public matters
• Concordia: Concord; Harmony, agreement between peoples and nations
• Fides: Good Faith; Trust, fidelity, fulfilment of promises made
  
• Humanitas: Humanity; Kindness, being refined, cultured and educated, embracing the best aspects of civilization
• Indulgentia: Indulgence; Permissiveness, leniency, tolerance
• Justitia: Justice; Equitable, fair treatment, guided by principles, also defined by implementation and enforcement of reasonable laws within a sound government
• Liberalitas: Liberality; Generosity; to give abundantly
• Munificentia: Munificence; Benevolent, bountiful service, charitable
• Spes: Hope; A belief in favorable outcome particularly in times of struggle

(note that the above list includes faith, hope and charity!)

Ancient heathens also extolled the virtues of generosity to others less fortunate than oneself; the Hávamál contains many stanzas about hospitality (still widely considered a virtue in Germanic culture).

Compassion is also extolled in the Wiccan core text, The Charge of the Goddess; and hospitality is one of the Nine Noble Virtues of modern Heathenry.

And of course there are many compassionate atheists, who give money to secular charities. Compassion is a human virtue; it doesn't belong to any specific religion.

The widow's mite

Pagans who do charitable work and make charitable donations are rather like the poor widow of the parable, making their donations anonymously and quietly; whereas certain other religions with big charities mentioning the name of the religion in their titles are rather like the ostentatious rich men in the story.

Since there are those who claim that Pagans are not charitable, here, just as an example, is a list of all the charities I support.

Charities and causes to which I contribute money every month:

• No 2 ID
• LGBT religious archives network
• Survival International - the movement for tribal peoples
• Greenpeace UK
• The National Trust
• The Woodland Trust
• Oxfam
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
• Avon Wildlife Trust
• Peace Pledge Union
• Stonewall
• Sight Savers International - International Charity Fighting Blindness
• Chalice Well
  

Charities and causes to which I occasionally contribute, or have contributed in the past:

• Hurricane Katrina appeal (one-off donation)
  
• Tsunami appeal (I did a bring-and-buy sale for this, and helped to organise an online auction)
• Shelter, homeless charity (financial contribution)
  
• Stop Violence Against Women (helped with their website)
  
• Big Issue (homeless street paper - I frequently buy one)
• Cancer research (several one-off donations)
• Pakistan earthquake appeal (one-off donation)
• Victims of war in Iraq (one-off donation)
  
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (occasional donations)
• Lancaster University Alumni Fund (had a direct debit for ages)
• Soulforce: Freedom for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People (can't remember if this is a monthly payment or a one-off donation)
• University and Colleges Union (Branch Secretary)
• Poppy Appeal
• Online donations for various wars and famines
  

Unitarian and Wiccan

But how can you be Unitarian and Wiccan?

It all depends if you think religion is about belief, values, or practice (or all three). Personally I believe in very similar ideas to many Unitarians with whom I have discussed theology (even Unitarian Christians). I believe that Jesus was a very special human being (along with Buddha, Gandhi, St Francis, Symmachus, and many other mystics and social activists). I believe that he carried the Divine spark, as each one of us do; perhaps his flame was a little brighter. I also believe that his values—of inclusivity, care, equality, community, and honouring diversity—were the most important thing about him, and that these values are what will save humanity from war, poverty and famine. So that’s why I am a Unitarian—I had a mystical encounter with him, and felt that his values were my values, and that Unitarianism puts those values into practice more effectively than many other forms of Christianity. At the same time I was reading a lot of liberation theology and queer Christian theology, all of which resonated strongly with me. I also believe (again in common with many Unitarians) that the Divine is in everything: the trees, the flowers, the Earth, you and me.

I am a Wiccan (and have been since 1991) because I believe that the Divine has one substance and many forms and faces, and I choose to honour it through Nature and through pagan mythology and the cycle of seasonal festivals. The values and beliefs of Wicca are also about inclusivity, tolerance, freedom and the wisdom of experience. Wicca honours both male and female forms of the Divine.

Both Unitarianism and Wicca celebrate being alive, present in this world and in this moment. Both agree that other religions are valid paths for those who choose them, and want to celebrate both individuality and community. And Unitarianism has included pagan elements since at least 1850, if not earlier (see The Larger View by Vernon Marshall).

Eurybia

EURYBIA was the goddess of the mastery of the seas. She seems to have presided over the external forces which influenced the main, including the rise of the constellations and seasonal weather, and the power of the winds. Her husband was the Titan Krios, who may have been associated with the constellation Aries, marker of the Greek new year. Her grandchildren all had power over the sea. They included the Anemoi (Winds), the Astra (Stars), Hekate (Witchraft), Selene (the Moon), Nike (Victory), Bia (Force), Kratos (Power), Zelos (Rivalry). Some of these represent human command of the seas : the winds for sailing, stars for navigation, and force, power and victory representing naval supremacy.

According to Hesiod's Theogony, Εὐρυβία had a heart of flint within her. She was the daughter of PONTOS (the Sea) & GAIA (the Earth). So if the sea makes love to the Earth, it erodes the rock, deposits it somewhere else, and makes chalk - which has a heart of flint. So I wonder if Eurybia was also a goddess of chalk? As someone who was born on the chalk, I find it very magical. Also Εὐρυβία is the grandmother of Hekate, goddess of witchcraft. I read somewhere recently that Doreen Valiente found chalk landscapes very conducive to magic.

As goddess of the sea and the winds, Eurybia is very closely allied to witchcraft, because witchcraft was often about the control of the winds; witches used to tie knots to bind or release the wind. And of course, the sea symbolises either the subconscious or the collective unconscious, the supernal mother.

I am the soundless, boundless bitter sea
Out of whose depths life wells eternally
ASTARTE, APHRODITE, ASHTORETH
Giver of life and bringer-in of death;
HERA of heaven, on earth, PERSEPHONE;
LEVANAH of the tides and HECATE
All these am I, and they are seen in me
I am the soundless, boundless, bitter sea
All tides are mine, and answer unto me.

~ Dion Fortune

a symbiotic relationship

What is our relationship with the deities? Some people serve them. Now, maybe I'm being cranky and difficult, but I am not at all sure about this. I will happily co-operate with someone who has the same values and agenda as I do, but not because they're a discarnate entity; rather because they have the same values and agenda as I do - which may mean I only co-operate with them on a temporary basis while the shared goal is being worked on.

I don't think I'm on an equal footing with the deities in their domain (the numinous, nebulous, eternal, non-local) - they graciously allow me to access their form of consciousness; and in return I allow them to access my local, focused, finite, time-based consciousness (in which they are not equal to me). So no, it's not equal in the sense of being the same, but it is on equal terms - they're better at some things than I am, and I'm better at somethings than they are. It's a symbiotic relationship.

Maybe this means I am not religious in the conventional sense - but I became a Pagan because I didn't agree with blind faith and subservience to the big bully in the sky, so I am not going to give this one up without a struggle.

Yes, I want the world to be a better place, with more peace and harmony, social and economic justice, and respect for the environment (by which I mean deep ecology) - but I am not at all sure that giving power to floaty entities (and most likely ending by having a priesthood that claims to speak for them) is the way to achieve these goals. Domination and submission games are for consenting adults in private.

So, I will happily co-operate with any entity (incarnate or discarnate) who wants peace, harmony, social and economic justice, and respect for the environment - but I will not serve.

Only connect

I engage in interfaith dialogue for a variety of reasons: partly because I want to help others to realise that Wicca and other Pagan traditions are valid spiritual paths and inform them about what we do, so that they realise we're not scary; partly because I want to learn about other faiths and respect their insights into the spiritual journey; and partly because I think interfaith dialogue promotes tolerance, understanding and harmony, and is the only way to resolve conflicts between different religions.

I do think, however, that the basis for interfaith dialogue has to be mutual respect, with no hidden or overt agenda of proselytising or evangelising. In listening to the other points of view in the dialogue, I should be open to them to the point of willingness to change my own position, but they shouldn't be trying to convert me. It's rather a paradox, but it's the only way to make it work.

Sometimes interfaith dialogue can be slow, and one is sometimes rebuffed by people who don't consider Paganism a "proper religion" - but patience is a virtue. It's precisely the people who are hostile to the ideas of interfaith and religious pluralism that most need to engage in interfaith dialogue; there's no point in "preaching to the converted", otherwise it just becomes a cosy little club. The whole point is to try to build a world where religions can co-exist peacefully, and if a whole tranche of religions fail to engage in interfaith dialogue, then the goal won't be achieved.

My position is that I would always encourage people to follow the spiritual path that is right for them. For me, the goal of the spiritual path is to transform the world by raising the consciousness of everyone; and whatever symbolism best represents that process for you - whatever speaks to your soul - is good. Only connect, as E M Forster said.

But I don't think that all denominations or all practices of all religions are equally valid; there are some really unpleasant practices and beliefs with disastrous consequences in many religions; but there is also good in all religions. Our task is to discern what is good, and work towards it together - offering constructive criticism rather than blame, and accepting criticism from others.

We now live in a globalised world where every religion has to rub shoulders with the others; we have to get along and learn from each other. No single religion will ever appeal to everyone in the world; each has different strengths and weaknesses, focusses on different issues, works in a different philosophical paradigm, and has different blind-spots. That's not to say that their truth claims are entirely irreconcilable, because they're not; just that diversity is a good and natural way for the human race to be.

This post is part of the interfaith synchroblog on interfaith dialogue.

List of participants

• J. R. Miller (Christian) of More Than Cake on A Christian Approach to Interfaith Dialogue


• Liz Dyer (Christian) of Grace Rules on Interreligious Dialogue: Risky Business


• Matt Stone (Christian) of Glocal Christianity on Is Interfaith Interfaith enough?


• Steve Hayes (Christian Orthodox) of Notes from underground on Interreligious dialogue and of Khanya on Matters arising


• Phil Wyman (Christian) of Square No More on A Christian Presenter at Pagan Pride!?


• Beth Patterson (Liberal Christian with Celtic undertones) of Virtual Tea House on Same Stove, Different Teapots


• Yvonne Aburrow (Wiccan Unitarian) of the dance of the elements on Only connect
  
  
• Jarred (Pagan/Vanic Witch) of The Musings of a Confused Man on Interfaith relationships
  
  
• Andii Bowsher (Christian) of Nouslife on More tea Wicca?