Pagans Come of Age at Parliament of World’s Religions
October 2021
I was honored to speak at The Parliament of the World’s Religions on October 17. I was on a panel called Contemporary Pagan Elder Leadership in the Return of the Goddess. Here is what Oberon Zell wrote as a description:
For too long we’ve been motherless children. After 3,600 years of monotheism, there is a deep collective longing to open our hearts and restore Goddesses and Priestesses to their rightful place among the great religions of the world. After millennia of patriarchal dominion and brutal suppression of all things female, from mortal women to the Goddess Herself, we are now embarking upon a new Millennium and a new Age of reconciliation and reunification of all humanity, as exemplified by this Parliament of the World’s Religions. Although monotheism has dominated humanity’s religious arena for thousands of years, polytheism and animism have been there all along. The Parliament has made this diversity more visible, and made it possible for practitioners from many paths to learn about each other and to connect. Since the centennial rebirth of the Parliament in 1993, Pagans have been participating in a variety of ways. Many attendees have developed friendships and alliances with practitioners of other religious traditions which honor the Divine as feminine.
“In ‘The Power of Myth’, Joseph Campbell says, ‘The only myth that is going to be worth thinking about in the immediate future is one that is talking about the planet and everybody on it.’
“Mother Earth is humanity’s oldest and most universal archetype of Divinity. She is the Mother of all mothers and of all Earthly life. In this panel,several Elder Priestesses and Priests of the Goddess from various Pagan traditions share their insights and experiences of Her restoration in modern times and explore how Her unconditional love and maternal compassion can bring about justice and healing for all Her children.”
Other speakers on the panel were Selena Fox from Circle Sanctuary, Gypsy Ravish – a musician from Salem, MA – and Jo Carson of Feraferia. All of us are Pagan leaders who have been kicking around the Pagan scene since the 1970s and 1980s.
The Parliament was virtual for the first time ever, which made it more affordable for most of us. It was pleasant to hear profound speakers such as the Dalai Lama from the comfort of one’s own home. And there were over two thousand live attendees. Imagine all the carbon pollution we did not generate because of this. No one had to fly or drive anywhere.
The pandemic has its own hidden blessings. One speaker talked about the new Goddess Corona, who is being honored as a deity in India now. She is a Goddess who brings change and transformation and is forcing us to look deeply at ourselves and our communities. So many imbalances are being revealed at this time; massive income inequality, the desperate state of nature, the climate emergency, the lack of health care in many nations (including, sadly, the USA). Poor nations are still waiting for vaccines while privileged first world citizens refuse it out of some kind of childish petulance, prolonging the suffering for everyone.
The major themes were historic, as I expect they always are. But just a few decades ago Orthodox clergy walked out in a huff over the mere presence o fPagan speakers. This time there were multiple Goddess, Wiccan and Druid panels. Phyllis Curott, past president of the Covenant of the Goddess,
lawyer and author, was a main speaker, and for the first time ever a Druid breakout session featured a film giving the results of a large study (view it here ) about who we are and what we believe and do. I am happy to mention that they included one of my books, A Legacy of Druids, as recommended reading.
Max Dashu presented a horrific but very valuable slide show and talk on the torture and murder of women during the European Witch hunts. That wretched period of history spilled over here in the USA where about three hundred, mostly women, were tried or killed as “Witches” during the Puritan era.
(I wrote about that in my book “The Real Witches of New England“.)
There were the usual calls for peace and social justice and the announcement of a major Poor People’s March to be held in Washington on June 18, 2022. But the main threads that wove all through the presentations were nature,the climate emergency, and the divine feminine. Over and over again the
speakers reiterated that we are in a time of climate crisis and that there is a desperate need for immediate action. They called upon faith leaders to rise to that task. There were also many calls to see all of us as one on this tiny planet. That the time for conflict and division, of hatred and racism is long past.
Many women clergy spoke of the need to recognize the Divine Mother; She who transcends hierarchies and sees all people as equal. We are all born of Her, spiritually and through the Earth herself. Jane Goodall spoke of the need to see animals as sentient beings with feelings, and of our need to treat them as equals on this Earth.
Just as Vivekananda brought Eastern religion to the west so prominently in the first Parliament (in Chicago from September 11 to 18, 1893) it felt like this one was a Pagan coming out party. The Dalai Lama spoke, the Pope sent a blessing, and the Greek Orthodox primate spoke for the first time in thirty
years, after walking out years ago because of the mere presence of us Pagans. Four thousand people registered and two thousand attended live, online. Many indigenous people’s paths were represented; Native American, Taoist, Shinto, Sikh, Jain, Parsee, Zoroastrian, Yoruban Ifa, and other indigenous religious traditions not very well-known in the West.
I have been contemplating all the hard work we Pagans have done since the 1970’s. All the festivals like Starwood, Pantheacon, Pagan Spirit Gathering and Pagan Pride. Of the many hours of organizing rituals in homes and in parks. Of the countless Covens and Druid Groves dotted all over the world landscape, hidden in plain sight. Of the endless radio and television interviews, podcasts and news stories. Of the thousands of Pagan books written. Of the magazines like Green Egg, Druidic Dawn, The Henge of Keltria Journal, Oak Leaves, Touchstone, SageWoman, and many many more. Of the work of the founders – those who pulled together (herding cats as we like to say) all the renegade Witches and Druids into functioning (and semi-organized) groups.
All of this labor, mostly done with no financial reward, feels like a giant wave that has finally carried Pagans to the shore of world religion status and just a modicum of respectability. Fifty years in we are at the same stage as the early Christian house churches were, and we have become a recognized world religion at last. All hail the Gods and Goddesses and Spirits that have guided our feet! The work continues as it always does.
On Sunday, October 31, I will be helping to lead a community Samhain (Halloween) ritual locally, outside, and under a tent if it rains.
Book News
A nice review: https://authorbobfreeman.wordpress.com/2021/10/04/occultober-the-sacred-herbs-of-samhain-by-ellen-evert-hopman/
“The cover alone made me want to purchase the book, but as one should not judge it by such standards, let me assure you, the content is the real treasure here. This a teacher’s guide, with Part One concentrating on those sacred plants to protect oneself and those which aide in communicating with spirits. Part Two is more whimsical, addressing edibles, rituals, and offerings.”
“I can’t imagine who wouldn’t love “The Real Witches of New England”. Hopman has managed to put all New England’s witchcraft history, and its future, into one enjoyable book. I only hope she does more books like this focusing on other geographic areas” The Magical Buffet
*Reminder! You can find all my books and order a signed copy here: www.elleneverthopman.com – Yule is coming! *
Seasonal News
Cakes for the Priestesses of the Dead
What is Samhain (Halloween)? (video)
When people carved turnips instead of pumpkins at Halloween
News You Can Use
A Druid research study has released a video (available after October 30, 2021)
I am pleased to say that one of my books gets a mention at the end.
Below are the usual Moonthly offerings of archaeology, herb, climate, nature, Celtic, Fairy, Religion and World news. Enjoy the read!
ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS
First crab found in amber is 100 million years old
3,500-Year-Old Babylonian Tablet May Contain Earliest Known Depiction of a Ghost
Recreating Roman Garum fish sauce
Ancient Japanese wolves may be the modern dog’s closest relative
Giant ram head statues uncovered in the Avenue of the Sphinxes, Egypt
Humans did not make woolly mammoths go extinct – climate change did
New global ethical guidelines for DNA research on humans
The origins of the domestic horse have been established
The Unheralded Women Scribes Who Brought Medieval Manuscripts to Life
Unfreezing the truth about Ice Age societies
Vikings got to the Americas in 1021 new research shows
More: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03972-8
3D Technology Reveals Easter Island Glyphs On Boomerang-Shaped Wood
New scholarship on Medieval Irish manuscripts
A 1500 year old beard comb found in Germany
Archaeologists in Israel unearth a Crusader encampment
The “Stoned Ape” theory of human cognitive evolution
Nebra Sky Disc to go on display at the British museum
More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz-9MXI_GBw (video)
A new timeline for the Mohawk Valley NY indigenous history
An early Bronze Age cemetery in County Meath (paper)
3500 year old evidence of sun worship at Lough Gur, Ireland (paper)
The animated Bayeux tapestry (video)
Police arrest a man for explosives and theft of artifacts at Stonehenge (video)
Diver finds 900 year old Crusader sword off the Israel coast
Sámi people ask Danish queen to return sacred witchcraft trial drum
Danish museum opens golden hoard exhibit
A bog body from Cashel Bog, Co. Laois, Ireland (paper)
What drove homo erectus out of Africa?
Do stolen sacred objects experience culture shock?
‘Sophisticated’: ancient feces shows humans enjoyed beer and blue cheese 2,700 years ago
Researchers Say Fossil Shows Humans, Dogs Lived In Central America In 10,000 BC
Tucked-Away Marble Quarries Discovered As Source For Archaic Apollo
Primates ancestors may have left trees to survive asteroid
Poverty Point, LA. An archaic Native American complex
6 million year old pre-human footprints found in Crete
Althorp Park – Princess Diana’s childhood home, was a Neanderthal settlement
Humans began using tobacco at least 12,300 years ago
An Ogham Stone in the Black Valley (paper)
A new digital archaeology tool
The 30 oldest structures in the world
A UK supermarket with an ancient view
Just discovered map shows Italian sailors knew about American 150 years before Columbus
Queen Elizabeth’s court astrologer had a Magic Mirror with Aztec origins
Detectorist finds a Bronze Age sword in Finland
Two 6th century graves found in Bavaria
Reflections on the discovery of the lost Newgrange passage tomb (paper)
Multiple burials identified in the tomb of Nestor’s Cup
A new tardigrade species found in Dominican amber
Two men face trial over theft of Viking coins, silver
The best preserved pair of skis from prehistory
The Irish caves where Halloween was born
A rare 2,700 year old toilet found in Jerusalem
Inscribed VIP seats found at a Roman amphitheater in Turkey
An exhibit of 4000 years of Mexican history
How indigenous stories preserve the past
A golden sun bowl found in Austria
A Roman temple discovered in Tyre
Lesser known ancient Greek sacred sites
Reindeer petroglyph discovered in Russia
Making bread was a lousy job in the ancient world
The Met to return an ancient sculpture to Nepal
Bronze Age food utensils, jars, found in Turkey
An ancient Mayan citadel discovered
1,800 year old Venus figurine found in Gloucester, UK
25,000 year old jaw bone may explain how humans first came to Australia
A 14th century warrior with a gold threaded jaw
3-D Reconstruction Reveals the Faces of Three Ancient Egyptian Mummies
HERB NEWS
Its time to forage for rose hips
Make wild fermented ginger soda
HEALTH NEWS
Racism Is Declared a Public Health Crisis in New York City
New cancer treatments may be coming thanks to the MRNA vaccines
Some people may be born with genetic immunity to Covid-19
A new compound that selectively kills off Lyme disease bacteria
The gut microbiome and the immune system
“Homebrew” Psilocybin Created By Scientists Using “Widely Available” Materials
Covid patients have symptoms up to six months after the illness
CLIMATE AND NATURE NEWS
Earth’s tipping points are probably closer than we think
Amazing drone footage of a volcano in Iceland. Watch full screen – sound is included! (video)
Persistent water vapor detected in Jupiter’s Moon “Europa”
The last bastion of thick sea ice in the Arctic is now showing cracks
The Return of La Niña Spells Bad News for Drought Conditions in the American Southwest
This New Installation Pulled 20,000 Pounds of Plastic From the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Inside an experiment to create Mars on Earth
Our Climate Projections For 2500 Show An Earth That Is Alien To Humans
A meteorite crash landed on a Canadian woman’s bed while she was sleeping
New evidence that the Earth tipped 84 million years ago
Interview with Frances Moore Lappe, author of Diet for a Small Planet (video)
Questioning the Big Bang Theory – new evidence
A piece of Moon rock found at a garage sale
The American bumblebee has vanished from eight US states
Lions and Tigers at the National Zoo have been sick with Covid-19
An exo-planet so hot it rains iron at night
BepiColombo space mission completes first flyby of Mercury
Siberian record heat wave is thawing the permafrost
Bats are making a comeback! Here’s how you can help them
Cells from a 125 million year old dinosaur still viable with possibility of DNA
A mega-comet is headed our way
Kilauea spews magma and volcanic glass
Interview with Frances Moore Lappe (video)
CELTIC NEWS
The Fairy Folklore of County Clare (video)
The New Moon in Irish folklore
The Cave of the Cats (Ireland) (video)
FAIRY NEWS
The full Moon and the Fairies in Irish Lore
A rare white stag is shot in the UK, a bad omen
RELIGION NEWS
Should the Catholic Church acknowledge the destruction of classical Pagan culture?
DRUID AND PAGAN NEWS
How the 1960’s sitcom “Bewitched” helped Salem, Massachusetts uncover its grim past
A research study about Druids has released a video of the results (available after October 31, 2021)
Paganism is returning to the Baltics now that the Soviet era is over
Witches Chat: Ghost Stories, Folklore & Ouija Boards (video)
ARTS NEWS
Study: America’s monuments overwhelmingly honor white men.
Artist Takes Museum’s $84,000, Returns With Blank Canvases Titled ‘Take the Money and Run’
A Pre-Hispanic Sculpture of a Woman Will Replace Mexico City’s Controversial Columbus Statue
POLITICS AND ETHICS
Biden proclaims October 11 as “Indigenous Peoples Day”
Survey Identifies Correlation Between Confederate Monuments and Lynchings
Racism Is Declared a Public Health Crisis in New York City
Corporate greed is the real reason behind price hikes we are seeing now
Watchdog exposes huge conflicts of interest with DeJoy’s management of the US Postal Service
