Research Report

February 14-17, 2020

By Carl Teichrib

PantheaCon was the largest Pagan convention in the world. Started in 1994 by Glenn Turner, PantheaCon developed into one of the most important gatherings for the growing neo-Pagan community. Held at the DoubleTree Hilton in San Jose, California as an annual conference, the event attracted newcomers and notable personalities alike. It became a national focal point for the community, a place where Wiccans and Witches, Druids, Heathens, Shamans, Reconstructionists, and Fairy followers could learn from each other, network, and advance new ideas and concepts.

   As a Christian researcher on worldview issues, PantheaCon had been on my go-to list for a long time. Ironically, the first one I attended was to be the last. PantheaCon 2020, from February 14 to 17, was the final instalment in its 26 years of operations.

   Why? Because the Pagan community has been experiencing internal tensions, particularly regarding LGBTQ issues, concerns over racism, exclusionary practices, and personality conflicts that spiral outward. And to the point, PantheaCon itself had become central to these dramas, exacerbating existing frictions and creating more. This had placed a considerable strain on long-time attendees, volunteers, and organizers.  

   Adding to this was the event’s size and complexity, and PantheaCon’s core team – including Glenn Turner – was experiencing burnout. For Turner, the time had come to step down, and so it was announced months before the convention that this would be its last hurrah. Indeed, a looming question hung over the conference: Was it really over?

   Throughout the four days it was rumored something else was in the works. However, it wasn’t until Monday afternoon during the closing ceremony that a formal announcement was made: Between the Veils, a tribe-network for non-traditional Pagans, would take the helm. The event would be renamed and reshaped. As BTV explained in a Facebook post, “[BTV] will be creating a new and truly inclusive convention to replace PantheaCon…”

   Tolerance hovered over the convention like an imposing force. This is especially noteworthy given that the Pagan community is, broadly speaking, politically and socially left-of-center. Social activism and social justice themes – including issues of gender and sexuality – are frequently emphasized, being a rallying point for campaigns and calls to action. Pagan culture, I contend, is the sharp end of the “woke” spear; that its virtue signalling had become self-destructive was impossible to ignore.

   Helping attendees navigate this space was a lengthy anti-harassment policy, including a zero-tolerance position on racism. The program guide offered this statement as an aide to understanding the problem,

“At PantheaCon we want to prioritize the voices of people who are often spoken over or erased in pagan spaces and make PantheaCon as accessible as we can to people form all racial backgrounds. Problems non-white attendees of pagan events talk about include:

– Being expected to be an authority on non-white characters in non-Western traditions.

– Being talked down to or assumed to be less knowledgeable about topics being discussed. This sort of behavior will not be tolerated.”

   On the first day I experienced an interesting hick-up with the anti-racism policy. Upon discovering that I was a religious researcher from Canada, and that this was my first PantheaCon, I was invited by a Hispanic Witch to attend the Pagans of Color Caucus. I was thankful for the offer but pointed to the POC program write-up: “The caucus is a space for self-identified people of color only.”

   Briefly I explained that I didn’t color identify, and that we are all humans irrespective of skin tone. The Witch agreed heartily, beckoning me to attend under her auspices.

   “But that would be hypocritical,” I responded, stating that as I didn’t identify as a person of color – and that POC had placed upon itself racial limitations – I must be excluded by default. Recognizing the double bind, she quietly said, “I see your point.”

   Other inclusionary tensions were evident. The program guide for the Trans*Caucus said: “If you’re cis, please don’t come – this is our time.” And the description for the workshop on 21st Century Norse Paganism revealed fissures: “Known promoters of bigotry are not welcome here.”

   While these stress lines are important from an anthropological and sociological perspective, my research interests were more encompassing.

   A special area of attention was the issue of post-Christian identity: Of those Pagans attending, would I find any claims of being formerly Christians? If so, what church branches or denominational connections could be made? More importantly, could I recognize points of departure from the Christian faith – and, would this dovetail with what I had observed at other Pagan gatherings?

   As to the first question: Although I didn’t conduct a formal survey, the general observation was that many had a Christian background. In one workshop, a coven priest explained he had grown up in an evangelical family, and that he had attended a Bible college where he studied apologetics with the aim of becoming a pastor. Christian backdrops emerged in other working sessions, and it was evident that more than a few attendees were Biblically literate.

   Denominations: No one branch or grouping seemed to be weighted over others. Some emerged from a Catholic background, but I heard more voices of former Protestants and evangelicals. Detailed research in this area is needed. 

   Points of departure: Four main points of departure could be ascertained. Regardless of what you or I may think about reasons for people leaving the faith, this is what has been generally communicated, 

• Paranormal experiences: Individuals claiming to have paranormal encounters and/or psychic abilities, and when/if they approached church leadership about these experiences, were told to ignore it or given non-answers. The search for answers then went outside the faith, and as Paganism offers explanations within a spiritual cosmology, this becomes a source of knowledge and community.    
• Theological problems: Receiving pat-answers or non-answers to personally troubling questions of faith, resulting in frustration and non-resolution, and then distancing from the church. Meanwhile, interest in spirituality remains, so the quest resumes outside the Christian faith. Quandaries I’ve heard while attending Pagan events – God’s apparent vindictive personality in the Old Testament, God’s seeming indifference to present suffering, Jesus’ exclusivity and the issue of good people going to Hell.
• Social concerns: Some blame church hypocrisy or lack-of-interest regarding LGBTQ issues, climate change and ecological concerns, economic inequality, and privilege politics. As the Pagan community is typically left-of-center, it becomes an attractive home for spiritual activists with progressive notions.
• Transformative Experiences: Christianity is experientially dull or dead, so the argument goes. Paganism, on the other hand, embraces mystery and ecstasy through experiential encounters. and wonder. Often borne out of a curiosity in the occult, and the desire to partake in something mysteriously alluring, the person dabbles with and eventually makes the switch to Paganism. Paganism offers a direct connection into the realm of spirit, an enchanted communion with deity.

   Lessons can be learned from these points, especially the need to listen to those who are struggling or having unusual encounters, and then to seek true and meaningful answers together. Counter positions could also be made, particularly regarding experiences, such as the fact that Christianity is primarily a trust in God irrespective of personal ecstasies, individual feelings, or supra-normal occurrences. That said, a Wiccan who was once a church youth leader writes, “Somehow Christianity has made the resurrection of Jesus – think about it for a second, it’s a guy coming back from the dead! – boring.”[1]

   Do we Christians sometimes hide our joy? Have we turned our faith into routine? Is there room for wonder and excitement?[2] Yes.

   As important as the Christian-to-Pagan question is, my research purposes included other dimensions: to better understand Pagan belief systems, to identify cultural intersections, to recognize new developments, and to observe how the community perceives itself. This meant listening and asking questions, and paying attention to recognized thought leaders such as Selena Fox, Starhawk, Jason Mankey, Patrick McCollum, Megan Rose, and others. Representatives from Llewellyn Publishing and Weiser Books were in attendance, offering insights into the arena of Pagan publishing– and by default, pointing to consumer trends and issues. Covens and fellowships hosted hospitality suites, providing points of contact for specific subcultures. Vendors sold books, ritual tools and wares of all sorts; the vendor space was buzzing with conversations. A daily newsletter was released with schedule notifications and tidbits of information, and tables were set up for the free distribution of literature. Moreover, the event itself was filled with activities, and most time blocks contained seven to ten listings; workshops, lectures and panel discussions, concerts, divinations, and rituals.

   Over four days I attended nineteen sessions, and I’ve included thoughts from each. It is my hope this will be beneficial in understanding the many facets of Paganism, allowing you to better grasp the changing religious culture.   

1. Opening Ritual.

   The opening was a time of acknowledgment and ceremony.

   Glenn Turner was thanked for her many years of service to the PantheaCon community. Indigenous tribal peoples were recognized as the first on the land, and ancient spirits were welcomed – including Persephone, goddess of the underworld – to guide and direct this gathering. The four directions were honored, and non-binary deities were invoked. One person reminded us that our divine Selves were being amplified. A circle was cast, and Glenn explained that its power was magnified beyond the room, encompassing the hotel and parking lot. She reminded everyone that Paganism is, by its character, a religion of nature – a spiritual connection to the Earth.

   After the ritual I had a conversation with two Witches on the topic of internal tensions. It was interesting to hear how this community reacts to the virtue signalling from within its own ranks. For example, I was told that the non-binary invocation was in response to trans-sexual complaints, along with the placing of “Gender Neutral” signs on most of the hotel’s main floor restrooms. It was explained that this was “clean up” from previous year’s dramas. Moreover, a substantial number of people were boycotting the event because of mishandled tensions and unresolved issues.

   Moments before the ritual began I counted over two hundred people in the room, and from what I understood, this was about 10% of the event’s total attendance – down from previous years, a reflection of the community’s discontent.

2. Poly-Pantheism: Evolving with the Gods.

   This workshop started by invoking the elements before inviting spiritual beings into the room. Individual members of the hosting coven talked of how they achieved personal gnosis by connecting to specific deities, including Aphrodite and Aries and Lucifer. Many of the coven members professed to being past Christians.

3. Circle for Planet Earth.

   Selena Fox, famed Nature Mystic and writer-activist, described this Circle as an Earth Day 50th Anniversary prep-event. It was based on a similar Circle she conducted at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, and so she asked who among us had attended the Parliament. In a room of fifty or sixty people, five or six hands went up, including my own.

   Songs and personal reflections filled the hour, reaffirming Mother Earth by recognizing the goddesses who represent her. Fox told us how she participated in the first Earth Day back in 1970, leading student activities on a college campus. So here, at this PantheaCon Circle, she led the group in an original Earth Day chant: “Think Global, Act Local… Think Global, Act Local…”

   We were repeatedly told we are all one with the Earth’s sacred soul.

4. Has Paganism Gone Mainstream?

   Short answer, yes.

   Much of this workshop focused on requests for Pagan chaplaincy services in hospitals and prisons. It was noted that Paganism in 2012 was the third fastest growing religion in the American prison system, and the need for Pagan outreach services has dramatically increased. This was followed by a lengthy discussion on community development: the importance of attaining land for communal and spiritual space (cemeteries, youth camps, temples), the current planning of a Pagan Credit Union, the need for seminaries and accredited training, the establishment of libraries and archives, and the necessity of creating Pagan-friendly social services and legal representation.

   It was also noted that many people in the general population are pagan-at-heart, but are not connected to – or don’t know about – the religious expressions of their worldview. In other words, large segments have accepted the perspective without formally associating the spiritual practice.

   Finally, the ongoing Christian influence within the military, prisons, and hospitals openly frustrated those in attendance. At the same time, one person recommended that successful Christian institutions be carefully studied. This person’s employment allows him to work closely with seminaries and church organizations, and he suggested Pagans needed to think about how Christian groups network and build infrastructure – then apply those lessons for their own growth.

5. The Passion of Aradia.

   Aradia is a folklore spirit made known through an 1899 text on an obscure, Italian Witchcraft-cult. Today she is described as the “Spirit of the Witch,” and this was how she was introduced at the Passion of Aradia. 

   Led by members of the Black Rose, a magical fellowship, the Passion was a ritual of ecstatic movement and breath-work set in a mood of anticipation and mystery. From my observation, the ritual demonstrated the power of guided imagination, stimulated experience, and the weight of reinforced suggestion. This doesn’t mean the ritual was without a spiritual element; with the exception of myself, those in the room were keenly interested in feeling a direct connection with Aradia, and were raising energy to that end. Nevertheless, these three elements – encouraged imagination, directed movement, and reinforced suggestion – when interconnected through a group dynamic, act as a powerful lever of transformation. In this setting, the resulting sensation of oneness solidified the central premise: that Aradia will guide our paths, and that all Witches are Aradia.

6. The Pagan Heart of the West. 

   This workshop was an overview of Pagan themes in Western civilization, with attention given to the French Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment. Historian Randy Conner, author of the multi-volume set The Pagan Heart of the West, told us that “the French Revolution was not atheist; it was Pagan.”

   Of special interest was the historical use of Isis iconography and her acceptance as a cult figure by European intellectuals, including how this bridged into Mary veneration within Catholicism. The American transcendental writers, it was also noted, were pagan at heart, expressing themes of immanence and holistic views of nature.

   The Christianization of European pagan cultures was discussed, including book burnings, banning of festivals, converting pagan temple sites into churches, and the politico-religious persecution of pagans. Furthermore, the injection of Christianity within pagan cultures had the effect of deconstructing pagan community identity, and at the same time a new form of Church folk-culture arose by assimilating pagan contexts.  

   I found this workshop to be very educational, compelling me to reconsider the social/religious forces that undergirded the Enlightenment.

7. Plethon: The First Neopagan.

   Plethon, born Georgius Gemistus, was a renowned Platonic philosopher who shaped the direction of the Renaissance. In this lecture he was recognized as the first neo-Pagan, as he labored to reconstruct a magic-nature framework based on Hellenistic concepts – a polytheistic theology with rituals, prayers, and a pagan calendar – and did this while living under the social-political context of Catholic rule.

   Led by Dr. John Opsopaus, this lecture explored the personal history of Plethon, his philosophical-esoteric roadmap, and his neo-Hellenistic cosmology. Suggestions were given for those who wished to pursue a course in magic using Plethon’s system. 

8. Qi Wan: A Chinese Reconstructionist Rite.

   This ritual was dedicated to Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, and to Gun Yam – also named Kuan Yin – the Chinese bodhisattva and goddess of compassion and mercy. While the acrobatic-martial arts aspect of this ritual was well executed in terms of performance, the overall event was disorganized and disheveled, due in large part to not having the room set up ahead of time.

   The purpose of this ritual was to “call upon the deities to use their powers for both the good of humanity and the planet, and to bring the two back into balance.”

9. Ego-Magical Activism.

   The description reads: “In this workshop, we’ll explore tools for personal practice, group ritual, and collective spell-work, as well as how to weave our magic into our activism and how to see our activism as a magical path.”

   Famed witch and author, Starhawk, led discussions and training exercises on eco-activism, including practicing protest responses to the police. Magical movements were performed, such as grounding and aura work – activities meant to relieve the stress of intense activism while empowering the practitioner.

   Magic was defined this way: The art of changing consciousness at will.

10. Reclaiming Warlock. 

   Led by Alexander James Adam, this event explored the meaning of warlock and its connotations. Before diving in, he set the stage by telling his life story, focusing on his family’s history of psychic abilities, and his female-to-male transition journey.

   His spiritual outlook was that of mental projection, the notion of gods and spiritual entities originating from the power of our minds. Later he added: “We are the divine, that’s the secret.”

   Warlock, it was explained that the word, originated from early Christianity and means someone who is an oath-breaker. This label was given to pagans who embraced the Christian message and converted, following the teachings of the church, but then reverted to their former pagan beliefs. Another possible meaning ascribed to it was “free agent of free will,” for magic at its source is “will” and “word.”

   It was ultimately hoped that the negative connotations surrounding this label would diminish, allowing it to become more culturally acceptable, similar to the perception change that has happened with the word “witch.”

11. Magick and Myths of the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

   A small group of Pagans traveled to northern Scotland, touring the country and stopping at castles, groves, and sacred places. For our benefit, we were treated to their travel slide show as they highlighted Scotland’s mystical places, natural beauty, and cultural history. 

12. EcoActivism & Climate Change.

   Selena Fox of Wisconsin’s Circle Sanctuary, Charlotte Bear – a Climate Reality Leader trained by Al Gore – and Andrew Bear of Extinction Rebellion inspired us to network, organize and take action.

   Fox said that this panel was an Earth Day 50th anniversary preparatory event, and encouraged us to create community rituals for eco-rights. Moreover, as a participant at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, she touted the importance of interfaith work, including reaching out to the Christian evangelical community. In this respect she highlighted Christian-based eco-activism, such as the “creation care” movement, and explained that alliances were forming with Christian groups under the banner of interfaithism. Andrew stated that the Evangelical Environmental Network was a positive step, and Charlotte told us about the Green Bible, noting that it countered the Christian “alt right,” “fascists,” and “religious fundamentalists.”

   Andrew suggested targeting people groups not normally associated with activism, specifically mentioning rural communities for the intent of building broader coalitions. Charlotte encouraged us to use personally compelling stories to create empathy when talking to those who are on the fence about climate change. And Selena reminded us to phone public officials as the call goes on record; if enough calls are made, it gives the impression that a large base of support exists within the voting jurisdiction.

   Charlotte and Andrew reminded us that the eco-centric perspective – the heart of Paganism – is a fast growing worldview with a purpose, that of saving the planet. As Selena said: “We are doing eco-ministry.”

13. A Goddess for Every Need: Divine Feminine in Ancient Near East.

   Archeologist Jehon Grist gave a detailed lecture on goddesses in the ancient Near East, including Isis and Hathor in Egypt, and Inanna in Mesopotamia. His talk focused on the syncretistic nature of goddess worship, how attributes and traits culturally migrated, and their morphological influence across the region. The inherent concepts of fertility and divine sexuality were expounded, and special mention was made regarding the symbolism of trees.

   Upon demonstrating cross-cultural goddess worship within the Near East, the lecture turned to the Old Testament and a looming question: Did Yahweh have a wife?

   Dr. Grist argued that Asherah was the bride of Yahweh. As a Semitic goddess, Asherah was the consort of the Ugaritic supreme deity El, and as Grist contended, this divine union was eventually transferred into the Hebrew belief system – and then edited out of Scripture. In making his case, Grist pointed to select Old Testament passages such as 1 Kings 11:5, an acknowledgment that Solomon pursued the goddess, albeit as a negative development. Proverbs 3:13-19 and Proverbs 8:22-9:1 were considered in light of “Asheratah” inscriptions from archeological sites, and Hebrew cult artifacts were used to show the worship of a divine Mother figure.

   The professor’s talk was well put together, and his argument was clearly received favorably by the audience; nevertheless, other Near East and Biblical scholars have soundly critiqued the notion of a union between Yahweh and Asherah – it doesn’t stand up under academic scrutiny. But Grist was correct in that the Hebrew people worshipped the goddess in various forms. Indeed, a major Old Testament theme is Israel’s syncretistic and idolatrous worship, and Yahweh’s plea to faithfully return to Him.

   The response from Grist’s audience was, in some ways, more important than the subject itself. Keep in mind that many Pagans have a church background or Christian upbringing, and Grist acknowledged his own Christian past. As comments from the audience indicated, this Yahweh-Asherah argument bolstered their religious choice. Here, finally, was proof that Judeo-Christian monotheism was pagan at its core, thus justifying their own path.

14. Cerridwen – Witch, Muse, Goddess. 

   Druid Chief, Kristoffer Hughes, is a popular speaker with a colorful style that holds your attention, so it wasn’t surprising the large room filled quickly. His topic was Cerridwen, the Welsh heroine who, through cultural apotheosis, is now venerated as a goddess. Hughes explained that while she is renowned worldwide, even generating excitement on the US west coast, Cerridwen is little remembered in present-day Wales.

   Besides the remarkable story of how Cerridwen has been perceived, Hughes dropped important nuggets regarding the question of Pagan authenticity, a very relevant topic as the community is wrestling with its lack of roots. As Hughes explained, it’s not about upholding an authentic Pagan lineage – the search for historic credibility – but about honoring the past, being inspired by it, and then creating your own experience now.

   Cerridwen, Hughes elucidated, was more than just a lady of mystery steeped in ancient lore and mythic tradition – she was and is the journey, a path to apotheosis, a realization of divinity.

15. Ancient Greek Heroes and the Initiatory Quest. 

   This lecture pealed back layers of meaning found within Greek mythology, and was led by author and artist Daniel Gautier. His view of the Logos was of central importance; that the Logos is the “seed-pattern” for all things, the “fundamental principle of order and knowledge in the universe.” It is thus the ultimate template, the foundation of form, of thought and reason, of law, knowledge and meaning.

   Gautier’s approach included Jungian psychology and symbolism, finding interpretative parallels with the Kabalistic Tree of Life, and points of contact with Yogic spiritual teachings. The primary point of this lecture was to employ Greek mythology in the quest for personal transformation, to discover the Logos within you.

16. Getting Straight With Spirit.

   Some personal background is important to understanding this talk.

   Like so many who embrace Paganism, the speaker of this workshop was raised in a Christian home. His childhood was marked by intense and terrifying paranormal encounters, prophetic and reoccurring dreams, and spirit visitations. But as he explained, being raised Baptist and attending a private Christian school with a pre-ordered view of reality, “I clearing wasn’t going to tell the church about this.”

   His high-school years were completed in a public setting, and soon he took a personality test plotting gender identity and partner preference. The results closely aligned with androgynous. Later he had an unusual spiritual experience leading him to gender-identify with his spirit, and not his physical body.

  After reading Witchcraft books in his teenage years, he stepped into the Feri Tradition, which remains his Pagan home. Hence, Feri origin cosmology was shared with the group, as this underscored our discussion: Before time began, the divine s/he – “God Herself” – looked upon the void curvature of space and saw her own reflective beauty. As the deity and image embraced in an act of “holy lust,” her orgasm burst forth a stream of creative energy that birthed the physical universe and the realm of spirit – including Shining Ones and humankind. Sprit and matter are, therefore, nothing other than fractals of “God Herself.”

   Both the speaker’s personal history and Feri cosmology formed the basis of this workshop. How is gender culturally understood? Why does spirit “need gender”? How are we interconnected? The tension over gender politics, it was understood, was a positive sign; Society is breaking the old to refashion a new reality – a necessary move to achieve final Oneness.

   The Biblical narrative, primarily the Genesis account, was also briefly explored in the Q&A. Because of the Christian background of many Pagans, some having a comprehensive knowledge of Scripture, there is an interest in approaching the Bible through a symbolic restructuring; that is, the re-interpretation of Biblical stories through the Pagan lens of polarity and union, myth and continuity.

  The final takeaway was this: As humanity discards the gender binary we move into a new phase of evolution. And as we dissolve our gender, freeing ourselves from the bonds of separation, so Mankind will be liberated and advance when we become One with Beings of Light, with Faeri and Angels. Then, as these sentient species blend, We return to “God Herself” as the Divine-Androgyny. 

   Gender fluidity thus becomes an experiential quest in the Oneness of All.

17. Altered States of Paganism. 

   This was an open discussion on psychedelics and its intersection with Paganism. Each person in the room shared why they were interested in the subject, and this revealed a diversity of experiences and knowledge; recreational use, ayahuasca and Santo Daime, micro-dosing for peak performance, spiritual discovery, and self-medicating to combat depression. Only a handful had no personal history of psychedelic usage, but for those in this camp, there was recognition that psychedelics has now entered a renaissance phase with serious cultural ramifications.

   Discussions included legal problems of using psychedelics, medical and mental health dangers, finding the right dose and setting (protocols), and how psychedelics might be employed in Pagan practices. It was also noted that psychedelics – “plant medicine” – has been at the core of many indigenous Pagan traditions.  

18. Spirit Marriage: Cultivating a Bonded Relationship with Spirits.

   Spirit marriage is exactly what it sounds like, a contractual union between a non-human spiritual entity (sometimes multiple entities) and a human being. The person leading this workshop, Dr. Megan Rose – a former Pentecostal now of the Faery Faith tradition – talked about her own spirit marriage, including how it occurred and challenges in the relationship. It was admitted, matter-of-factly, that spirit marriage is an act of possession wherein the spirit feels and experiences through the person, and may even re-wire the host’s brain and nervous system.

   Rose, who has interviewed others in spirit marriages, gave examples of unions from Hindu and neo-Pagan contexts. It was noted that almost always it’s the spirit deity who initiates the relationship, choosing the person who it wishes to enter a bonded contract with. While entering a spirit marriage was described as voluntary, it was explained that to refuse the spirit’s proposal is often detrimental to the person. The implication was to accept the relationship but to negotiate boundaries.

   Five themes emerged:

1. The importance of community: A public affirmation of co-participation, including vows and mechanisms of support, giving the community and “couple” a sense of greater relational value and integrity (it takes a human/spiritual village).  
2. Sovereignty via surrender: Personal sacrifices may be necessary – personality traits, material possessions, relationships – as the marriage makes new demands. In turn, the person will be remade in the spirit’s image, and thus become empowered.
3. Sexuality and divine union: A deeper sexual experience is reported as the indwelling spirit partakes in the union – “making love to a spirit is a way to revitalize the body, making it a temple of divine awakening.”
4. Co-creation and conscious evolution: The person’s consciousness is expanded, almost moving beyond the human, and thus experiencing an evolutionary change that enhances extrasensory perception and psychic capacity.
5. Entheosis: Awakening the Divine Self, the birthright of all people.

19. Closing Ritual.

   Before the closing ritual commenced, I had a fascinating talk with two Witches regarding the social stresses underlying this event. These tensions, it was explained to me, extend beyond PantheaCon, reaching into covens and orders. However, as PantheaCon had allegedly mishandled sensitive issues in the past – LGBTQ concerns, white supremacy from the Heathen community, exclusion of certain individuals – this year’s attendance was down significantly, and the energy of the event was lagging compared to other years.

   The ritual itself was a reversal of the opening invocation. Songs were sung, the powers of the four directions were acknowledged, and those spirits who were previously asked to inhabit the conference were thanked and released.

   Glenn Turner was publicly recognized for guiding the event over its 26-year history, and it was announced that a new conference would be built on the foundation of PantheaCon. We were told that Between The Veils would host the next iteration in 2021, but that the event be changed and re-named as “A Convention for the Otherworldly.”

—————-

   I left PantheaCon with much to think about; the troubling nature of the Christian-Pagan switch, gender identity and spiritual dynamics, interplay within the environmental movement, the potency of human-spirit relationships, growth pains and tensions within the community, the search for authenticity and experiential validation, and the reach and scope of the worldview exchange now underway in the Western world.

   Indeed, we are living in a Romans 1 reality, the intentional exchange of the creation for the Creator.       

 Endnotes:

[i] Jason Mankey, Transformative Witchcraft: The Greater Mysteries (Llewellyn Publications, 2019), p.2.

[ii] I see within the song of King David (2 Samuel 22) a transforming model of wonder, joy, excitement and grandeur – an outpouring of worship we can appreciate in considering the finished work of Jesus Christ.