Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans, and Witches Today

Note: I didn't do a chapter by chapter review as it seemed unnecessary as each chapter comprises an interview with a subject and a blow by blow would be repetitive

I read Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans and Witches Today by Ellen Evert Hopman and Lawrence Bond. The title is rather outdated, even though this edition was published in 2002 (which to be fair is still almost ten years ago) it seems that almost nothing was updated compared to the original publication in 1996. For instance several of the interviews touch on then current issues or litigation that the respondents were involved in and no end note is included regarding the final outcome. There are some notes but most seem to have been added for the original publication and often leave the final outcome unknown. This isn’t a crippling stumbling block in the age of the internet where a simple web search and some ‘google-fu’ will likely come up with an answer. Still, the omission is jarring.

The work does provide a useful (though it's lack of an update casts a questionable shadow over how useful) overview and survey of then-current groups, movements, and thinking regarding a respectably disparate selection of Pagan 'society'. 

Further, while the information and interviews are interesting as excerpts of recent neopagan history many of those interviewed have passed away, retired, or changed their stances on certain aspects.

 

Basically, the value of the book would be immensely enhanced by either an updated version or a completely new follow up work.  As is, it provides a valuable snapshot of the pagan community in the early/mid 1990s – however, considering that I am nearly thirty and was in grade school at the time of the interviews it is clear that a follow up is desperately needed.

 

For instance Cherry Hill seminary isn’t mentioned and some of the organizations that are – Circle Sanctuary for one – have changed their structure and goals quite drastically since the production of the work. Such maturations and changes are inevitable particularly in a reasonably small and growing religious community fraught with disparate goals and ideologies. The evolution and progression of these organizations and communities could be an invaluable historical example for us to learn from. But, only if someone follows up on this work with more information from the current community.

 

Another aspect of the work that was distracting was the clear bias (positively) of the interviewers towards some of the subjects. For instance the excitement the interviewer expresses toward the section dealing with Feri and its founder/mentor  Victor Anderson – an interview wherein his responses were largely circular and tangential to the question asked (apparently his usual M.O.) – was distracting particularly as the rear of the book sets it up as an expose of modern (if  15 years out of date is modern) paganism and pagan leaders. While it is understandable that some of the interviewed subjects would strike closer to home or be of more interest to the interviewer this bias should have been edited to a minimal presence or noted in the opening of the section

 

The questions and rhythm of the interviews were also repetitive and didn’t delve into great depth on several subjects possibly indicating further bias by the interviewer (or perhaps even the editing process as the book is certainly not lightweight). This repetition forced me to pause in the reading of the work and take a break to renew my interest in the questions as otherwise I found myself skimming the interviews rather than reading with any real interest.

 

One of the more interesting sections dealt with the modern concept and role of a sacred prostitute, a juxtaposition of terms pretty alien to our Judeo-Christian/western European culture.  There are two interviews with such self-proclaimed prostitutes, a performance artist and former prostitute and porn star, Annie Sprinkle, and D’vora a sacred prostitute that has on occasions lead religiously focused orgies and other sexual rites.  To the credit of the interviewer and editor/s these interviews are conducted with bold honesty and no judgment evident.

 

All in all it is a valuable text and starting point for anyone honestly curious about the inception and growth of modern American paganism but suffers from a badly needed lack of updates. Perhaps in future the editors and authors would be willing or able to produce a follow up book or a new edition to continue documenting this unfolding movement. Or perhaps a young anthropology/religious studies graduate student will tackle this complex topic for a thesis? Whatever the case the work is still of value though I can't help but wonder how much we're missing by neglecting the topic and it's progression and evolution over these last years.

Hopman, E. , & Bond, L. (2002). Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans, and Witches today. Rochester, Vermont: Destiny Books.