17 Mar 2006
Students Flock to Seminaries, but Fewer See Pulpit in Future

This really highlights a subtle, but interesting, difference between larger religions, such as Christianity, Islam or even Hinduism, and smaller movements, such as Heathenry.

Not having "professional" clergy, the Heathen clergy that I know all work another job - from the assembly line or the cash register to tenured professor and electrical engineer. We're structurally different in other ways, too. Most Heathen kindreds have at least two, if not three, "clergy" persons (the goði, or priest, the gyðia, or priestess and the Lawspeaker, who serves as a stand in goði and also as the 'president' or secular head of the group. All are generally considered equals - there are no "associate pastors", so to speak, along the ancient paths.

There's always been quite the debate in Heathen circles about the need for professional clergy, too. Some see it as an intrusive custom from the East, best left with the monotheists, while others feel that without it, we'll never be a "real" religion.

I guess I fall somewhere along that spectrum: as commonly thought of a "Heathen pastor" is a contradiction in terms. But at some point we need to develop some sort institutional leadership paradigm that somewhat analogous to the "parish ministry", especially as we grow. I know that if I had the time and cash (that is, if I were to win the lottery), I'd like to get myself to a public university for a degree in Indo-European Studies and give it a shot...

Protestant seminaries' enrollment is up, but a larger portion of the graduates are interested in taking their religion into other careers.

(link) [New York Times]

00:00 /Asatru | 2 comments | permanent link