Patheos

BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Patheos

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

johnbeckett

polytheism

Select a Category Books Community CUUPS Druidry Foundations and Context Gods and Goddesses Magic Myth Nature Ritual Spiritual Practice Theology Travel Uncategorized Videos

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

February 2016

February 02, 2016

The Future of Pagan Leadership

Paganism will continue to grow in both breadth and depth. The question, then, is “how...

January 2016

January 28, 2016

Nine Things I Think

Nine Things I Think: Denton CUUPS’ first circle since the fire, Pantheacon plans, Many Gods...

January 26, 2016

An Imbolc Meditation

As we celebrate Imbolc, let us use this cold, slow time of the year to...

January 24, 2016

What’s Wrong With Asking For a Miracle?

Magic can make the improbable more likely, but it can’t do the impossible. Rather than...

January 21, 2016

Believing in the Postman

Terry Pratchett said believing in the Gods is like believing in the postman. He was...

January 19, 2016

Building Polytheist Culture

We’re building polytheist religions on purpose. But we’re building polytheist culture by chance – it’s...

January 12, 2016

How The Gods Give Me Meaning

Those who claim “you can’t be good without God” are wrong, period. There are many...

January 10, 2016

Beginning a Devotional Practice

There is no substitute for a consistent, reverent, devotional practice. Start small: pick one or...

January 03, 2016

4 Steps to a Deeper Pagan Practice

While much of life returns to normal starting tomorrow, there’s still something not-quite-ordinary about the...

December 2015

December 28, 2015

Top 10 Posts of 2015

Thank you for all your support this year. Here are the top ten post of...

December 22, 2015

The 4 Best Posts of 2015 You Didn’t Read

While I’ve come to accept that sometimes the Pagan community just doesn’t care about something...

December 17, 2015

Solstice Morning at Newgrange

If Newgrange is to have meaning for us beyond historical curiosity, it will not be...

December 15, 2015

Eight Years of Useless Religion

All any religious writer or speaker can do is say “here it is if you’re...

December 13, 2015

It’s Not All The Same And That’s OK

Articulating religious differences is not an insult. I don’t have to affirm your beliefs and...

December 10, 2015

Stonehenge: Imagining the Winter Solstice

How can Stonehenge not grab our attention? It stands there on the Salisbury Plain, silently...

December 08, 2015

Polytheism Is Theism!

Some people see the depth and meaning in polytheism, and they feel the call of...

December 06, 2015

Deep Magic

Deep magic is the way the world works, not in some quasi-scientific, oversimplified cause-and-effect way,...

December 03, 2015

Comforting Religion, Challenging Religion

There is a place for religion that comforts, soothes, and heals. But there is also...

December 01, 2015

What Are We Not Seeing?

Those who would control us don’t have to enslave us. It’s much easier to simply...

November 2015

November 29, 2015

Worshipping Fearsome Gods – Video

Here’s the video from the "Worshipping Fearsome Gods" Sunday service at Pathways UU on November...

November 24, 2015

How Do You Know You’re on the Right Path?

In the moment I never know if I’m doing the right thing or not. It’s...

November 22, 2015

Worshipping Fearsome Gods

The many Gods of our ancient ancestors include deities of chaos, death, and other unpleasant...

November 19, 2015

I’m Thankful For The Pagan Community

As you gobble your turkey and say your prayers of gratitude next Thursday, remember to...

November 17, 2015

Two Books to Shift Your Approach to Paganism

Two short reviews of two short books: Sacred Gifts by Kirk Thomas and Irish Paganism...

November 15, 2015

Symposium

Part of being Pagan is re-creating the customs of our ancient ancestors. On Saturday evening,...

November 10, 2015

Our Pagan Religions Are Never Settled

Our religious debates will never end. And contrary to what those of us who are...

November 03, 2015

Feri Seekers and the Ivy League Syndrome

Over 94% of the people who want to go to Harvard don’t get in. So...

November 01, 2015

Sore Quadriceps and the Reality of Pagan Priesthood

This is the reality of Pagan priesthood – it’s a lot of work. Not just...

October 2015

October 22, 2015

Must Paganism Be Transgressive?

Some Pagan traditions – most notably Witchcraft – are inherently transgressive, but there’s more than...

October 20, 2015

This Land Is Your Land

This land is your land. Not in the sense of ownership but in the sense...

Related posts from John Beckett

Family

The Pillar of the Boatmen: the Ancient Monument...

John Beckett

Family

I Think I’ve Been Hexed

John Beckett

Family

The Vampire Films of Jean Rollin

John Beckett

Family

The Fear of Witchcraft

John Beckett

Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube