The Gnostic Celtic Church

The Gnostic Celtic Church
Author: John Michael Greer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2013-04
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 9781939790057

The GCC has chosen to establish what was once called a regular clergy, as distinct from a secular clergy-that is to say, something much closer to monks than to ministers. This was the core model for clergy in the old Celtic Church in Ireland, Wales, Brittany, and other Celtic nations, in the days before the Roman papacy imposed its rule on the lands of Europe's far west. Members of the Celtic clergy were monks first and foremost, living lives focused on service to the Divine rather than the needs of a congregation, and those who functioned as priests for local communities did so as a small portion of a monastic lifestyle that embraced many other dimensions. In all Gnostic traditions, personal religious experience is the goal that is set before each aspirant and the sole basis on which questions of a religious nature can be answered-certain teachings have been embraced as the core values from which the Gnostic Celtic Church as an organization derives its broad approach to spiritual issues. Those core teachings may be summarized in the words "Gnostic, Universalist, and Pelagian" which are described in this book.

The Viking Serpent

The Viking Serpent
Author: Harald Boehlke
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2007-05
Genre: Celtic Church
ISBN: 9781412097550

If you care for the truth then prepare for a journey through murder, mystery and intrigue, the likes of which the world rarely sees.

Jesus Through Pagan Eyes

Jesus Through Pagan Eyes
Author: Mark Townsend
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2012-06-08
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 073873165X

For Pagans and Christians alike, Jesus Through Pagan Eyes offers a provocative portrait ofJesus—as a compassionate, life-affirming, nature-inspired spiritual teacher, freed from the limiting ideology of the Church. Rev. Mark Townsend sets the stage by exploring the historical evidence of who Jesus was as a human being before delving into the realm of metaphor and mythology, the notion of Christ, and the Church's conception of Jesus as Christ. The heart of this unique book lies in the thoughtful and deeply moving collection of stories, essays, and interviews about Jesus from today's most respected Pagan, Wiccan, and Druidic leaders. Contributors such as Maxine Sanders, Christopher Penczak, Janet Farrar, Diana Paxson, Philip Carr-Gomm, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, John Michael Greer, Selena Fox, and Raven Grimassi explore the historical figure of Jesus in relation to Witchcraft, the tarot, goddess worship, and shamanism—while illustrating how this god of the Christian church blesses and inspires those who embrace non-traditional spiritual paths. Whether you envision Jesus as an ascended master, a human teacher, or a mythic god-man, this remarkable book will introduce you to a Jesus who fits fully into the Pagan imagination. Praise: "Townsend uses Jesus to initiate dialogue, and he does so in way that is accepting and inclusive of many understandings and interpretations of Jesus, his purpose, and his relevance (or irrelevance) in the religious practices of contemporary Pagans."—Huffington Post "This work admirably promotes understanding between belief systems that have a sometimes uneasy relationship."—Publishers Weekly

Not in His Image (15th Anniversary Edition)

Not in His Image (15th Anniversary Edition)
Author: John Lamb Lash
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 471
Release: 2021-09-18
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 164502136X

“Lash is capable of explaining the mind-bending concepts of Gnosticism and pagan mystery cults with bracing clarity and startling insight. . . . [His] arguments are often lively and entertaining.”—Los Angeles Times Fully revised and with a new preface by the author, this timely update is perfect for readers of The Immortality Key. Since its initial release to wide acclaim in 2006, Not in His Image has transformed the lives of readers around the world by presenting the living presence of the Wisdom Goddess as never before revealed, illustrating that the truth of an impactful Gnostic message cannot be hidden or destroyed. With clarity, author John Lamb Lash explains how a little-known messianic sect propelled itself into a dominant world power, systematically wiping out the great Gnostic spiritual teachers, the Druid priests, and the shamanistic healers of Europe and North Africa. Early Christians burned libraries and destroyed temples in an attempt to silence the ancient truth-tellers and keep their own secrets. Not in His Image delves deeply into ancient Gnostic writings to reconstruct the story early Christians tried to scrub from the pages of history, exploring the richness of the ancient European Pagan spirituality—the Pagan Mysteries, the Great Goddess, Gnosis, the myths of Sophia and Gaia. In the 15th Anniversary Edition, Lash doubles down on his original argument against redemptive ideology and authoritarian deceit. He shows how the Gnostics clearly foresaw the current program of salvation by syringe, and places the Sophianic vision of life centrally in the battle to expose and oppose the evil agenda of transhumanism, making this well-timed update more relevant than ever. “Sometimes a book changes the world. Not in His Image is such a book. It is clear, stimulating, well-researched, and sure to outrage the experts. . . . Get it. Improve not just your own life, but civilization’s chances for survival.”—Roger Payne, author of Among Whales

The Druid Magic Handbook

The Druid Magic Handbook
Author: John Michael Greer
Publisher: Weiser Books
Total Pages: 302
Release: 2008-02-01
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1609251512

The first and only Druidic book of spells, rituals, and practice. The Druid Magic Handbook is the first manual of magical practice in Druidry, one of the fastest growing branches of the Pagan movement. The book breaks new ground, teaching Druids how to practice ritual magic for practical and spiritual goals within their own tradition. What sets The Druid Magic Handbook apart is that it does not require the reader to use a particular pantheon or set of symbols. Although it presents one drawn from Welsh Druid tradition, it also shows the reader how to adapt rites and other practices to fit the deities and symbols most meaningful to them. This cutting edge system of ritual magic can be used by Druids, Pagans, Christians, and Thelemites alike! This is the first manual of Druidic magical practice ever, replete with spell work and rituals.

Druidry Handbook

Druidry Handbook
Author: John Michael Greer
Publisher: Weiser Books
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2021-04-01
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1633412245

The classic guide to living a spiritual life rooted in Celtic antiquity and revived to meet the challenges of contemporary life. Druidry offers people a path of harmony through reconnection with the green Earth. The Druidry Handbook is the first hands-on manual of traditional British druid practice that explores the Sun Path of seasonal celebration, the Moon Path of meditation, and the Earth Path of living in harmony with nature as tools for crafting an Earth-honoring life here and now. From ritual and meditation to nature awareness and ecological action, John Michael Greer opens the door to a spirituality rooted in the living Earth. Featuring a mix of philosophy, rituals, spiritual practice, and lifestyle issues, The Druidry Handbook is an essential guide for those seriously interested in practicing a traditional form of druidry. It offers equal value to eclectics and solitary practitioners eager to incorporate more Earth-based spirituality into their own belief system.

The Druid's Book of Ceremonies, Prayers and Songs

The Druid's Book of Ceremonies, Prayers and Songs
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2021-06-21
Genre:
ISBN: 9781734345629

The Druid's Book of Ceremonies, Songs, and Prayers represents a collection of 35 distinct ceremonies, prayers, chants, blessings, recognitions, and meditations created by members of the modern druid community. These materials may be used by individuals, groups, and groves to enhance their practice and connect with the living earth. The book is pan-druid in nature, thus, these materials that may be of use by anyone following a druid or nature-based spiritual path. The collection includes songs and chants with musical notation, that represent joy and connection. It also offers a wide range of poems and prayers for everything from connecting to the seasons to honoring nature. Poetry and prayer may be used on their own or worked into other aspects of ritual or daily practice. Rituals include coming of age and recognizing life passages, honoring the trees and the earth, honoring the self, and experiencing the world around us. Meditations include guided meditations and calendars for the moon, tree meditations, and forest bathing. The contributions to this collection show us remarkable pluralism, resilience, and sustainability at the center of our growing spiritual network. Our collection represents the diversity of the Druid tradition, and nearly everyone who practices Druidry will be able to find inspiration within these pages.

After the New Testament

After the New Testament
Author: Bart D. Ehrman
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 488
Release: 1999
Genre: Religion
ISBN:

The remarkable diversity of Christianity during the formative years of the first three centuries has become a plain, even natural, "fact" for most ancient historians. However, until now there has been no source book of primary texts that reveals the many varieties of Christian beliefs, practices, ethics, experiences, confrontations, and self-understandings. To help readers recognize and experience the rich diversity of the early Christian movement, After the New Testament provides a wide range of texts, both "orthodox" and "heterodox". It includes such works as the Apostolic Fathers, the writings of Nag Hammadi, early pseudepigrapha, martyrologies, anti-Jewish tractates, heresiologies, canon lists, church orders, Liturgical texts, and theological treatises. In addition, rather than including only fragments of texts, this collection provides substantial sections -- entire documents wherever possible -- organized under social and historical rubrics.

The Druid Revival Reader

The Druid Revival Reader
Author: John Michael Greer
Publisher: Lorian Press
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2011-07
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 9780983742203

In the midst of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment, a handful of British intellectuals turned their backs on the social and cultural trends of their time and set out to reinvent the spirituality of the ancient Druids. The movement that rose out of this effort played a central role in struggles for cultural identity in most of the Celtic nations of Europe, provided inspiration to such world-class creative talents as William Blake and Frank Lloyd Wright, and inspired an innovative tradition of Western nature spirituality that remains active to this day. The Druid Revival Reader provides the first collection of original writings from that movement. Its selections, beginning with William Stukeley's survey of Druid theology from 1743 and ending with Ross Nichols' 1947 essay "An Examination of Creative Myth," cover two centuries in the life of an evolving tradition. Edited and introduced by contemporary Druid John Michael Greer, The Druid Revival Reader is essential for understanding the sources of modern Druid and Pagan traditions, and offers a wealth of insights relevant to the ecological and spiritual crises of our own time.