In John Beckett’s second book, the Patheos Pagan blogger goes deeper into many of his familiar topics. Beckett is a Druid, former leader of Denton CUUPS, teacher, and priest of Cernunnos and druid on retainer for the Morrigan. Paganism in depth talks about being a polytheist in a Christian dominated country, devotion to our gods, and paying the bills while deepening pagan practice.
I have been an avid reader of Beckett’s blog for several years, and I was eager to pick up his new book. Fans of his blog will not be disappointed. While he covers topics familiar to long time readers, this doesn’t feel like a best of blog posts. There is a little bit of repetition, and it is clear some chapters started life as blog posts, but the book feels inspired by rather than a repackaging of his blog.
Paganism in Depth is an intermediate book aimed at those who have gotten over the is this for me? Oh shit what have I gotten into hurdle. I would call Beckett a modern pagan theologian, although he does not consider himself a philosopher. While his path is druid this book is directed at the big tent of paganism.
The books greatest flaw is also its strength. Paganism in depth talks about concepts in depth, but doesn’t have a ritual outline or spell oil recipe. It is a guide for where to find more information as one deepens their pagan practice and needs to study beyond 101 material, but doesn’t include that material itself. That would be an impossible task.
While this book is short, it is immensely valuable. I would consider Becket to be one of a very few writers who speaks to a general pagan audience. Most of the other pagan writers I respect discuss a specific tradition or gods. Anyone who follows his blog will know he is a gifted author who is skilled in grounding spirituality in real world terms. I highly recommend this book for a pagan who feels stuck, not sure where to go next in their practice, or anyone who has read up on what the Sabbats and elements are and want to go beyond that.