John Beckett’s recent post on why Pagan groups are cash poor left me thinking I should talk about the role of pagan clergy. Most pagans are converts, and many grew up Christian or at least with an idea of a hierarchical clergy. Pagan groups aren’t organized on the same lines, and I want to talk about how the role of clergy can often be different.
First of all, it is very rare for pagan clergy to make their living exclusively from being clergy. At the most income wise it is a side gig or (maybe) covers expenses. Outstanding pagan clergy see their role as a calling, and don’t want to prevent anyone from the spiritual help they need because of money.
If pagans want full time pagan clergy we’re going to have to get together to build the institutions needed to support it. Until then, help out as much as you can to cover the expenses and work needed in whatever group you’re in. If you don’t have much money, here are some ideas for helping.
However, if you take a historical perspective it wasn’t always expected that being a pagan clergy was a full time job. I suspect part of the reason Hellenist/Thelemic/ Roman rituals were so formal and elaborate was because those cultures had a learned priestly class. Those were complex and hierarchical societies that had institutions of tax collection and the like to support a priestly class. However, those services were probably not available to the masses. Celts had Druids, bards, and Ovates, and while there may not have been formal institutions there was a strict social code of hospitality. Heathen often lacked a separate priestly class, and many religious functions were performed by leaders of the community.
There are two types of clergy:
- Those that perform spiritual work for the community. Tasks like officiate religious ceremonies, provide instruction and assistance for spiritual growth. They can also help interpret and verify spiritual messages as well as experiences.
- Be devoted to their god’s agenda. Either by spreading their god’s virtues or in service to them.
I am not including magick practitioners or diviners. Yes, these are religious functions, and some clergy are skilled in them as well, but they are skills. One can be a very good diviner without devoting oneself to a particular god. It is also possible to be skilled at understanding and relaying messages without being bound to the message sender. Although if a god really wants to send a message they will often shakedown their devotees to tell another devotee.
There are also Pagan leaders that don’t fall under the definition of clergy. These are the people active in running things like the local Pagan Pride or various pan pagan events. For the most part, these are run by volunteers.
It is fully possible to be both types, but more often people are one more than the other. The first is taking a role to serve the community at large, and be a leader. The second is to serve a particular deity or virtue. Which role isn’t anything about how devoted one is to their gods. Its about whether they will save others and not just their gods. (Although sometimes the service the god wants is to care for other followers. Like I said, it does get blurry.) It is a hard role, that requires many sacrifices. Not everyone who is devoted to a god is prepared or able to serve the community role.
But what really makes Pagan clergy different is that even those in the role of serving the community are not the seat of authority. This can be good and bad. In paganism, a spiritual leader is far more a guide than an authoritarian. A good religious leader helps people deepen their spirituality and finds the way that works for them, while advising them away from what might be less than helpful. They are one voice, which is hopefully wiser, more experienced, and more knowledgeable. They are also the ones willing to do the spiritual work that is needed, even at great cost to them.