New Academic Journal ‘Correspondences’ to print 1st Issue in June 2013

Editors: Jimmy Elwing and Aren Roukema

A new academic journal on the study of Western esotericism, Correspondences is a new, biannual online journal devoted to the academic study of Western esotericism. The journal seeks to create a public academic forum devoted to discussion and exposition of issues and currents in the field commonly known as ‘Western esotericism.’ The editors acknowledge that the use of “Western esotericism” as an umbrella term for a widely variant field of alternate scientific and religious ideas is problematic. Thus, articles related to esoteric currents from other global cultural centres may be accepted if a connection to alternative currents in “western culture” is implicitly established. The following list of areas of study is provided for clarification:

Alchemy, Anthroposophy, Astrology, Eco-spirituality, Esotericism in art, literature, and music, Freemasonry, Geomancy, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Illuminism, Initiatory secret societies, Kabbalah, Magic, Mesmerism, Mysticism, Naturphilosophie, Neo-paganism, New Age, Occultism, Occulture, Paracelsianism, Rosicrucianism, Satanism, Spiritualism, Theosophy, Traditionalism, Ufology, Witchcraft.

Correspondences intends to promote a wide forum of interdisciplinary debate regarding such areas of study, and therefore does not require academic credentials as a prerequisite for publication. Students and non-affiliated academics are encouraged to join established researchers in submitting insightful, well-researched articles that offer new ideas, positions, or information to the field.

Call for Papers

We are currently accepting book reviews (max. 1500 words) and articles (5000-10000 words) for our first issue. The deadline for submission is February 28. Following a peer-review process, the first issue will be published June 1, 2013. Manuscripts should be submitted as per our submission guidelines, available at www.correspondencesjournal.com. Please send your manuscript and any enquiries to submissions@correspondencesjournal.com.

NEW: Survey

At long last! If you identify with a pagan belief system and have a library in your community, please take a moment to complete this questionnaire about how you as a Pagan Patron have used your local library.

SURVEY: Pagans Using the Library

A link to this survey has also been added to the website’s left side-bar.

This is a annotated version of the complete questionnaire originating from my graduate research proposal. In the future I will be looking to make the full survey available online which will include questions about the survey takers demographic background and general library use. This annotated version is limited to a quota of 1,000 individuals.

Please spread the word about this survey to other Pagans!

If you have any additional feedback or testimonials after completing the questionnaire, please do not hesitate to contact me at:

pagan.librarian [at] gmail.com

Whitmore’s “Trials” takes on Hutton’s “Triumph”

A new book is raising quite a stir of discussion about author/historian credibility, sources used and critiques within Pagan Academic circles. Written by Ben Whitmore, Trials of the Moon: Reopening the Case for Historical Witchcraft is an examination of the esteemed Ronald Hutton’s own Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft.

Regardless of whichever book you read or side with, the exercise of Whitmore’s book is warmly welcomed. Though there’s no question in my mind Hutton has done more than his fair share of research, Whitmore’s book will remind us not to take anything from any author as a discussion or debate end-all. Why? Because research and history are still entities that can be (uniquely) interpreted in any number of ways.

Max Dashu on her blog Veleda (http://www.sourcememory.net/veleda) has reviewed Whitmore’s book. Her review, titled “Reopening the Case for Historical Witchcraft” is well-worth the read, as are both Trials and Triumph.

Review: I’m Spiritual, Dammit!

Title: I’m Spiritual, Dammit!

Author: Jenniffer Weigel

ISBN: 978-1-57174-634-4

Pub Date: 2010

Format: Trade Paperback, 194 pgs

Rating (Out of 5):

Disclaimer: Book was provided for free by Red Wheel/Weiser Books for unpaid review. As the author of this review, I declare I am not agent or employee of Red Wheel/Weiser Books or any other publishing house or wholesale distributor.

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I’ll admit: one of the reasons I was interested in this book was because of the title.

Nonfiction by virtue of being a memoir or sharing of memories, Jenniffer Weigel’s I’m Spiritual, Dammit! is a light conversational read. Weigel’s tone sets up her reader to feel as though they are sitting with an good friend over a cup of coffee (or tea) and exchanging stories of “Omigod, am I going crazy?!” and reassuring each other, through reason, that no, you aren’t.

Weigel shares her spiritual experiences from everyday life, as well as the experiences of others that have confided in her, relieved to have found someone who won’t think they’re crazy. Weigel occasionally reflects how groups in society – primarily religious groups – will try to push down, discredit or demonize these occurrences that are often labeled as strange, odd, paranormal, metaphysical, what-have-you.

Reader’s won’t get very far into the book before realizing that all you need to “keep your feet on the ground and your head in the stars” is a reasonable dose of realistic skepticism mixed with a healthy sense of humor. Spiritual experiences should be opportunities to help keep us moving forward, not hold us back.

You also don’t need to be a religious person –church-going or head-in-the-clouds bat-s**t crazy– to have “spiritual” experiences. They can happen to anyone and everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, creed, culture, or career. Most of the times they’re quiet, but they are always unique and made to be meaningful to the intended individuals to get their attention.

I enjoyed reading the anecdotes and admit I’ve had a few “laugh out loud” moments and have even shared a few excerpts with friends of mine (in particular, when her young son was still learning to distinguish consonants and pronunciations in his speech). Each story is presented with a “life lesson” in mind that reminds readers on the spiritual path to not take things personally, don’t take yourself too seriously, be open, and no, you’re not really that crazy.

I’m Spiritual, Dammit! is a comfortable read that is just as enjoyable to pick up and read a chapter or two from here or there as it is to read cover-to-cover. I think this would be a good book for several types of people:

• Persons who pride themselves on being realistic and get easily spooked or irked by words like paranormal, medium, ghosts, and any talk about feeling connections to those who’ve gone on before us.
• The secular who are wondering if this life is all there is, but may be a little afraid to ask.
• People who need a little reassurance after having a non-ignoreable experience and are afraid they may be losing it.
• Persons like Weigel and I who have had plenty of odd, non-ignoreable spiritual experiences ourselves and as down-to-earth, everyday people, find it nice to sit down with a cup of coffee and story swap with a friend.

Book Announcement: Emerging Goddess

This one is a bit late, but still worth posting.

The Emerging Goddess
Photos by Paul Bleiden
Poetry by Madrline Sharples
Introduction by Wendy Griffin
Hardcover, 93 pages, 11.25″ x 8.75″

From the back cover:

“The theme of the book is the joy of life and the awakening of the soul, the untapped potential of women, and the untapped awareness of women to their power.

“The goddesses among us have a long history dating back to the beginning of time.

“Here inserted among these images is the basis for THE EMERGING GODDESS. A premise that the Goddesses among us are destined to rule and to provide wisdom to the world. We hope that the images and poetry provide the impetus for you to grow, to be nurtured by your innate wisdom, and enable you to take control of your destiny.”

Order information can be found here. This page also provides a Flash page-turning preview of the book.

Book Announcement: Contesting Human Remains

Talk about timely! After articles started springing up about museums removing, hiding or partially covering human remains in their collections such as mummies for fear of offending certain spiritual minority groups (Pagans), this gem emerged.

Contesting Human Remains in Museum Collections
The Crisis of Cultural Authority
By Tiffany Jenkins

ISBN: 978-0-415-87960-6
Publish Date: October 21st 2010
Publisher: Routledge
Pages: 174 pages

Contents include:

Introduction
1.Transforming Concerns about Human Remains into an Issue
2. Scientists Contest Repatriation
3.The Crisis of Cultural Authority
4.The Rise and Impact of Pagan Claims-Makers
5. Explaining Why Human Remains Are the Problem
6. Covering Up the Mummies.
Concluding Thoughts

More information, including a more in-depth description and purchase info, can be found here.

Constructive Criticism: Witches Wit

There was a big calling out recently involving a brewery that made a very tasty beer, but with a tasteless label. Lost Abbey’s latest brew, “Witches Wit” depicted a woman burning at the stake. As you can imagine, this was quite offensive to today’s Witches. And understandably.

If you don’t see what the problem is, let’s put it this way: I don’t think anyone would get away today with using images depicting an African American being lynched, or people being herded into trains or gas chambers.

You see my point?

There are much, much better ways to market a product than calling up very disturbing, wrong and shameful pieces of history.

As such, Lost Abbey has apologized and is holding a contest for a new label.

Included is a well-done video that provides a brief history lesson for the rest of us.

Current Assignment: Company Profile of Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.

Currently in my Business & Industry Information Resources course I am working on a 20pg paper of 3 company profiles. The first is a large, publicly traded company (Starbucks), the next is a large, privately held company (Llewellyn’s). The third is to be a local regional business which I have yet to decide on.

Information, especially financial, is difficult to find on any privately held organization, but the largest metaphysical/occult publisher & wholesaler, Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD., seems especially tricky.

I’ve already dug throughout Llewellyn’s site, but if anyone has access to any other information, please let me know! Thanks!

Book Announcement: Graven Images

Just released by Continuum Press, a leading independent academic publisher,  is Graven Images: Religion in Comic Books and Graphic Novels, edited by A. David Lewis and Christine Hoff Kraemer.

This is a collection of essays from a number of authors who examine a wide range of comic material. Comics that receive attention in the book include, but are not limited to, are: Alan Moore’s Promethea and From Hell; Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles; Neil Gaiman’s Sandman; Preacher; Blankets, and many others.

A preview of the book can be found on the publisher’s website.

I also have a sneak peek at the Table of Contents. Definitely has my interest as something shelf-worthy!

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Foreword: Looking for God in the Gutter
Douglas Rushkoff (Creator, Testament; The New School)

Introduction
Christine Hoff Kraemer (Cherry Hill Seminary) and A. David Lewis (Boston University), editors

NEW INTERPRETATIONS
The Devil’s Reading: Revenge and Revelation in American Comics
Aaron Ricker Parks (McGill University)

London (& the Mind) as Sacred-Desecrated Place in Alan Moore’s From Hell
Emily Taylor Merriman (San Francisco State University)

Drawing Contracts: Will Eisner’s Legacy
Laurence Roth (Susquehanna University)

Catholic American Citizenship: Prescriptions for Children from Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact (1946-1963)
Anne Blankenship (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Gold Plates, Inked Pages: The Authority of the Graphic Novel
G. St. John Stott (Arab American University, Jenin)

Comics and Religion: Theoretical Connections
Darby Orcutt (North Carolina State University)

Killing the Graven God: Visual Representations of the Divine in Comics
Andrew Tripp (Boston University)

Echoes of Eternity: Hindu Reincarnation Motifs in Superhero Comic Books
Saurav Mohapatra (Creator, India Authentic)

The Christianizing of Animism in Manga and Anime: American Translations of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Eriko Ogihara-Schuck (Dortmund University of Technology)

RESPONSE & REBELLION
On Preacher (Or, the Death of God in Pictures)
Mike Grimshaw, University of Canterbury

Superman Graveside: Superhero Salvation beyond Jesus
A. David Lewis (Creator, The Lone and Level Sands)

“The Apocalypse of Adolescence”: Use of the Bildungsroman and Superheroic Tropes in Mark Millar & Peter Gross’s Chosen
Julia Round (Bournemouth University)

From God Nose to God’s Bosom, Or How God (and Jack Jackson) Began Underground Comics
Clay Kinchen Smith (Santa Fe College)

A Hesitant Embrace: Comic Books and Evangelicals
Kate Netzler (Independent Scholar)

Narrative and Pictorial Dualism in Persepolis and the Emergence of Complexity
Kerr Houston, (Maryland Institute College of Art).

POSTMODERN RELIGIOSITY
Machina Ex Deus: Perennialism in Comics
G. Willow Wilson (Creator, Cairo)

Conversion to Narrative: Magic as Religious Language in Grant Morrison’s Invisibles
Megan Goodwin (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

“The Magic Circus of the Mind”: Alan Moore’s Promethea and the Transformation of Consciousness through Comics
Christine Hoff Kraemer (Cherry Hill Seminary) and J. Lawton Winslade (DePaul University)

Religion and Artesia / Religion in Artesia
Mark Smylie (Creator, Artesia)

Present Gods, Absent Believers in Sandman
Emily Ronald (Boston University)

Tell Tale Visions: The Erotic Theology of Craig Thompson’s Blankets
Steve Jungkeit (Yale University)

Selected Bibliography
Appendices

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Check it out! I have included the press release for more information.

Don’t use the library! It’s run by Pagans!

Image by Stella Blu via Flickr

No good deed goes unpunished.

A library accepted a generous offer to have their collections housed by a local Freemasonry group while a new building is being constructed. In this way the collections would still be made available to it’s community.

But gosh darnit, those pesky Freemasons have “foundation[s] rooted in witchcraft and pre-Christian teachings and practice.” Therefore it only makes sense to boycott the library and hand in one’s library card! Even if you’re leaving town anyway!

It is also advised that you not enter the premises, either. It’s “not wise.” I can only speculate as to why. His observation of  “Freemasonry, while it does good works in the community, is based upon the worship of pagan gods,” makes me wonder what Mr. Cromarty’s commentary would be to Jesus’ parable of the “Good Samaritan”?

You can view the story here.