Reformed Filianism Today

Places and roles of women in modern Japanese religions: a case study from Tenrikyo (Re-published)

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Sarah-Andrea Morrigan
Originally published on the old RFT site in December 2010

abstract: Tenrikyo, one of the oldest and most well-known of so-called “new religious movements” (NRMs) in Japan, emerged from a rural village of Nara, Japan, founded by a woman of an agricultural household, Nakayama Miki. Often NRMs, both in the East and the West, are thought of as a product of modernity and people’s attempts at realigning their faiths to the changing realities of the new world. I initially theorized that Tenrikyo, which draws its teachings from a set of scriptures authored by a woman in a Miko-like shamanic state, venerates the foundress Nakayama as the Oyasama, or the “Most Honourable Parent,” and worships an androgynous, monotheistic deity who is referred to as the Oyagamisama (“Most Honourable Parent-God”) and the Tsuki-hi (“Moon-Sun” or also could be “Months-and-Days”) would inevitably embrace a social structure that may be termed feminist — and even potentially positive towards gender and sexual minorities. In reality, my research into Tenrikyo’s teaching materials revealed a Church that is not only rigidly “sexist” but also a carry-over of a feudalistic social value system. In this paper I outline the teachings of Tenrikyo and actual practices thereof, and point out to the disparities between the ideals and the realities in a religion. Additionally, this paper examines the underlying assumptions often held by Euro-American researchers about Asian religions.

keywords: Japan, new religions, Sect Shinto, Tenrikyo, Japanese, women in Japanese religions, marriage and family in Tenrikyo, homosexuality and Tenrikyo
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It has been often assumed that Japan’s religious development in modern history is unique. To western observers, indeed Japan seems like a smörgåsbord of various sects existing between institutionalized yet largely irrelevant and fossilized religions of Shinto and Buddhism, to both of which most ordinary Japanese would pay occasional attentions either to pray for a good luck, or to take care of certain life-cycle rituals. In learning about the diversity of religious expressions in modern Japan, one could often be awe-struck by sheer availability of religious options. This trend has intensified during the decades following the end of World War II through the 1990s, the period of time often called the “rush hour of the gods” in Japan[1], in which Japan has seen the rise of the influential Soka Gakkai, encountered street proselytizers of various sect affiliations near train stations, and finally shocked by the mass murders committed by some members of Aum Shinrikyo.

Yet, in strict senses of the word, very few of such Japanese NRMs are “new” religions invented out of thin air. Indeed, most NRMs in Japan are classified as Shinto-based sects, Buddhist-based sects, and Christian-based sects. Most NRMs in Japan fall under two historical groups, one that arose during the late 19th century when Japan not only experienced a major political change from the reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate to that of the Emperor Meiji and his European-style government, but also a sudden and rapid introduction to the “opening-up-to-the-civilization” after some two centuries of near-complete isolation from the rest of the world. The other cluster of NRMs arose shortly before WWII or after the end of the war. While an established sociological understanding of religious fervour in Japan might attribute these emergence of sects as people’s response to social instability, namely poverty, illness and strife[2], it is more importantly, a “reflect[ion of] the process of religious change, incorporating elements of the ‘older’… religions with responses to modernity.”[3] In this sense, the over-proliferation of NRMs in Japan may be analogous to the existence of thousands of Protestant denominations and independent Catholic churches in North America.

Lucinda Joy Peach, in her survey of Japanese NRMs, writes that “contemporary Japanese women are drawn to the new religions in far greater numbers than to traditional religions, and the majority membership of new religious groups is female.” (Peach 106.) While this may be an over-generalization, and also it is important to note that the majority membership of Christian churches is also female (and isn’t it also true in North America and Western Europe that women are more likely to attend church services?), Peach makes an important reference to Japan’s ancient history. As she notes, in prior to the introduction of Buddhism and Confucianism to Japan, indigenous Japanese religions held feminine deities in high regard — and shamanesses and priestesses held great power. While Peach may connect the present state of Japanese NRMs to the nation’s old roots, Helen Hardacre links “women’s phenomenal participation” in NRMs to a changing attitudes of women in modern society. In either way, a typical western observer not familiar with Japanese cultural history risks over-romanticising Japanese religions as something a Christian, white society could not be. However, a deeper look into Japanese NRMs would reveal how deeply ingrained the patriarchal and even feudalistic social attitudes are in these communities, even if their teachings may have been quite radical at the time of their original appearance. Becoming institutionalized and run by leaders who may even be in their 90s whose fathers also were leaders of the religious community.[4] This practice of dynastic succession in church presidency, reminiscent of a feudal era, is criticized by the president of Misato Branch Church: “[Unlike in Christianity where ministers are required to be conversant in their Scriptures,] as I consider the situation within Tenrikyo, the position of presidency is given too easily only because of one’s birth [as the eldest son of the existing president, even though he knows very little about Tenrikyo’s Scriptures or doctrines], and that makes me think of a caste system in feudal periods… this is so far deviated from the Prototypal Way of the Oyasama.”[5]
Tenrikyo’s origin and teachings

Generally classified as a Sect Shinto, Tenrikyo (“The Teachings of Heavenly Intelligence”) was founded in what is today the city of Tenri, Nara Prefecture. According to the official Church statement, “Tenrikyo came into existence on October 26, 1838, when God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, became revealed through Oyasama, Miki Nakayama, to save all humankind. God the Parent is the original and true Parent who not only created humankind but has nurtured and protected human beings ever since.

“God the Parent created humankind so that by seeing us live the Joyous Life, God could share in our joy. The living of the Joyous Life is, therefore, the purpose of our existence. Since God the Parent is our Parent, we are all God’s children, and thus we should realize that we are all brothers and sisters.”[6]

Tenrikyo, at its founding, was predominantly a peasant’s religious movement, with a strong shamanic nature. The teachings of Tenrikyo focused on this world’s problems rather than the esoteric and metaphysical, spoke out against the rich and powerful, advocated for social reform, relief for the poor, equality of all humanity and equality of men and women. Tenrikyo differed from the typical feudal religious establishment by addressing to meet the temporal needs of the peasants, and by drawing support primarily from the lower social strata.[7]

With a peasant woman as the foundress and the chief medium of the God the Parent, and its doctrinal emphasis on social justice, it is tempting to make an assumption that Tenrikyo is not unlike some liberal Protestant churches in North America where feminist theology wields a significant influence and women are working in all levels of church leadership. This illusion, however, is broken when one makes a closer survey of Tenrikyo’s implementation and interpretation of its teachings. In search for women leadership in Tenrikyo, I have initially looked for clergy rosters and centralized church directories. The principal clergy of Tenrikyo is the Church President (Kyokaicho) in each of its Grand Churches (Dai Kyokai) and smaller Branch Churches (Bun Kyokai). Most churches with a website show that their congregations are led by a male president, even though his wife appears to be held in high regard. I have not found any sign of a church led by a female president, or any visible presence of a movement advocating for a greater inclusion of women in Tenrikyo’s ecclesiastical leadership. Yet, women are not entirely barred from participation in worship. Women of Tenrikyo belong to the Tenrikyo Women’s Association, which conducts various activities on its own, including an annual pilgrimage and general meeting.[8] The training course for ministers is open to both men and women. Most importantly, the centre of Tenrikyo’s worship, the liturgical dances (o-kagura-mai and teodori) are always conducted with three male dancers and three female dancers, as well as six male musicians and three female musicians.[9] In short, Tenrikyo does not exclude women nor can a normative Tenrikyo exist without women; however, this is manifested through a clear division of gender roles and expectations that are enforced through church activities and worship. Various church activities require women to take conventionally female roles. For example, Tenrikyo prescribes which musical instruments (the narimono) are to be played only by men and which are to be played only by women.

Beyond worship rituals, the substance of a religion is in teachings that guides adherents to live out their faith principles. For this, I have looked into a Tenrikyo advice website written by the Rev. Tsukamoto Nobuo, the president of Abegawa Branch Church in Shizuoka Prefecture. The website addresses a fairly typical range of real-life questions expected of a pastoral clergyperson, concerning such topics as child-rearing, marriage and family, facing death, illness, domestic violence, and divorce, as well as homosexuality and transvestic fetishism. Concerning how Tenrikyo’s current doctrine and practice understand women and their roles, I shall simply quote from some of these topics (translation mine):

Question: Must I be married?

Answer: When God thought of starting this universe, God first created the heaven and earth, the sun and the moon, and a husband and a wife so that God could see the humans live in a joyous life. According to this divine will, this world cannot exist without a husband and a wife. Accordingly, remaining single would be a life contrary to God’s will. Nowadays the world has become so diversified that even a woman can live alone so many women no longer think about marriage, but a man and a woman are supposed to be united in marriage, love each other, make babies, work diligently for the prosperity of their offspring, leave this world, and then after a certain time will return to this world again in reincarnation. This is the destiny of human beings. Therefore, it is wise not to violate God’s decrees on purpose. [10]

Question: I am gay. Does Tenrikyo permit homosexuality?

Answer [summarized]: Everyone is different. There are lesbians, there are gays, there are asexuals and sex addicts. It is up to each person to decide what is normal and what is abnormal. However, what we must think about is the lopsided sexuality. If the world is full of gays and lesbians, eventually the family system will collapse and the humankind will go extinct. What do you think about this? It is God’s desire to partake in our joyous life, therefore God created humans. So it is not God’s desire for us to walk toward extinction. As such, a lifestyle that does not contribute to the prosperity of our offspring would be something that must be denounced. Let me ask you this way: for the humans to survive for a long time we must produce offspring. Do you really think that it is okay that you alone can [selfishly] break that law of the universe? … Some homosexuals say that God might have made them for a reason, but our bodies and our lives are on loan from God and we only possess freedom to control our minds… yet, there are certain rules with God, and every words and deeds are recorded in the heaven to be settled later… what we see in this world, thus, is a result of our past lives, and therefore you are a homosexual because you led a life in your past life that resulted in homosexuality. In this sense, it was not God who made you gay but you made yourself into a homosexual… I am not a homosexual so I cannot speak for you, but in this world there are married couples who may not have sex habitually but nonetheless made babies as their duties, and even some women who were raped but decided to stay pregnant and give birth to a baby… therefore I suggest that you do not see a member of the opposite sex solely as an object of sexual attraction, but rather as a life partner with whom you share the joy of your life and support each other in order to live a long life. [11]

Quite contrary to a stereotypical expectation westerners may have of a religion started by a female foundress, the responses sound awfully similar to some of the sexist and anti-gay arguments presented by the Christian right-wing. This seeming discrepancy is understandable if Tenrikyo is understood in its cultural context, instead of trying to force white Euro-American societal norms on a predominantly Japanese, agrarian and blue-collar religion. As with almost all religions, there is a difference between the theory of Tenrikyo and its realities. Social conventions of Tenrikyo are likely to have been informed and influenced by the sociocultural norms of Japan in the sect’s formational time (which was decidedly patriarchal) than by its Scriptures. To add to injury, the status of Tenrikyo as a persecuted sect until the end of WWII meant church leaders lacked in-depth theological and ministerial trainings. An interesting topic of possible exploration is a comparison study of Tenrikyo communities in Brazil and the United States, with the Tenrikyo churches in Japan. Since Tenrikyo was brought to the Americas with the Japanese immigrants in the early 20th century, it is likely that a Tenrikyo congregation in the new world is greatly acculturated and assimilated into a more westernized culture and its social norms.

Does Tenrikyo possess any potential for a feminist readaptation?

Is Tenrikyo then essentially off-limits to women who are not into following the conservative gender roles, as well as to lesbians and gender non-conforming people? Can Tenrikyo explore another way, not so that it can merely conform to a westernized world, but to reclaim the origin of Tenrikyo that can better honour its feminine presence?

One of the foundational concepts in Tenrikyo’s doctrines is the Prototypal Way, or Hinagata no Michi. It is said that Nakayama Miki — referred to as the Oyasama (“The Most Honourable Parent”) lived a life on earth that is a prototype of the heavenly way. This is quite consistent with the traditionalist understanding of an idealized human life as a representation of the celestial, divine reality. As a Hinagata, she was the prototypal model of living on the “path of single-hearted salvation.” [12] So it helps to take a look at her life. Kaneko Juri writes,

The foundress herself did not have an ideal family, from a human or worldly
perspective. Miki married into the prosperous Nakayama family, and there,
blessed with a good relationship with her mother-in-law (Miki’s aunt on her
father’s side of the family), she assumed control of the family as a hardworking
wife, but she also faced adversities, such as her husband Zenbei’s problems with
women and the misconduct of her only son, Shuji, as well as his leg ailment. For
this reason harmony between husband and wife was undoubtedly an important
concern throughout Miki’s life. Unlike in the samurai class, in farming communities
at that time the bride did not have a minor status in the family—as
long as she was a “healthy bride”—and, in fact, the foundress was entrusted
with the family affairs of the Nakayamas and had already assumed control of
the family at the age of fifteen. After Miki became the “Shrine of God” in 1838,
Zenbei was unable to divorce Miki, not because he was cowardly, but rather,
because the foundress was already the center of the Nakayama family and had
assumed a powerful role in the family.[13]

The femininity the Oyasama embodied was not that of a Japanese aristocracy in which weakness, daintiness and cuteness are valued. Hers was the down-to-earth strength of a farm lady, who actively led and managed the Nakayama family. Likewise, the Ofudesaki, the foundational holy text of Tenrikyo, was written in colloquial language and primarily using hiragana (on the other hands Buddhist sutras are written in kanji), which was considered a feminine form of writing at the time. As the vessel of God, she mediated the androgynous God the Parent by the name of Tenri-O-no-Mikoto (the “Esteemed Sovereign of the Heavenly Intelligence”), whose prime dictate was joyousness. Additionally, the Oyasama discerned a vocation for a shamaness (Miko) in one of her daughters, and admonished her to remain single so she may serve without entanglement with family obligations. Kaneko deduces, “This can be interpreted to mean that not only is unmarried status advocated simply as a requirement to be a miko, but that being single has rewarding implications for becoming a highly virtuous individual. Although her family circumstances led to her preaching of the teaching of harmony between husband and wife, she did not necessarily proclaim that ordinary married life and the creation of children was the proper path for all people.” [14] As with Christianity, it is likely that a more patriarchal elements crept into Tenrikyo as it established itself as an officially recognized Sect Shinto denomination and surviving the trying periods of the early 20th century, including two major wars, several catastrophic natural disasters, and economic collapses following the Great Depression and World War II. In this sense, Tenrikyo possesses potentials for a transformation if the impetus for such a change comes from within. This may take forms of a renewed emphasis on Tenrikyo’s Shinto-shamanic roots, in which single women are respected as the mediators between the heaven and the earth, or take forms of an all-female Branch Church that is newly established so that women can take on active leadership roles without having to challenge the dynastic presidency in existing Grand and Branch Churches.

Tenrikyo provides an interesting case study in how a religion may be influenced deeper by prevailing cultural norms of its origin even if the originators might have been radicals at the time. When original idealism gives way to a survival instinct, an obsession for growth and maintenance of power, a church inevitably loses its countercultural and radical edges — and assimilates itself into a predominant cultural norm. This is not limited to Tenrikyo, or just in Japan.
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1. Garran, R. (1996, Sep 28.) Japan’s rush hour of the gods. The Australian Magazine. 1996. Retrieved fromhttp://www.rickross.com/reference/gakkai/gakkai28.html, accessed 7 Dec 2010.
2. (2010, May 28.) New religious sect: Hong Kong Shinji Shumeikai. 新兴教派——香港神慈秀明会. Zhongming Zongjiao. 2010. Retrieved fromhttp://religion.21voc.com/bencandy-119-169476-1.html, accessed 7 Dec 2010.
3. Peach, LJ. (2002.) Women and world religions. 106.
4. For instance, the president of Chuwa Grand Church in Yamato Takada, Nara, Japan, the Rev. Ueda Hirakazu, is the fourth-generation head of the church, who has become the fourth president of this church in 1952 at the age of 31 and still serves as the president at the age of 90. Cursory looks into various Grand Church and Branch Church websites show that this is a rather common practice in Tenrikyo. (http://www.chuwa.or.jp/outline/boss.html.)
5. Ueda, Y. (2005, Feb 5.) Image of the Oyasama sequestered in the Uchigura. 内蔵にこもられた教祖のイメージ. An image training after Oyasama’s Prototype. 教祖ひながたのイメージ・トレーニング. Retrieved from http://www.geocities.jp/tenri_kokugen/shiryou/hinagata8.htm, accessed 4 Dec 2010.
6. Tenrikyo Internet Committee. (2010.) Information about Tenrikyo. Retrieved from http://www.tenrikyo.or.jp/eng/?page_id=33, accessed 5 Dec 2010.
7. Ceng, CN. (2001.) An analysis of new religions and their trends. Religious Studies (Sichuan University Press) 2001:2. Retrieved fromhttp://www.daoism.cn/up/zjxyj/2001/2/art16.htm, accessed 5 Dec 2010; Huang, XC. (2007.) Ten religions of the world. Retrieved fromhttp://data.book.hexun.com/chapter-774-4-8.shtml, accessed 5 Dec 2010.
8. http://www.chuwa.or.jp/topics/100501-a/t100501-a.html
9. http://www.chuwa.or.jp/saiten24.pdf
10. http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~help/p083.htm
11. Summarized from responses on http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~help/p111.htm, http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~help/p129.htm, http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~help/p130.htm
12. Kaneko, J. (2003.) Can Tenrikyõ transcend the modern family? From a humanistic understanding of Hinagata and narratives of foster care activities. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 30:3-4, 247
13. ibid. 246.
14. ibid. 250.
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A comment from Lewis Nakano, of Tenrikyo-Resource.com, Feb. 16, 2012:

I’m very impressed at the depth of your research! I’m a Japanese-American, but my Japanese ability isn’t good enough to do research with it.
I would definitely would like to see a comparison study of Tenrikyo communities in the United States because you will be surprised. Though, online resources from the US is still limited and church ministers aren’t as outspoken as their Japanese counter-parts, so you might have a harder time finding too much content.
(Please don’t take what I say as something every American Tenrikyo follower thinks. I’m probably waay to liberal to represent Tenrikyo views. I’ll do my best to describe how they think, but there are likely exceptions.)
While I totally agree on the points you have made, such as Tenrikyo being feudalistic, sexist, anti-gay, I, as a American Tenrikyo follower, totally disagree how Tenrikyo, as an organization handles itself in those aspects in Japan (some of it brushes on in the States though). Though, I never heard a church minister speak of any anti-gay statements, I can imagine one or a few Japanese ministers saying such things. To my limited knowledge of the Tenrikyo scriptures, I don’t see a teaching that enforces those aspects. What I see in the organization is heavy emphasis on respecting our predecessors, such that we must uphold their practices to the point where change comes a a snail’s pace. I like to say Tenrikyo is two steps from modern culture.
Myself, as well as, a handful of my American Tenrikyo peers (in their 20s & 30s) that I have spoken about this agree that the Tenrikyo organization should accept gay marriage and change feudalistic their ways. Heck, you could probably ask a Japanese follower and they would say the agree too, however, I think they would shrug and accept it more than Americans just because Tenrikyo-Japanese people tend to accept how things are. To me, homosexual people are our brothers and sisters, just as it is taught in the teaching of “Universal Brotherhood” (Ichiretsu kyodai), and if they find joy in getting married, they should be able to. After all, when you get married, you make a vow to serve Oyasama and dedicate your lives to “single-hearted salvation” (Tasuke ichijo). LGB or T, anybody can do that.
As for power to women, you should know that there are female Tenrikyo church ministers (or as you call presidents of churches), though, maybe not enough. Also, there is the Fujikai (Women’s Association), which has a greater following than the Seinenkai (Young Men’s Association). I do see a lot of gender roles enforced, which had me concerned about women who take on nontraditional roles. That kind of pisses me off too, but change is happening. Men do play women’s instruments too, though it is not emphasized. It is typical for women to learn the “men’s” instruments because they are played in the daily service. I learned to play all three instruments, but I’m not quite competent to perform.
I heard that the Women’s Association’s objectives are generally to fulfill a “supportive” role for the men, whose role is to be a “pioneer” of the faith. Despite such efforts though, I met a Tenrikyo female student who wished to be more of a “pioneer” than a “supporter.” In other words, these roles aren’t strictly enforced, they are just widely accepted. Is that a good thing? To me, not really, but oh well.
I’ve had many conversations about “women’s roles” and their balance in power and it seems that the “Okusan” (wife of the head minister) later is respected more than the “Kaicho” (head minister).
Personally, I would like things to change, but it’s actually happening. Just really slowly.
For more on feminism and Tenrikyo, you should read this summary of Dr. Barbara Ambros’ presentation at Tenri University entited: “Nakayama Miki’s Views on Women and Their Bodies: In the Context of Late Edo and Early Meiji Period Religion.”
http://tenrikyo-resource.com/1222/dr-barbara-ambros-speaks-at-tenri-university/
Maybe ask her for her original presentation.
Read this pdf under the section: 2-1-1 Human Sexualiity
http://wiki.tenrikyo-resource.com/uploads/TF2006-book/Tenri_Forum_2006_2_1a.pdf
What I find interesting is that this forum is over 5 years old, yet, there hasn’t been a continuation to these talks. Like on Same-sex Marriage. It irks me, but I just need to be patient. Clearly these presentations are pro-same-sex marriages, but our problem is whether Church Headquarters accepts that or not.
Read more here: http://wiki.tenrikyo-resource.com/wiki/Tenri_Forum_2006
I grew up in a Tenrikyo church and the way Tenrikyo is interpreted and run in America, is definitely different from Japan. I know this because when I got to Japan, I was angry at how things were. The religion was the same, but many things are different. Getting angry didn’t get anywhere because I was in the middle of a culture that was just not the same as my own. Most young people want change there too and it’s coming very slowly. My life of faith is still young and maybe I could have some kind of impact later. I, too, want to know, “Can Tenrikyo transcend the modern family?”
I apologize that I couldn’t give a more academic answer. I see some of your interpretations of the events in Tenrikyo history to not be how it is taught in Tenrikyo studies, but it could be true in the context of Japan. I don’t think I have enough knowledge to back up my claims. My point of writing this comment was to let you know that all Tenrikyo Followers are not the same. It’s unfortunate that, sometimes, Tenrikyo followers have to shrug and do what they are told, but that’s part of the package of being a Tenrikyo follower, for now.
Send me an email and check out my website! Thank you for your hard work on this in-depth article on Tenrikyo!

Demise of the Hestia Temple?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:02:00 +0000

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~~Various sources have indicated (unconfirmed as of yet with a certainty) that the Hestia Temple has just disbanded after some fall out within its leadership.~~

~~Since this is just a speculation and educated guess at the moment I am not making any official statement on the behalf of the general association.~~ However, do know that we are by design and purpose a "big tent" organization for all Filianic expressions, and thus we are called a "general association." Those who prefer a more "traditionalist" form of Filianism can simply organize an affinity association for themselves and still be an active part of our worldwide organization.

Those who are members of the Hestia Temple are certainly welcome in our growing organization.

Occupy the moral high ground (repost)

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:56:00 +0000

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Originally published in the website of the Interfaith Guild of Chaplains.

By Sarah Morrigan

What people believe (faith-religion) is political because it influences their actions and because it is the vehicle by which a religion perpetuates a social system. Politics and religion are interdependent. Every new social structure strives to come up with some kind of mythology of divine origin for its values and aims. The mythology is passed on for generations, and often its validity goes unquestioned for centuries... Who absorbs whose culture is a crucial issue on the cultural battlefield. Those who refused to accept this accommodation and continued to practice te ancient art were persecuted... Today, given the patriarchal society within which we live... a feminist politic... says clearly that the real enemy is the internalized and externalized policing tool that keeps us in fear and psychic clutter.

-- Z. Budapest, "Women's religion, as in heaven, so on earth." in The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries.

Some time ago, I wrote a paper (which requires an extensive re-working) in criticism of what I perceived as a lack of interest in social justice actions among Neo-Pagan and Wiccan Goddess-devotees. Yesterday, I was conversing with someone and shared some continuing frustrations over the lack of visible and vocal participations by the Pagans, New Agers, Burners, and other "spiritual" people in the Occupy movement and other ongoing social actions. I noted that, as much as we the "progressives" and "revolutionaries" and "radicals" tend to demonize Christians for almost all the evils perpetuated by the One Percent and their political machinery, it is almost exclusively a Christian phenomenon to be vocally, visibly and actively engaged in social justice and anti-oppression work from a religious and spiritual context.

It has been Christian communities such as Metanoia United Methodist Church, St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish, that have offered significant, tangible aids to the Occupy Portland and stood in solidarity. (And First Unitarian Church and P'nai Or, of course, who also deserve a mention here.) On the other hand, I have not personally seen or met any Buddhist organization (in October I had contacted a few of them in town, no response, except from the Soka Gakkai International USA of Oregon, which ultimately did not do anything), or Pagan community (granted, there are many individuals actively engaged, but not a public statement from any established Pagan organization).

I thought of this phenomenon lately. Many people in the Western culture who chose Eastern religions or Neo-Paganism often did so in reaction to their Christian upbringings and the perception that Christianity became a tool for hate and greed. Many such people believe in separation of church and state, and do not feel that spirituality has to be in the public sphere. They may also say, "morality cannot be legislated," in reaction to the Religious Right's long-standing tendency to legislate against abortion and homosexuality.

Yet, much of what the Occupiers occupy against is a moral issue. It is a moral issue to denounce the One Percent who receive tax-funded bailouts after bailouts, while the government is forced to cut basic social services and education. It is a moral issue when the banks are making record profits while more houses are foreclosed and homelessness is on the rise. It is a moral issue when the militarized police across America are waging violent, indiscriminate wars on non-violent Occupiers and both federal and state legislators are preparing to pass more laws to strengthen the fascist police state, enrich privatized prison operators, and abridge fundamental human rights.

People who call themselves "progressive" and "radical" who are of any faith must take a stand, speak up, and occupy a moral high ground, in this society in which politicians and bureaucrats have long abandoned even a semblance of moral decency.

One of the phenomena that I have been noticing is the alarmist, fear-mongering and even paranoid rhetoric among some of the Occupiers. Granted, we cannot be naive; the militarized police and government intelligence apparatus view the Occupy or any mass movement as a form of civil unrest and therefore consider a threat to national security. It is also true that both Democrats and Republicans alike are agitating to prevent a kind of Arab Spring-style revolution from happening in the United States.

However, people of spiritual faith understand that there is a power in creative imagination and power of manifestation. If we only visualize and imagine a possible scenario of a future totalitarian military regime, then that is all what we will get in the future. Ironically, in so doing, we give the state a sense of legitimacy and power over us. As long as we believe in this doomsday scenario, we will not think of anything else.

As a person of faith, we have a powerful weapon, and that is the moral high ground. We ought to build what the first century Christians (counter-cultural radicals of that time!) called "The Kingdom of Heaven" -- a new system within the shell of the old, in which people can become good and goodness is encouraged and rewarded. This is not "theocracy" (which is nothing more than a perversion of fascism packaged in religious trappings) but is a collective mindful choice to live out our faith and morality, not in order to dominate others, but in order for us to live our best moral choices.

Therefore it is time to occupy a moral high ground.

This is not an official statement of the Interfaith Guild of Chaplains.

A letter from southern China!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:25:00 +0000

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Yesterday I was surprised to note in the site traffic statistics that there was a visitor to this site and to the Metroum RFGA website from the People's Republic of China. While there have been quite a few from Russia, this has been new. Since this blog is no longer under the blogspot.com domain (censored in China) it is now possible to view this site and its contents.

I also received an inquiry regarding Filianism and its practices, from a certain individual in a certain southern province (I cannot provide details due to the sensitive nature of the inquiry and for the person's own safety). While the person also inquired about membership, I do respect the Chinese people's government's position regarding foreign influence and domination in religious matters, so it is hoped that some form of indigenous, self-propagating and self-supporting Filianic organization can eventually emerge in China within the existing framework of regulations (which is not easy, unless Filianism can be recognized officially as a sub-set of Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, or Christianity). It could potentially take a form of a Daoist sect, which would give a future Chinese Filianism a distinctively Chinese characteristic and cultural context. If such an organization were to emerge, I would be happy to support it.

Brief hiatus here

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:28:00 +0000

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Winter term classes have started, and also I have committed to a juried art show this coming month. On my activist-front, the Oregon Legislative Assembly is starting on Feb. 1 and there will also be many Occupy and non-Occupy actions.

On top of this, I have decided that I should take some time regularly for investing in myself, self-care and learning new things.

It cannot be overemphasized that this site, "filianic.metroum.co.cc" is my own personal blog and is never intended to be a regular publication, nor does anything herein represent the statement or views of any organization. (If you are looking for those, please go to http://www.metroum.co.cc.)

I will be taking a brief personal leave of absence from the leadership and organizing of the Metroum: Reformed Filianic General Association. In an ideal circumstance, more of my work there should be that of spiritual leadership; in reality, it is mostly administrative leadership. This is meant to be a community effort, and therefore I would consciously make a choice not to put too much of my energy into the organization so others can find their own spaces in it, and more importantly, I do not become the Metroum organization. I left that behind when I quit the CFC. I do not need to be an autocratic, authoritarian grand poobah -- that has never been my idea of leadership. So, until I see more people getting involved in this, you will not be hearing from me. I am creating some basic structures, visions, and templates. It is up for the others to take them and run with them. I cannot be responsible for managing every aspect of the organization for people's passive consumption.

Prayer as a sacramental

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:18:00 +0000

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In my youth I had vivid imaginations and abilities (and willingness) to believe in just about anything. This continued until my early 20s, and yet, after years of hard life and realities of this often harsh world, I have lost touch with much of that spiritual dimension. For long, I became both deeply skeptical and rationalist. Religion for me could be theoretical, yet the gap between my heart and my brain widened in the passing years.

One of the things I quit doing was prayer. I simply felt it was one of the most ridiculous and meaningless exercises. If God (or whatever that is) is omniscient there is no need for prayer. If God isn't, then we either have to admit that God is incompetent so we need to constantly reminding God, or that God is simply sadistic or indifferent that we have to keep fervently petitioning God in order to get anything. Then many Evangelicals would say things like "prayer is simply talking to God." Yet, then, why do they make millions publishing hundreds of books on prayers, and why do Catholic and Anglican churches have books of prescribed, set prayers?

In some Pentecostal circles, prayer is good if it is long -- they pray for hours, often overnight and while fasting. I could not accept this idea that God will hear them better because they spend more time and energy. It almost felt contrary to the teaching of very Jesus himself.

Then I learned reiki and was attuned to first degree in 2002. When I went to second and then third degree, I was taught various symbols. Those symbols look not much different from Chinese characters on Buddhist scrolls. Without attunement, the symbols are just that -- letters -- and have no power. Yet, for those who are properly attuned (initiated/empowered) into reiki, those symbols invoke and channel supernatural universal force that effects changes.

In a sense, then, reiki is analogous to a sacramental. By definition, a sacrament is an "appointed external, visible ceremonies as the means by which certain graces are to be conferred on men [sic], then in order to obtain those graces it will be necessary for men [sic] to make use of those Divinely appointed means." -- and a sacramental is similar to a sacrament (Catholic Encyclopedia). Like a sacramental, reiki makes use of symbolic language and gestures to effect supernatural healing.

Prayer, both liturgical and extratemporaneous, is also symbolic. Language of prayers is not something that "moves God's hands." One can sit through church services for years and recite prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, but it could still be worthless. Yet, this act of prayer draws down the spiritual presence of the Divine, builds the bridge between the physical realm and the spiritual realm, and effect invisible processes that moves the invisible reality into manifestation. So when one prays, there are a lot more going on under the hood, a process that is too complicated and too outworldly for most common people to be able to fathom let alone explain.

Like the sacraments and sacramentals, those symbolic links to the Divine are provided for us for our own benefit in this material world that can no longer easily access the spiritual power.

Then is long prayers inherently better? What is happening when one sees eager "prayer warriors" spend hours in prayer, is that they are saturating themselves with the Divine light and force that can only come through this drawing-down of the Spirit. Concentrated and intentional short prayer, for this reason, is far better than empty, repetitive long prayers. But if one spends a long time in prayer, that should not be because (as Jesus taught) that might cause God to hear you better, but rather to focus intentionally in drawing down the Divine presence.

1:6:6. And the Maid ruled over all the world, making the earth grow fruitful and attending to the prayers of Her creatures, and oftentimes making prayers of Her own that they might come closer to the Mother. And divine light shone once more upon the earth, and the Maid was a friend to every creature, and all who turned to Her were filled with life, and with the peace that comes of wholeness.

A Goddess movement as a protest

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:21:00 +0000

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The Goddess movement is said to offer self-empowerment through a specific "naming" of female experience as divine, and to shun what are perceived to be patriarchal values that promote gender inequalities. These individual and socially-located concerns are enacted ritualistically, yet also feature feminist ideology that can be applied beyond the ritual setting (Adler 1986; Christ 1987; Englesman 1987; Starhawk 1989; Allen 1992; Neitz 1994; Griffin 1995). Indeed, Goddess- or Dianic-based spirituality can be conceptualized as a cultural movement aimed at eliminating patriarchal biases through what Gusfield (see Neitz 1994) referred to as a process of "carryingover" spiritual values across social domains.

-- Bloch, JP. (1997.) Countercultural Spiritualists' Perceptions of the Goddess. Sociology of Religion, 58:2 (1997, Summer), 181-190.

A popular academic assessment of the Goddess-oriented Neo-Pagan movement, as well as Christian feminist theology, is that they are primarily political, to protest the patriarchal biases in popular culture, especially in religions. Many women come to Wicca and other expressions of women-centred spirituality for this reason. Yet, I find this explanation to be lacking. Many women find various aspects of Neo-Paganism and Wicca, such as magick and spellcasting, to be genuinely spiritual and supernatural. They do not cast a circle only as a protest against patriarchy (neither is true that Paganism is anti-patriarchal; there are patriarchal branches of Pagans as well).

To reduce a Goddess spirituality to a mere political movement in a religious disguise is as disingenuous as calling the Religious Right movement in America as mere political maneuvers in a Christian disguise.

It is interesting, however, to note how, speaking of the Goddess, there are different versions of Her among the diversity of Goddess movement.

[W]hile writing on "Female Fertility Figures" [archaeologist M. A. Murray] classified them into three groups as follows:
1. The Universal Mother, or Isis type
2. The Divine Woman, or Ishtar type
3. The Personified Yoni, or Baubo type.

-- Sankalia, HD. (1960.) The Nude Goddess or "Shameless Woman" in Western Asia, India, and South-Eastern Asia. Artibus Asiae, 23:2 (1960), 111-123.

This three variations loosely correspond to the Wiccan typecasting of the Mother-Maiden-Crone triplet. Yet, this comes from an archaeologist who studied "female fertility figures" of India. The Goddess figures, therefore, are relegated to mere fertility figures, with all three only ideations of female sexuality and gender roles. Uncritical adaptations of this "fertility Goddess" theme perhaps have done much disservice to the feminist cause.

Pointers to old Filianic resources!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:04:00 +0000

These are largely forgotten these days but are still online.

The original Chapel of God the Mother: http://aristasia-info.aristasia-central.com/GodtheMother.html
Archives of AristasianSpirituality list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AristasianSpirituality/messages
Philosophy and Spirituality: http://aristasia-info.aristasia-central.com/Philosophy.html

Korean understanding of God and possible link to the pre-patriarchal faith

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:22:00 +0000

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Since the late 19th century, Korea has been Asia's hotbed of Christianity. Pyongyang was, in prior to 1945, once known as the "Jerusalem of the East" due to its high percentage of Christians. The Philippines (predominantly Roman Catholic) aside, there is no other country in Asia that is as deeply Christianized as South Korea.

Yet, Korean Christianity is known for its unique expression, specifically its heavy emphasis on pneumatology and the works of the Holy Spirit, as well as the church that is heavily focused on prayer and fasting. This is not limited to just Pentecostals, such as the Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God) which is often called the world's largest church, but also Presbyterians, Methodists and others. Many, especially American Evangelicals, have long accused Korean Christians for mixing Christianity with shamanism.

Korean shamanism, called mudang 무당, is women-dominated, unlike in the other Tungusic-Mongolian shamanic traditions that are mostly for men only.

The Korean word for the Judeo-Christian God is Hananim 하나님 in South Korea and Haneunim 하느님 (derived from Haneulnim 하늘님) in North Korea. Many Christians explain this as something along the line of "Well, Koreans before Christianity did not have a word for God -- except for something that meant spirit as in animism, so the missionaries invented the word Hananim, 'the Honourable ONE' to clarify the monotheistic nature of Christian God." (I have even heard someone speculate that in the DPRK, the word for God was deliberately censored and changed into 하느님 Haneunim because it interfered with the official policy of deifying Kim Il Sung. Then again, the national anthem of South Korea also mentions 하느님, not 하나님.)

While this is a popular explanation, is it so? Apparently, Haneulnim 하늘님 was already used in Korean shamanism, and so were Hananim 하나님, long before the introduction of Christianity to Korea.

An interesting thing about this is that, though the Korean language is non-gendered like other Altaic/Tungusic languages (including Manchu, Mongolian and Japanese), Hananim is utterly devoid of a masculine connotation. After all, hana 하나 means "one" as in counting numbers.

Controversial as it is, many Koreans also claim that they were related to Sumerians, and at one point in ancient history what would later become Korea dominated much of the world. As far-fetched as that may sound, the migrations of people between Korea and the Mediterranean through the Silk Road are well documented.

It would be interesting to speculate how much of a connection Hananim may have to, for instance, Hebrew name Hannah (and by extension, its translation Anna, etc.); furthermore there may even be a very distant connection to Hittite Hannahannah, which literally means "grandmother" and cognate with Inanna of the Sumerians. (Lest one may say, the Hebrew name "Hannah" חַנָּה is actually khana, in Korean alphabet hangeul, the dot or a bar over a consonant symbol denotes a strong, almost gutteral variation of the original consonant; hence hieuh 히읗 [ㅎ] is the stronger of 이응 ieung. To further prove this point, Russian transliteration for ㅎ is X, which normally has the sound of kh as in the border town of Khasan Хаса́н 하산.)

Of course making this sort of connection makes me sound more like a philologist than a linguist, the discipline of the former being quite discredited in modern age and replaced by the more "scientific" approaches of the latter.

Early Christian women bishops?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:47:00 +0000

Image by © Giorgio via Flickr

During the past weeks this blog had some discussions about apostolic succession and how that relates to Reformed Filianism. One of the points made was how the Christian apostolic succession, as much as "tainted" by patriarchy, is a conduit for the tradition. This is based on the understanding of universal tradition, according to the traditionalist school: that all traditional religions -- whether it be Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism -- are later adaptations and variations of the original faith. In this sense, Jesus did not invent a religion -- he took it from the early rabbinical Judaism and possibly from other sources such as the Essenes, which in turn took it from the older tradition.

One might ask whether there is such a thing as an all-feminine apostolic succession. It is romantic to imagine such a thing might exist -- perhaps unbroken lineages of secretive ancient Goddess sect that dates back to the time immemorial that endured centuries of witch-hunts and persecutions. But it is unrealistic to expect such, and there exists little evidence to substantiate such a claim.

Hence we trace back our succession through the Christian line, specifically, of the Anglican and Western Church. But considering the fact that most bishops/overseers/superintendents were consecrated by three, there would be numerous lines of successions that are often not documented at all.

This leads me to think of the earliest periods in Christian history. According to the New Testament, there are several "overseers" (the predecessors to the more distinct office of bishops in later centuries) who supervised the churches: Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia, Synthyche, Chloe, Nympha, Lydia, and the mother of John Mark. Additionally, there is a famous (defaced) inscription to "Theodora Episkopa." It is quite possible that the hands of these ladies have at some point intersected with my line of succession.

The Anti-Mary

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:08:00 +0000

Cover of Images of Mary

Like the Anti-Christ in the New Testament apocalyptic literature, there may be a kind of Anti-Mary in today's divine feminine movement. I am not saying this in a definitive way, however, it is worth a thought.

The Anti-Christ in Christian teleology is the ultimate perversion of the Christ symbolism, yet it is so carefully deceptive that most people, including those who consider themselves Christians, would fall for the counterfeit Christ that ultimately leads to destruction.

Charlene Spretnak, in her book Missing Mary, goes deep into the pre-Vatican II iconography and symbolism of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of the Universe, and how these symbols preserve much of the older supreme Goddess visual language. As the Vatican II led the Roman Catholic Church to focus more on ecumenical dialogues with the Protestants, and to the "return to the Bible" movement, these images of Mary began disappearing from the Catholic landscape. As the Roman Catholicism devoted to a more thoroughly masculine worship environment, people in popular culture began paying attention to Mary Magdalene -- perhaps in response to the discovery of Nag Hammadi and associated interest in non-canonical expressions of Christianity, such as Gnosticism.

Mary Magdalene, in many ways, is the antithesis of the Blessed Virgin Mary: she is earthly, sexualized, and familiar with the demonic realm (as a formerly demon-possessed), contrasted with the celestial, "pure" and "immaculate" imagery of the latter.

While from a feminist perspective, Mary Magdalene as the apostle to the apostles, whose sexuality is not censored out or suppressed, can be seen as an icon of empowerment for women; yet, from a traditional and metaphysical point of view, attraction to Mary Magdalene at the expense of the Blessed Virgin Mary takes away much of the original solar and celestial symbolism of the Goddess as the sovereign and all-powerful.

This "Anti-Mary", so to speak, parallels the relegation of the Goddess to the lunar and chthonic by the feminist movement, as well as the uncritical attribution of sexist rolecasting of women as mere nurturers, mothers, and sexual objects to any feminine imagery or representation of the Divine. Granted, many feminists do not like the idea of any deity -- masculine, feminine, neuter or spaghetti monster -- having some kind of supernatural, super-human power of omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence. Yet, at the profoundly subconscious level we all hold that void (as St. Augustine says) that only the Divine, not merely a projection of our Self or even a projection of our ideals, can fill.

Victory? Vindication? Neither.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:16:00 +0000

Image by Oggie Dog via Flickr

No, I did not kill the Hestia Temple, though apparently it has gone underground as a sort of secretive society, like many Filianic groups in the past had. Now as it stands there is not even a way for new people to join with them. It will be strictly by words-of-mouth. Does that mean I won? Now, didn't I just eliminate the number one rival, and the constant source of my frustration?

No.

Neither do I feel victorious nor vindicated.

I absolutely hate the way all this have come to. I did what Rodney did to me in 2007. I screwed up a few people and their visions for what I think is a noble cause. I feel like I had paid lip service to the Hestia Temple like Rod always did to me, and then boom, suddenly they were eliminated. This is pretty sick.

True, I did my best and all what I could to bring about some kind of unity, and they did not do their part. But why did I, as Pamela and Georgia asked repeatedly, instead of building the Metroum organization and focusing more on what I feel that matter?

Part of this, I think, was my own ego. Frankly I was a bit mad when they apparently received some kind of endorsement from Katia Romanoff -- who is rather well-known and has led a very well established church for many years even before becoming a Gnostic priest and then bishop. I was a little bit jealous -- I mean, in two weeks? I was increasingly angry at the situation while I was hard trying to satiate Pamela's apparent hunger for a sense of legitimacy, while they were asking for the same from Katia. I felt like I was being the doofus in all this.

And again I made a few enemies and burned a few bridges. Now I am back to square one, fighting this lone battle on my own.

Now it is my understanding that the Hestia Temple claims that its priestly lineage comes from Cleopatra -- something they are clearly unable to document and prove, definitely even harder a claim to substantiate than the apostolic successions of independent Catholic bishops. I feel like a moron now.

Even more problematic is that my actions drove several people away from what I believe is the essential Filianic tradition. This was not a kind of place I should have put myself in.

Repost: Cancellation of dual affiliation policy

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:13:00 +0000

http://metroum.wikispaces.com/Announcement+2012+01+17+Revised+guidelines+on+dual+affiliation

Subject: Revision on the dual affiliation policy

Effective immediately

This notice is to cancel yesterday's emergency executive policy issued in regard to the RFGA members' dual affiliation with the Hestia Temple. We no longer prohibit individual members from maintaining affiliation with the Hestia Temple, due to the fact that it is impossible to enforce such a policy and attempting to do so would result in undesirable activities such as witch-hunting and employment of illegal or ethically questionable means to investigate charges of dual affiliation. Furthermore, this policy has been found to be in violation of our openness and non-authoritarian organizing principles, and our belief in soul freedom.

I apologize for any confusion caused by yesterday's announcement.

The prohibition on federated hearths will still remain in effect.

(end)

Reminder: General membership in the Metroum open

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Repost from the Metroum official website, www.metroum.co.cc.

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The Metroum, a Reformed Filianic General Association (RFGA), is the only worldwide organization representing the Filianic faith tradition for all people. We are the only organization genuinely committed to our faith and to put our values for the transformation of individual, communal and global conscience and betterment of the world in which we live. Our faith derives from the traditions received through the various Filianic groups of the past, originated in Oxford, England in the 1970s. Filianism is a simple yet clearly systematized faith in the universal Goddess, revealed in three persons, based on the Filianic Scriptures. The RFGA believes that the Divine speaks and reveals Herself to us in our everyday lives through the Spirit, the Scriptures, Tradition, Reason, and our Experiences.

We are an emergent community founded around a simple Goddess-based faith, committed in authentic relationship-building, world healing and transformation, social justice, and creativity to shape a new way of being in the world in this century. We are the only Filianic church in the world that opens the doors of extravagant welcome to all.

There are two ways of becoming a member of the Metroum, a Reformed Filianic General Association (hereafter "The Metroum" or "RFGA"). You may either become a member through an official Regional Association (RA) or Affinity Association (AA) if there is one for which you are eligible for membership. Otherwise, you are welcome to join as a member-at-large of the General Association.

As an RFGA member, you will have an ability to participate in decision-making process to guide the course of the Metroum, although such opportunities are limited for practical reasons, as compared with how you may take an even more active leadership roles in an RA or an AA. As a worldwide association, almost all communications will take place over the Internet, including proposal discussions and consensus procedures.

As an RFGA member you are also eligible for organizing your own hearth or a congregation, directly affiliated with the RFGA. Each hearth or congregation is autonomous, fiscally independendent, and sovereign. RFGA is here to provide spiritual, pastoral support as well as leadership training and connections with other members of the Metroum.

To be an individual member is simple. We consider you a member of the RFGA if you have expressed a desire to become part of the Metroum, and maintain some type of active communication with us, and if you consider and identify yourself a member of the Metroum. There are no dues, fees or other requirements, including any test of beliefs or creeds. While a sacramental initiation is traditionally an important step in becoming a member of the Filianic community, we do not require this at the level of the RFGA simply due to a practical reason. Once you have organized a hearth, or have joined a hearth that is already in existence, you will have an opportunity to receive initiation locally where you are.

The RFGA maintains a non-discrimination policy in membership. We do not discriminate or deny membership in the RFGA based on race, national origin, citizenship/immigration status, marital/familial status, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic class/status. As individual members, individuals of all genders may join as a member-at-large; each individual hearth or congregation, however, has a freedom to establish whether it would be all-gender or women-only.

The easiest way to join as a general member-at-large: Go to http://listserv.metroum.co.cc, subscribe to list metroumgeneral, then send an email introducing yourself, with a sentence substantially implying your intent to join the RFGA.

Launching a Filianic online healing ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:18:00 +0000

I believe that two of the most important ministries of any church are worship and pastoral care. Organizing comes next. Without a genuine ministry and an authentic relationship there is no church.

Therefore I am launching an online ministry of healing and pastoral care. Due to the nature of being it online there are some physical limitations, but I believe that wherever two or three of us are connected in the same intention and faith, the Spirit is there with us and there is a manifestation of the ekklesia -- just as all spirits of all beings are gathered together in Her presence.

I have set up a confidential email box for prayer, healing and pastoral care ministries. This is only to be used for these purposes -- please use the normal email for all business communications and requests for information.

Also at 6 a.m. every morning (Pacific Time) I am sending out distant healing using the Mariel method. All those who would like to be included can either send request to the confidential email or simply join me silently at that time in your intent and faith.

Feb. 2: Join us and Occupy Portland for Luciad festival of light and healing

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:38:00 +0000

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I continue to be active in the Occupy Portland Interfaith Guild of Chaplains (IGC) as an organizer and the point of contact. It is great to see that through this channel the Filianic faith is being represented to the wider communities and find common ground with the Occupiers. Through IGC, I have also built a close working relationship with both Neo-Pagan and progressive Christian ministers.

On Thursday, February 2, I would like to invite all to the interfaith celebration of the Luciad festival, which also corresponds with the Wiccan and Neo-Pagan celebration of Imbolc, Celtic Christian feast of St. Brigid of Kildare, and also in Greek mythology, the festival of Demeter and Persephone, which is a remnant of the ancient feminine trinity by way of Crete. Also in Japanese Buddhist folk tradition, this day is Setsubun, the day on which demons are cast away and good luck is invited in. On a more natural sphere, this day represents the mid-point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, marking the start of our exit from winter and the return of light and life.

The event is still under planning, but most likely it will start around 6 p.m. at the Occupy Portland headquarters at St. Francis of Assisi campus, 1131 SE Oak St. in Portland. If you are interested in participating as well as being part of the planning, contact me directly.

This will also be the kick-off event for the Metroum's Filianic Renaissance Month.

A sad announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:19:00 +0000

a sad but important announcement.

This is my last words on the Hestian Temple.

My upcoming proposal for rules regarding ordination of Metroum RFGA clergy

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:31:00 +0000

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I get some of the recent feedbacks and I do indeed agree with you! We are not about what we are against or what we are not. We stand for something. We as a church want to be known for what we stand for.

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we remember the systemic racial injustice and economic injustice that exist in the country that claims to be the champion for freedom, equality, human rights and democracy. The promise of America has proven itself to be false, mere lies and propaganda tools to further the greed of the plutocrats, the One Percent. The school-to-prison pipeline in inner-city public schools is a reality, sending minority students to a life of incarceration and deprived opportunity. The so-called War on Drugs and War on Terror both function as a racial unholy war and class unholy war.

In this light, I call members of the Metroum: a Reformed Filianic General Association (RFGA) to renounce systemic violence and cease their support for the same. Likewise, I would like to propose an official RFGA-wide policy in regard to ordination of our subdeacons, deacons, presbyters and to consecration of our superintendents:

1. No currently active full-time, reserve, or auxiliary member of the armed forces, national guards, police agencies, police-like government agencies, sheriff's offices, and correctional agencies (including private prison contractors such as GEO Group and CCA) shall be eligible for ordination in the RFGA.

2. All former members of the military, law enforcement and correction must publicly pledge that they have renounced their loyalty or allegiance to the systemic violence, have formally surrendered or terminated their state law enforcement certification (when applicable), and that they have no intention of returning to the military, law enforcement, or prison industry in the future.

This is just a summary of my upcoming proposal, which will officially be filed in a proper format sometime this week for evolution and consensus. It is my vision for the Metroum to not only reject systemic violence but also actively speak out to delegitimize the militarism, imperialism, institutional racism and classism perpetuated through the military-police-prison complex.

Questions and answers regarding recent announcement by the Hestian Temple

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:49:00 +0000

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UPDATE: All efforts at dialogues are now permanently abandoned. Please read this important announcement.

Question 1. Did the Hestian Temple, by deciding to accept apostolic succession from the Ekklesia Epignostika, abandon Filianism -- did it "sell out" to Christianity? It bothers me that they are seeking an approval of a foreign religious entity in search for this notion of "legitimacy".

Sarah's take on this: According to the official statement issued by the Ekklesia Epignostika and by the Hestian Temple, this consecration of the Rev. Pamela M. Lanides will be without prejudice and explicitly stated that therefore she will not be placed under the jurisdiction of the Ekklesia Epignostika in any way. This is solely an act of goodwill and solidarity by the Ekklesia Epignostika in support of the ministries and visions of the Hestian Temple, and should be celebrated and appreciated as such. The Hestian Temple did not just approach a foreign denomination for "legitimacy"; there have existed a long friendship between the HT and the Ekklesia Epignostika that date back even before the founding of the legacy Collyridian Filianic Communion. I emphasize here: I will not tolerate any of our members to badmouth Bishop Katia Romanoff or the Rev. Pamela Lanides on the account of this.

~~Question 2. Is this an attempt by the Ekklesia Epignostika to hijack or co-opt Filianism for its own benefit? How will this development affect the Hestian Temple, and our relationship therewith?~~

Sarah's answer to this: Emphatically speaking, no. See my answer #1 above. However, this development and alliance will benefit the members of the Ekklesia Epignostika, as the Rev. Pamela Lanides has stated. This will in turn help spread Filianism into the Gnostic community, and help teach the wider audience more about the feminine spirituality. I am excited about this. As for the relations between the HT and the RFGA, at no time anyone has stated or even insinuated that the HT is "abandoning" the RFGA in favour of the Ekklesia Epignostika.

Question 3. Is this a subtle propaganda attempt by the Hestian Temple to delegitimize us, and to publicly insult the ministry of the Ordinary by essentially declaring previous consecration of Georgia Cobb null and void; and by extension, of Pamela Lanides and Kerry Davidson-August?

Sarah's answer to this: No. Only those who are unfamiliar with how sacramental churches often operate, and only those who are taking everything out of context without reading everything carefully can make such an assumption. It is important to note that the Ekklesia Epignostika recognizes the legitimacy of the Hestian Temple's episcopate, which in turn originates in the same succession as that of the RFGA. At no time has HT ever delegitimized us, and if it were their goal -- to publicly insult me and the RFGA, then they had many other, and a lot easier options for that. Neither did and does the Ekklesia Epignostika delegitimize us, in the past or present. Much of this misunderstanding arises from some people's unfamiliarity with the sub conditio consecrations of bishops, a rather common practice in many independent Catholic churches. The sub conditio consecrations are never used as means to delegitimize, void or nullify someone's previous consecration (this is why the ordinations of former Anglican clergy into the Roman Catholic Church is not sub conditio, but rather done as though no past ordinations ever took place), but rather a "cross-pollination" of apostolic lineages. Indeed some bishops have done so many sub conditio consecrations with other bishops that they have become sort of collectors of apostolic lines. This simply strengthens the ministry of Bishop Cobb as she will possess two distinct lines of succession through this. It is one of the highest gestures of friendship, covenant, common ministry and unity between two churches. The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have gone through this process as part of their path towards full communion and shared ministry. In fact, if the sole purpose of this action is to make me look illegitimate and to insult me in public, then this would have also been a way to shoot themselves in their own feet as the same action would have automatically invalidated and illegitimated ALL of the Hestian Church's clergy at the moment. Apparently such is not the situation.

~~Question 4. How can Gnosticism be compatible with Filianism? Aristasians have been always cautious about the "accretions" of this kind.~~

Since I am not an expert on this subject, I quote directly from the Rev. Pamela Lanides: "Many of the ancient Gnostic Schools practiced equality between the sexes, allowing women to serve in areas that were forbidden to them in the exoteric Church; in fact, this was one of the charges against them by the Church Fathers. The Gnostics clearly taught that we have a Divine Mother, the Barbelo or Higher Sophia. Mary Magdalene was considered a leader if the the Apostle to the Apostles. The more the Nag Hamadi texts are studied, the more we are learning about these early communities. However, none of this concerns The Hestian Church."

~~Question 5. Is the rift between the two Filianic denominations becoming worse? What is your thought on this? Are we now irreparably broken?~~

Yes, indeed. It is entirely up to them and is their choice to seek peace.

Sarah's answer to this: The relationship between the HT and the RFGA is under ongoing dialogue and is being re-negotiated, in light of both the recent developments as well as the past failure of the Collyridian Filianic Communion. I would like to see something emerge that will both honour the differences and distinct approaches, as well as to affirm the common heritage, shared faith, and coordinated ministries. A start of this could be an establishment of an inter-Filianic consultation council, and start working together on some of the projects that are amiable for both denominations, such as a Filianic hymnal project, a common church calendar and lectionary, and so on. We can expand from there. I feel that something along the line of the Episcopal-ELCA full communion agreement or the Episcopal-UMC full communion agreement (now still in work) can be used as a template. I feel pretty strongly for working towards some form of agreement between the HT and the RFGA, as the way it stands does give off a false perception of disunity, internal strife and lack of cohesion within the greater Filianic community. With prayerful discernment and honest dialogue we can achieve much. (Here is a document from the Episcopal-United Methodist workgroup as a possible inspiration for HT-RFGA dialogue. Specifically refer to pages 27-31. It is worth noting that the Episcopal Church never said the Methodist apostolic succession was deficient, simply "unreconciled" -- as much as the Episcopal Church has not "reconciled" with the Catholics and Eastern Orthodox churches, though it fully recognizes their holy orders. So there is no basis for stumbling blocks here in the HT-RFGA dialogue.)

~~Question 6. But wouldn't that create a super-denomination that would keep us from being a free, independent church?~~

Sarah's answer to this: Not really. If there be a full communion between the HT and the RFGA, under certain specific conditions an HT priest can serve as an RFGA presbyter, and vice versa. However, in both denominations, the Diocese (HT)/Association (RFGA) and its bishop ordinary (HT)/ordinary superintendent (RFGA) have authorities to decide who can serve as a minister and under what condition or requirement. This means that an HT diocese still will not be forced to accept an RFGA presbyter who does not meet the requirements of the former, and vice versa. A full communion agreement is not a merger and both denominations will retain their distinctive identity and characteristics. A full communion simply means a reciprocal recognition of each other's sacraments and members of the HT and RFGA may be appointed to serve in churches of either denomination.

Question 7. How did this split between the Hestian Temple and the Metroum RFGA happen? Did you leave or did they? Why?

Sarah's answer to this: We did not "split." What happened was that I, personally, resigned from membership of the Collyridian Filianic Communion on Dec. 31, 2011 and thereby vacated the episcopal seat of St. Brigid. This decision was made because of my inability to function within the CFC and still be an effective minister of the Filianic faith in the specific missional context in which I am positioned. On the following day, Jan. 1, 2012, I have founded the RFGA -- which is not a continuation of or successor to any entity within the CFC. Since last year, the leadership of the CFC moved primarily to the Diocese of St. Luci and Bishop Georgia Cobb took over as the presiding bishop of the CFC. The CFC and the Diocese of St. Luci then reorganized as the Hestian Temple, which is the successor entity to the CFC. As far as the CFC is concerned there has never been any split. I left the CFC primarily because of the cultural differences and my pastoral philosophy, but also because I felt that the CFC has grown into maturity and is now in a ~~good~~ hands of leadership -- I have never intended since the start to be there forever, as I considered my role to be that of the initial starter and organizer, not a permanent leader. ~~I have a great confidence in the capacities of the HT's leadership and we still remain good friends and colleagues in ministry.~~

Question 8. Is the RFGA abandoning the episcopal polity and the office of superintendents ultimately, and transitioning into a presbyterian or a congregationalist system?

Sarah's answer to this: No. Perhaps some members of the HT speculate this way, but the fact is this is highly unlikely to happen. I believe that the modified episcopal polity we have in the RFGA ensures continuity and stability of organization while keeping the church more based on authentic human relations instead of on internal politicking and backstabbing that are so common within congregationalist or presbyterian governance of churches.

Thinking out loud: Filianism and Gnosticism

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:27:00 +0000

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With all honesty, I know very little about what is called Gnosticism today. The only things that I know mostly comes from my church history class long, long time ago, in regard to the historical Gnostics, who were declared heretics by the Christian church even before the Arians were. While it took three centuries before the Nicene ecumenical council declared the unitarianism of Arius a heresy, Gnosticism already was a problem element in Christianity even as what comprises portions of the New Testament were still being written down.

Gnosticism believes that spirit is good, the material is bad (a gross simplification, I admit!). Therefore incarnation could not possibly happen, either, as good God could not possibly take upon a corrupt nature of human body. Also Gnosticism was, quite frankly, sexist and misogynist. It attributed all what was spiritual and "good" to the masculine, while women were considered physical and earthly, and thus were "bad." This idea that associates the divine and heavenly to the masculine and the chthonic and natural to the feminine is pervasive -- from Wicca to Neo-Paganism to Christianity to Daoism -- and all repeat the error of patriarchal doctrines caused by the solarization of the male deity and subsequent demotion of the Goddess into a mere "moon goddess", "mother earth" or "fertility goddess."

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While I am somewhat aware that the churches who call themselves Gnostic today hold somewhat different beliefs, and are rather influenced by the occult orders such as the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), I simply do not know how Filianism can possibly be reconciled with Gnosticism while respecting the integrity of both faith traditions.

I am always open to ecumenical dialogues and collaborations where appropriate, and also a strong advocate for interfaith actions and such, but they must be done in such a way that does not do injustice to any party. I therefore urge my colleagues to proceed with a great caution in regard to the latest development between the Hestian Temple and the Ekklesia Epignostika.

Congratulations to the Hestian Temple's bishop-elect

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:47:00 +0000

Jan. 15, 2012 (Hertha 21, 3331)

Dear Pamela+ Lanides, and the people of the Hestian Temple,

This is a morning when seemingly petty differences are set aside, and simply to celebrate this landmark occasion in the ministry of the Hestian Temple. Indeed, Hestians, you have come very far in a matter of two weeks since its official founding!

I also receive with a great joy that there remains a positive, continuing relationship between +Katia Romanoff and the Hestian Temple, and am grateful for +Katia's advocacy for this nascent Filianic community.

I have a great deal of confidence in your capacity and spiritual gift as a future bishop of the Hestian Temple, which you already have amply demonstrated. I would like to add to the voices in support for your election to the order of bishop. Various differences aside, as a colleague and partner in ministry, and as a personal friend, I rejoice with you in this moment.

In amity,

The Rt. Rev. +Sarah A. Morrigan
Ordinary Superintendent of St. Hildegard
The Metroum: a Reformed Filianic General Association

Announcement repost: Status of clergy from another denomination

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:01:00 +0000

http://metroum.wikispaces.com/Urgent+announcement+2012+01+14

Jan. 14, 2012

Subject: Status of clergy in the Hestian Temple

We continue to affirm and celebrate the common heritage and shared faith that exist between the Metroum and the Hestian Temple, a Traditionalist Filianic Church (HTTFC). We wish HTTFC the best and fondly regard it with great respect and admiration. It is our desire that some form of constructive dialogue and positive inter-Filianic relations will develop in the coming days.

This announcement is issued first and foremost as a reminder to all that there exists no formal agreement of any kind between the HTTFC and the Metroum. While we share a great deal of commonality, we are two mutually independent denominations with varied policies and governing philosophies. HTTFC retains some of the beliefs and practices that we have significantly modified or done away with. The Metroum, conversely, has introduced and will introduce more reforms and changes in the future in order to facilitate and support this growing community.

Secondly, by extension, there is no reciprocity or agreement of mutual ministry between the Metroum and HTTFC at the moment. The Metroum therefore reserves full rights to not accept the credentials of any member of the HTTFC clergy and may impose additional requirements and further require re-ordination, sub conditio or otherwise.

Third, effective immediately, the Metroum does no longer automatically incardinate any clergyperson from any Christian denomination. This new restriction will equally apply to former Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran or Methodist ministers, as well as to others. All candidates for incardination from any other church will be subject to individualized evaluation.

Fourth, we recognize the potential problems arising from philosophical and thealogical incompatibilities between Filianism and the so-called Gnostic churches. We do not officially endorse or encourage practices of Filians seeking ordination in a Gnostic holy order, or from any other Christian or pseudo-Christian church on a false pretense.

These policies will remain in force effective immediately and until further notice.

(end)

Three, four and five legs?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Image by Only Wonder via Flickr

Maybe you have caught this already, if you are an expert of Christian theology. This was deliberate when I was drafting the vision statement for the Metroum.

When it comes to where one receives revelations,

The Anglicans have the "three-legged stool": Scriptures, Tradition, and Reason.
This is attributed to the 16th century Church of England theologian and priest, the Rev. Richard Hooker.

The Methodists have the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral": Scriptures, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.
This is attributed to the Rev. John Wesley, in the 18th century.

We, the Filians, I believe, ought to have a "pentacle" (or a "pentagon"): The Spirit, Scriptures, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.
This recaptures both the mystical-contemplative elements and charismatic elements of being primarily led by the Divine Spirit.

Challenges of our tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Image by waywuwei via Flickr

As much as how I may seem to come across to some observers, I am not a revolutionary but still is a reformist deeply rooted in tradition. As a reformist among this small group of people called Filians, I look towards the future while carefully learning from the past. I do not idolize the past, but rather I look at it for all what is.

One of the most challenging aspects of Filianism is the lack of written materials that date back centuries, unlike Christianity that possesses the Book of Acts, Pauline and general epistles, patrisic literature, and rulings of the seven ecumenical councils; and unlike Judaism, we do not have a rich repository of responsa and rabbinic rulings. Hence we make various decisions to guide our course through precedents.

In yesterday's article, "Apostolicity of the Filianic priesthood," an extensive discussion is made in regard to the source of our episcopate and priesthood. Inevitably some would ask why we even should bother -- why we can't simply invent everything as we decide. Another good question would be, after I having stated that we do not need a permission of the Christian church to operate, why should we require our clergy to be first ordained in, or according to the rite of, essentially another religion. After all, one does not have to be a Protestant preacher before being allowed to become a Jewish rabbi, and generally for someone who converted from another religion, their prior standing in their prior religious affiliations should have no bearings at all in their new faith community.

Much of this issue stems from Filianism's emphasis on tradition -- not merely "old-fashioned, outdated, anachronistic practices" -- but rather the idea that there is a single, universal tradition that goes back to the primordial past, that is of the divine origin, and that all historic religions are merely branches of that tradition. This idea is well-articulated in the works of Frithjof Schuon, Ananda Coomaraswamy, René Guénon, and for Filians, by Alice Lucy Trent.

Lacking a well-preserved corpus of written materials, we therefore make discernment based on our precedents, which relate to how we as a community came into existence.

This means we often refer to ecclesiastical history and rulings of the Anglican Communion, (historical) Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Roman Catholic Church, usually in this specific order, when no known Filianic precedent exists. In practice, the Metroum falls somewhere close to half-way between a typical broad-church Anglican church to a more liturgically-oriented sector of the Methodist church, in terms of its ecclesiology.

This kind of references to "foreign" precedents occur also in the civilian judicial systems of the Common Law regions. For example, the Court of Final Appeal (the supreme court) of Hong Kong makes rulings based on opinions that still heavily rely on case laws of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, as well as England and Wales, although Hong Kong is a territory of the People's Republic of China and is no longer bound by the British laws.

I hope this commentary clarifies some of the confusions in regard to yesterday's article.

Apostolicity of the Filianic priesthood

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Morrigan) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:47:00 +0000

Image by Rick-T via Flickr

In all but most Protestant denominations of Christianity, there is a tradition called apostolic succession: that is, all bishops can be traced, as it is said, back to St. Peter in a documented, unbroken lineage. This belief is held in various forms by the Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, at least parts of Lutherans (those in the Porvoo Communion, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), and to an extent, also by some Methodists. To them, no ordination is considered valid unless it originates in a "historic episcopate" in a valid apostolic line. This is a big deal for these Christians, and there are indeed many breakaway independent churches that claim to possess multiple lines of successions and numerous schismatic sects of questionable reputations arose out of these lines (most notably, Arnold Harris Mathew, oft-called father of the independent sacramental movement, whose succession is regarded by more established churches with suspicion).

Additionally, there are a group of ultra-conservative Baptists (such as the Baptist Bible Fellowship International) who believe in the Landmark theory, as made well-known by the book entitled The Trail of Blood, that believes in a form of apostolic succession through local church plants instead of through bishops or through priests. These Baptists claim that there is a continuous unbroken lineage of churches that go back to the very first church Jesus established, that are never been influenced by the Catholic Church (which they believe to be apostates).

Now, what does all this have to do with Filianism or with a Filianic church?

Filianism is a sacramental religion, to a varied extent. We practice sacramental rites such as our form of the Eucharist. By definition, sacraments are conduits for the invisible spiritual reality into the visible material reality, however we may call it symbolic, analogous, allegorical, or literal. We have a priesthood that is ordained in a sacramental rite, as well. To some Filians, having a valid priesthood is important for the sake of efficacy in sacrament.

As Filianism generally subscribes to a cosmology of perennial (traditionalist school) philosophy and its universalism, it has been postulated in some manners in the past that Christian sacraments are valid in our eyes because the inherent symbolic language is rooted in the primordial tradition. This, in the past, created a basis for the reconstructed Filianic order of priesthood, in a manner quite like the origins of the neo-Gnostic episcopates.

As I discuss this topic, let me trace back our history quickly. Today's Filianic priesthood, both in the Metroum: a Reformed Filianic General Association and in the Hestian Temple, a Traditionalist Filianic Church, unfortunately traces back to yours truly. In 2005 when I encountered Filianism and Aristasia through Alice Lucy Trent's book The Feminine Universe, I was a Christian priest in the Anglican line of succession. During several following years I worked within the structure of the Christian church and its hierarchy while also working towards restoring the Divine Feminine as a central part of the ministries here in Portland. This, along with my often radical political ideology and vocal advocacy for the marginalized and oppressed, earned the dislike of the church authority, who are largely conservative Southerners, and accordingly have been first forced to resign from my original denomination, and then for the second time, expelled from another denomination. The expulsion came at a worst-possible timing: a week before my scheduled consecration as a bishop, the youngest-ever in the said denomination at the age of 32. However, the church never explicitly voided its election of me to episcopacy, nor did explain the reason for the action, nor did undergo a normal judicial procedure of the denomination. This emergency development hit me hard in a way, since I was by then so deeply acculturated into the everyone-has-to-become-a-bishop-or-you-are-a-failure culture of the independent Catholicism, but simultaneously I felt at last a freedom of not having to kiss the rear-end of the archbishop every single day to do anything.

From then on, I embarked full-speed on an establishment of an authentic sacramental priesthood that restores the ancient Divine Feminine. At the time there was no known and credible priestly orders of the Goddess (aside from purely modern Wiccan and Neo-Pagan orders), and Aristasia had no priesthood. I had been offered, by another bishop an opportunity for a valid consecration, but I ultimately declined as in order to accept it either I would have to forfeit my freedom and compromise my beliefs, or else lie to them and be consecrated fraudulently on false premises. Neither choice, to me, was ethically and morally acceptable.

There was a make-shift emergency consecration (more precisely, elevation) that took place on Oct. 6, 2007. But this was in retrospect purely non-sacramental, although I did consult the historic precedence of the second century Church of Alexandria in which a bishop was consecrated after a long time of having no bishop at all, by three priests, and followed that example. The problem here is that although strong cases can be made that apostolic succession resides in presbyterate, not exclusively in episcopate, from careful study of the early Christian church history, then the successions of these three pastors/ministers/elders had to be put to question and I did not. In fact, in order to support that thesis, there would have been no need for this make-shift consecration ceremony, as I was already at the time a validly ordained priest in a valid succession, and have been long in possession of administrative authorities comparable to those of a bishop and acted as such. The only reason for this event having happened was both my panicky response and my anger for the archbishop whom I thought was simply making me lose my face publicly by doing this in the last minute.

This having said, my theological beliefs in apostolic succession is mostly parallel to those of the Methodists (and so was the understanding of apostolic succession held by my original denomination). The New Testament did not differentiate between presbyters and episcopi, and that distinction did not appear sacramentally until the late second century after Christ. The differences between that of the presbyters and of episcopi were those of office, and administrative authorities and responsibilities. (In this sense it is kind of like the current distinctions between the office of a bishop and that of an archbishop in the Catholic Church -- there is no distinct sacramental order of archbishops.) And if, as neo-Gnostics assert sometimes, that the apostolic succession did not originate in Jesus or St. Peter but rather in a much more ancient tradition, then it makes even more sense that such succession resides in presbyterate (priesthood).

Then again, even if I had possessed a perfectly valid episcopal succession and I am beyond question even by the Vatican or by the Patriarchate of Moscow, I would not be able to pass a valid apostolic succession to anyone (according to their beliefs), as I would be considered an apostate or a heretic, and also because of the different liturgical wordings we Filians use in ordination rites, it would no longer be "validly sacramental" by having invalid form and possibly invalid intent.

This, added to the consensus held by most church historians (including the Catholics) that no literal apostolic succession exists, makes it completely untenable for the Filianic churches to be too obsessed with this question. Also this becomes a matter of concern for anyone who cares about the independence of Filianic churches: would the traditionalist Filians, in quest for an even stronger and even more valid apostolic succession, go to a Christian bishop asking for a re-consecration of Bishop Cobb? Are we asking for Christians for a permission to operate, a permission to ordain our own priests and deacons? And how much of this nonsense would any self-respecting Christian clergy would play along, knowing fully well that we aren't Christians and we will be "misusing" and "abusing" the holy grace (at least how they may see all this)?

Yes, we all value traditions. We all value the power and beauty of sacramental rituals. It is also comforting to know that we are rooted in something ancient and we are carrying the torch that is passed down from generations. That makes us feel anchored and grounded, and not feel like we are just inventing all this out of thin air. I agree with you.

But mark my words here: I no longer recognize the validity of my own consecration as a bishop, and I do not believe that it was actually even necessary to begin with. Speaking of the Methodist Church, the founder John Wesley was an ordained priest (presbyter) of the Church of England. The Church of England did not make him a bishop, but he was considered as such by the Methodists for all practical purposes, ecclesiastical authority, and in his sacerdotal roles. He consecrated a general superintendent (carefully avoided the word "bishop") when the newly independent America did not have a bishop (Methodist or Anglican) and that severely hindered Wesley from expanding the growing church because no one could ordain a priest to celebrate the Eucharist, and a bishop had to be ordained in England, and the Church of England simply flat-out refused to give a bishop to the Methodists.

Wesley ordained another Anglican priest a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and then he and Wesley ordained another bishop. Bishops Coke and Asbury then became the start of the Methodist succession from whom Methodist episcopate originate in the U.S. and in countries where American missionaries started Methodist churches.

My circumstance was parallel to those of the early American Methodist church. Like Wesley I functioned in almost all ways as a bishop since my appointment as the Episcopal Vicar in early 2006. Like Wesley I pioneered a new church in a geographically remote area far from the center of the denomination, and for mostly political reasons the denomination refused to consecrate me as a bishop.

And come to think of it, the liturgies for consecration of bishops and for ordination of priests are almost all identical in words in the Book of Common Prayer except for some minor details. Another interesting new development is the handling of the Anglicans who left the Anglican Communion to join the Roman Catholic Church. In Anglicanorum Coetibus, the Pope established the means in which Anglicans can retain their heritage and culture while becoming part of the Roman church. In this, one of the problems was that Rome does not recognize the Anglican succession, and that it could allow married priests (done in the Byzantine Rite Catholic Church) but not married bishops. The Pope therefore created an office of an ordinary, who is in every way a bishop except in name. New ordinaries were ordained into Catholic priesthood, but wear the traditional vestment of Anglican bishops and also serve as voting members of the council of bishops.

So if this is really the question as for any legitimacy or validity of the Filianic priestly order, then I can make a far more stronger case to back it all up without making up fables or claiming some ethereal, supernatural origins (channeling, etc.).

On an additional note, if I were to assert my theological understanding around apostolic succession that it is rather vested in presbyterate, then here is a line that is not corrupted by either Arnold Harris Mathew or Joseph Rene Vilatte:

For the sake of brevity I will list up to Cranmer, the first bishop in the independent Church of England, and this lineage also includes Samuel Seabury, the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Thomas Cranmer - March 30, 1533
William Barlow - June 1536
Matthew Parker - December 17, 1559
Edmund Grindal - December 21, 1559
John Whitgift - April 21, 1577
Richard Bancroft - May 8, 1597
George Abbot - December 3, 1609
George Montaigne - December 14, 1617
Bl. William Laud - November 18, 1621
Brian Duppa - June 17, 1638
Gilbert Sheldon - October 28, 1660
Henry Compton - December 6, 1674
William Sancroft - January 27, 1678
Thomas White - October 25, 1685
George Hickes - February 24, 1693
James Gadderar - February 24, 1712
Thomas Rattray - June 4, 1727
William Falconar - 1741
Robert Kilgour - September 21, 1768
Samuel Seabury - November 14, 1784
T.J. Claggett - September 17, 1792
Edward Bass - May 7, 1797
Abraham Jarvis - October 18, 1797
A.V. Griswold - May 29, 1811
J.H. Hopkins - October 31, 1832
G.D. Cummins - November 15, 1866
Charles E. Cheney - December 14, 1873
W.R. Nicholson - February 24, 1876
A.S. Richardson - June 22, 1879
Leon Chechemian - 1890
Andrew Charles Albert McLagen - November 2, 1897
James Heard - June 4, 1922
William Bernard Crow - June 13, 1943
Hugh George De Willmott Newman - April 10, 1944
Wallace David De Ortega Maxey - June 6, 1946
Lowell Paul Wadle - April 7, 1957
Herman Adrian Spruit - June 22, 1957
Paul Michael Clemens - 1988
Joseph Philip Sousa - July 14, 1991
Willibrord Van Campent - Oct. 10, 1993
Carl Thomas Swaringim - Nov. 14, 1993
Maurice M. McCormick - Feb. 3, 1996
Rodney P. Rickard - April 26, 1997
Michael Wrenn - May 10, 2003*

* Lest anyone questions me on the validity of distance ordination by Wrenn taking place on March 26, 2005, Rickard personally laid hands on me while on his trip to Portland, Oregon, on Sept. 9, 2006.

For a good discussion on apostolic succession from a Methodist point-of-view, I invite readers to refer to the Rev. Gregory Neal's article, "Methodist Apostolicity."

Another article of historic interest is here: http://wesley.nnu.edu/sermons-essays-books/the-methodist-review/the-methodist-quarterly-review-1878-was-wesley-ordained-a-bishop-by-erasmus/ [This article from 1878 notes that even though the Church of England did not recognize Wesley's ability to ordain bishops, it admitted that as a presbyter Wesley could ordain someone into priesthood.]

But what is most important is that a sacrament is something that takes place in spiritual realm first and foremost. Even the most meticulous adherence to the literal rubrics of a liturgy does not make a sacrament valid -- it could as well be a practice or a theatrical performance. What makes a sacrament a sacrament is that it is an outward and visible conduit for the inward and invisible charisma, or divine grace.

It is very ironic that this question came up, from those who no longer consider themselves Christians but have joined the Filianic faith. It is also quite ironic, considering that in the Gospels, Jesus denounced the Pharisees for teaching men's traditions as though they are God's law, and was incessantly dogged by the religious authorities of his day with questions such as "by whose authority do you do these things?". Of course, another irony here is that we are essentially co-opting the successions that emerge out of a deeply patriarchal religious system that openly persecuted, tortured, and murdered "witches" and those remnants of Goddess devotees in the Middle Age and in early American history.

* This is in response to http://divinemothergod.com/2012/01/10/apostolic-succession-and-distance-ordination/

There is a follow-up article on this topic: http://filianic.metroum.co.cc/2012/01/challenges-of-our-tradition.html

Also see: http://filianic.metroum.co.cc/2011/09/points-of-filianic-sacramental-thealogy.html

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Announcement repost: Status of clergy from another denomination

Three, four and five legs?

Challenges of our tradition

Apostolicity of the Filianic priesthood