Pagan Clergy
More and more Pagan leaders are seeking roles in traditional clergy areas -- such as hospital, prison, and military chaplaincy. Many Pagans who are pursuing these and other leadership positions are seeking training outside their coven or group structure. That, of course, means that the need for Pagan Seminary and Clergy Training Programs is increasing as well.
Just a side note here: Pagan "Clergy" strikes some people the same way as Pagan "Theology" -- it's a common term communicates to many people, but the term doesn't exactly fit Pagans. I'll use "clergy" until another term is widely accepted in the Pagan community.
Seeking Clergy for Services?
A great place to start is the Index of Pagan Clergy, listed by location, at the Witches Voice. Another good directory can be found at PaganDiversity.com. You can also use a search engine to find pagan organizations that can put you in touch with clergy, such as the Maine Pagan Resource Page or the Delaware Valley Pagan Network which serves the Philadelphia area.
Seminaries and Clergy Training
Those who have a seminary
education (or the equivalent) have developed specific skills and acquired a
broad knowledge base. They are active servants of the Pagan
community. Clergy work is often a part-time or full-time passion, and
seldom a paid position. To give you something to ponder as you search for
an educational program I would suggest you read
Judy
Harrow's chapter 7, To Learn in Order to Serve, in her book
Wicca
Covens, and read this on-line essay on what a
Pagan
Seminary education should involve.
Pagan Educational
Programs and Seminaries
There are
more and more programs available in this category. Some of them are
"brick-and-mortar" facilities, some are on-line programs, and some offer both.
You can use the terms "Pagan Seminary" and "Pagan Clergy" in a
search engine to find several to choose from.
Keep in mind that the level, intensity, and quality of these programs can vary
dramatically! Do your homework to make sure the program is right for you.
Here are some questions to consider:
-
Are you looking for training for educational background? Equivalent to a college level? Graduate level? Seminary or Professional level?
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Are the courses clearly defined? The requirements for completion of the program?
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Does it appear that the courses will meet your needs?
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Are you comfortable with the workload? The length of the program?
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Who are the faculty members? Do they have expertise beyond your own? Do they have credentials you can view and evaluate?
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Are you comfortable with the cost of the program? Are the procedures for payment clear? Is the total cost of the program clear?
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If it is an on-line program, do you have the necessary equipment? What type of technical support does the school offer?
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Have you sent for information about the school or sent an e-mail question? Did you get a timely, professional response?
(I occasionally teach courses for Cherry Hill Seminary, so I can whole-heartedly recommend CHS. I'm sure there are other good schools out there that I'm not familiar with.)
Pagan Students in a "Traditional"
Seminary
While few seminaries label themselves
"Pagan," some schools allow students to take a basic core set of
courses and then design an educational plan that fits their needs. If this
is the route you would like to take you may want to consider a very liberal
seminary, such as those affiliated with the
Unitarian
Universalist Association (Harvard
Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, the
Meadville
Lombard Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL, and the
Starr
King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, CA).
If you do attend a mainstream seminary it may be quite a challenge to be one of the few Pagans on campus. More and more, though, you can find seminaries that are open to religious diversity. It would be time well spent to explore the openness of students and faculty to Pagan spirituality rather than rely on the school's marketing literature. Find out if you can contact students and faculty members to survey their level of appreciation for Pagan spirituality.
Alternative Programs in Higher Education
The following "nontraditional graduate schools for serious minds" were listed in the 2001 Body & Soul Guide published by Body and Soul Magazine.
On-line education is radically and rapidly changing the landscape of higher education -- I'm sure there are new programs launched every day.
Clergy Resources
Counseling Basics for Pagan Clergy, written by by Judy Harrow, Marjorie Nelson-Brambir and Gwyneth Harrow
Pagan Pastoral Outreach Association, with a special focus on resources for hospital and prison chaplains. They also have a great list of resources.
Pagan Clergy group on Yahoo! Groups, you will be asked to write a brief letter as to why you want to be on the list.