Post by jadedsage on Mar 17, 2004 22:40:54 GMT -5
The Church of All Worlds
by Iacchus
Email: ingkj@mwt.net
The Church of All Worlds (CAW) is one of the oldest incorporated Neo-Pagan churches in the United States. Among its members are people of various faiths, including the Abrahamic traditions. CAW has an international membership that includes a board of directors, an ordained priesthood (of women and men) and a fellowship of consecrated members called scions who are dedicated to the service of the church. It has a process of personal development delineated by 9 circles (stages) that can lead to the priesthood, local congregations called Nests and various subsidiary organizations. CAW promotes lifestyles that support personal freedom and responsibility, environmental stewardship, progressive and cooperative social order and pluralistic democracy.
In 1962 CAW evolved from a group of friends and lovers who were in part inspired by the science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. This book suggested a spiritual and social way of life and was a metaphor expressing the awakening social consciousness of the times. Inspired by this awakening of consciousness and the book, Stranger in a Strange Land, this group grew, evolved, became "water-kin" and created a religious organization that was recognized as a church by the federal government of the United States on June 18, 1970.
They named this religious organization the Church of All Worlds after the church founded by the protagonist Valentine Smith in the book. The Church's organizing spiritual and social values include; a belief in immanent Divinity, a pluralistic perspective towards religion, living in harmony with Nature, self-actualization, deep friendship and positive sexuality. From the beginning the church's spiritual and social concepts and values were recognized as Pagan and then later Neo-Pagan. As CAW continued to develop it was influential in the growth of the broader Neo-Pagan movement and in turn was influenced by it.
CAW believes that the nature of our universe and planet is a manifestation of Divine being. As such the nature of human being is an expression of Divine being. In recognition of this we greet and honor one another with the phrase "Thou art God" or "Thou art Goddess".
A fundamental sacrament and rite of CAW is a communion of souls called Water-sharing. In this rite participants share water with one another. They recognize within each other the Divine Being with the phrase " Thou art God" or "Thou art Goddess". This similar to the Hindu greeting of "Namaste" which means the "Divine in me greets the Divine in you." "May you never thirst" is spoken when the shared water is drunk. Since water is essential to all known life on this planet it is seen as being very precious. CAW envisions Water-sharing as a way of honoring this preciousness. This symbolic act also recognizes one believes Divine Being is a living experience in all Humanity. The phrase "never thirst" serves as a reminder of one's conscious connection with living as an experience of Divine being.
CAW's vision is rooted in a shared value system whose core values are accepted by its members regardless of belief. CAW does not ask or require members to give up their religious affiliation or beliefs, as long as they share CAW's common values. One of these core values is a pluralistic attitude toward life and religion. A pluralistic attitude is essential to CAW's identity as a Church. CAW sees this attitude as reflecting a valuing of diversity with harmony in Humanity and nature as expressions of Divinity. It believes a pluralistic acceptance of a diversity of belief systems fosters religious freedom and peace within humanity. As a result the religious/spiritual orientations of CAW members may include animistic, polytheistic, monotheistic and monistic concepts.
CAW's diversity of beliefs about Divinity is expressed through a variety of religious practices or worship. These various religious practices seek to bring humanity into conscious harmony with Nature and Divinity within it. Many CAW members follow the Neo-Pagan ritual observance of what is commonly called the "Wheel of the Year". It has 8 Holy days, the solstices and equinoxes days and the cross quarter days. Many members ritually observe each month, the Full and/or New Moon. CAW believes the ritual observation of the "Wheel of the Year" and cycles of the Moon can bring about a communion with Divinity through attunement of one's life with the waxing and waning of Nature. Some believers see in the changing seasons, the waxing and waning of darkness and light, an expression of the life cycle of Divinity that includes birth, love, death and rebirth.
CAW encourages its members to create and re-create rituals and myths that attune their life with Nature, bring honor to and communion with Divinity, reflect its values and build community. One such myth is the vision that our planet is an individual living system, a Goddess, variously named Mother Earth or Gaia. Many members believe themselves to be children of this Goddess. This myth expresses the basic CAW tenets that our planet and life on it are sacred, and responsible stewardship of life and its environment is an act of worship.
CAW believes that humanity needs to be in harmony with its Self, for the Self is seen as a manifestation of Divine immanence in Nature. It sees the human Self as the seed pattern and potential of the human Soul. As such the Soul is a "system of becoming" that seeks to actualize its potential รถ the Self. The human Self is a potential wholeness where there is a unity of behaviors and experiences. Examples of such are mind with body, consciousness with unconsciousness, spirit with nature, instinct with culture, self with other, community with individuality, humanity with environment and being with becoming. CAW sees conscious actualization of human wholeness and the gaining of experiential knowledge of the nature of Self as an essential religious endeavor. Self-knowledge and actualization make it possible for the Self-conscious creation of harmony between humanity and Nature. This harmony is part of the human potential and is a primary religious goal and quest for CAW.
CAW envisions the religious and psychological development of the Soul as embryonic. In recognition of this, CAW members will often refer to themselves as "Eggs" as in " I am just an egg". CAW seeks to foster, through contemplation, ritual, integrative behavior and lifestyle, this embryonic journey of self-knowledge and actualization. CAW recognizes that altered states of consciousness can be ways of becoming aware of and knowing unconscious aspects of the Self. Altered states of consciousness are enthusiastic, ecstatic and celebratory aspects of this embryonic journey and include such techniques as drumming, fasting, chanting, ritual and magic.
by Iacchus
Email: ingkj@mwt.net
The Church of All Worlds (CAW) is one of the oldest incorporated Neo-Pagan churches in the United States. Among its members are people of various faiths, including the Abrahamic traditions. CAW has an international membership that includes a board of directors, an ordained priesthood (of women and men) and a fellowship of consecrated members called scions who are dedicated to the service of the church. It has a process of personal development delineated by 9 circles (stages) that can lead to the priesthood, local congregations called Nests and various subsidiary organizations. CAW promotes lifestyles that support personal freedom and responsibility, environmental stewardship, progressive and cooperative social order and pluralistic democracy.
In 1962 CAW evolved from a group of friends and lovers who were in part inspired by the science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. This book suggested a spiritual and social way of life and was a metaphor expressing the awakening social consciousness of the times. Inspired by this awakening of consciousness and the book, Stranger in a Strange Land, this group grew, evolved, became "water-kin" and created a religious organization that was recognized as a church by the federal government of the United States on June 18, 1970.
They named this religious organization the Church of All Worlds after the church founded by the protagonist Valentine Smith in the book. The Church's organizing spiritual and social values include; a belief in immanent Divinity, a pluralistic perspective towards religion, living in harmony with Nature, self-actualization, deep friendship and positive sexuality. From the beginning the church's spiritual and social concepts and values were recognized as Pagan and then later Neo-Pagan. As CAW continued to develop it was influential in the growth of the broader Neo-Pagan movement and in turn was influenced by it.
CAW believes that the nature of our universe and planet is a manifestation of Divine being. As such the nature of human being is an expression of Divine being. In recognition of this we greet and honor one another with the phrase "Thou art God" or "Thou art Goddess".
A fundamental sacrament and rite of CAW is a communion of souls called Water-sharing. In this rite participants share water with one another. They recognize within each other the Divine Being with the phrase " Thou art God" or "Thou art Goddess". This similar to the Hindu greeting of "Namaste" which means the "Divine in me greets the Divine in you." "May you never thirst" is spoken when the shared water is drunk. Since water is essential to all known life on this planet it is seen as being very precious. CAW envisions Water-sharing as a way of honoring this preciousness. This symbolic act also recognizes one believes Divine Being is a living experience in all Humanity. The phrase "never thirst" serves as a reminder of one's conscious connection with living as an experience of Divine being.
CAW's vision is rooted in a shared value system whose core values are accepted by its members regardless of belief. CAW does not ask or require members to give up their religious affiliation or beliefs, as long as they share CAW's common values. One of these core values is a pluralistic attitude toward life and religion. A pluralistic attitude is essential to CAW's identity as a Church. CAW sees this attitude as reflecting a valuing of diversity with harmony in Humanity and nature as expressions of Divinity. It believes a pluralistic acceptance of a diversity of belief systems fosters religious freedom and peace within humanity. As a result the religious/spiritual orientations of CAW members may include animistic, polytheistic, monotheistic and monistic concepts.
CAW's diversity of beliefs about Divinity is expressed through a variety of religious practices or worship. These various religious practices seek to bring humanity into conscious harmony with Nature and Divinity within it. Many CAW members follow the Neo-Pagan ritual observance of what is commonly called the "Wheel of the Year". It has 8 Holy days, the solstices and equinoxes days and the cross quarter days. Many members ritually observe each month, the Full and/or New Moon. CAW believes the ritual observation of the "Wheel of the Year" and cycles of the Moon can bring about a communion with Divinity through attunement of one's life with the waxing and waning of Nature. Some believers see in the changing seasons, the waxing and waning of darkness and light, an expression of the life cycle of Divinity that includes birth, love, death and rebirth.
CAW encourages its members to create and re-create rituals and myths that attune their life with Nature, bring honor to and communion with Divinity, reflect its values and build community. One such myth is the vision that our planet is an individual living system, a Goddess, variously named Mother Earth or Gaia. Many members believe themselves to be children of this Goddess. This myth expresses the basic CAW tenets that our planet and life on it are sacred, and responsible stewardship of life and its environment is an act of worship.
CAW believes that humanity needs to be in harmony with its Self, for the Self is seen as a manifestation of Divine immanence in Nature. It sees the human Self as the seed pattern and potential of the human Soul. As such the Soul is a "system of becoming" that seeks to actualize its potential รถ the Self. The human Self is a potential wholeness where there is a unity of behaviors and experiences. Examples of such are mind with body, consciousness with unconsciousness, spirit with nature, instinct with culture, self with other, community with individuality, humanity with environment and being with becoming. CAW sees conscious actualization of human wholeness and the gaining of experiential knowledge of the nature of Self as an essential religious endeavor. Self-knowledge and actualization make it possible for the Self-conscious creation of harmony between humanity and Nature. This harmony is part of the human potential and is a primary religious goal and quest for CAW.
CAW envisions the religious and psychological development of the Soul as embryonic. In recognition of this, CAW members will often refer to themselves as "Eggs" as in " I am just an egg". CAW seeks to foster, through contemplation, ritual, integrative behavior and lifestyle, this embryonic journey of self-knowledge and actualization. CAW recognizes that altered states of consciousness can be ways of becoming aware of and knowing unconscious aspects of the Self. Altered states of consciousness are enthusiastic, ecstatic and celebratory aspects of this embryonic journey and include such techniques as drumming, fasting, chanting, ritual and magic.