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[from ftp://ftp.caw.org/caw/ ] Subject: What on Earth is the Church of All Worlds? Where we're at: The Church of All Worlds offers a religious position uniquely suited to the enlightened, inquiring modern mind. In harmony with the principles and conclusions of science, receptive to the values and wisdom of the ancients and the great religions of humanity, cherishing diversity and individuality, sensitive to the deep psychological and spiritual needs of all people, the Church of All Worlds aspires to be the kind of free, growing and unifying religion that today's and tomorrow's world so urgently needs. The Church of All Worlds is Neo-Pagan: a modern Earth Religionža path chosen because of its traditional sanctification of Life and the processes of Nature, which we consider an appropriate religious orientation for the emerging Aquarian Age. We are in accord with the Greening of our Planet as both political and spiritual goals which are not incompatible. As western civilization has been to a great degree the product of the past two thousand years of Piscean Age Christianity, so do we envision a new whole-Earth culture of transformative religious ecology to become the product of the next epoch of Aquarian Age Nature Religion. In common with many other Neo-Pagan religions, CAW presents alife-affirming religious philosophy for the joyous unification of eros, ethos and ecos. We consider the Church of All Worlds to be radically evolutionary in concept, rather than merely revolutionary. We see the evolution of Life on Earth as moving towards a point of actualization whereby the entire planet will come to share a single vast g global consciousness. We see humanity as being instrumental in the course of that evolution. As humans seem to be the only creatures on the planet capable of disrupting entire ecosystems, it becomes our manifest responsibility through our unique freedom of choice to prevent such systems from being disrupted. We are not anti-technology or science, for we recognize that certain scientific and technological advances, such as ecology, geology, astronomy, psychology, archaeology, cybernetics, astrophysics, communications and the appropriate technologies of the bio-renaissance can be positively evolutionary and in harmony with the accelerating advance of planetary consciousness. What we oppose is the senseless use of industrial technology and the economics of greed, which wreak havoc with the planetary ecosystem, often in the name of the Biblical injunction that Man is to have "dominion over the Earth." We perceive our role not as dominion, but as responsible stewardship. Applying evolutionary concepts to each individual, we agree with Erich Fromm that the purpose of life is "to become what we potentially are." We identify strongly with the concepts of human self-actualization identified by Abraham Maslow and found in transpersonal psychology and ethics. Rejecting utterly concepts of predestination and inherent sin, we affirm the ultimate freedom and responsibility appropriate to conscious entities, which we express in the phrase "Thou Art God/dess," derived from Robert Heinlein's novel, Stranger in a Strange Land. This implies that each one of us must define our own specific purpose. There is no excuse; no shelter from the awesome responsibility of total freedom. We do not seek power over other individuals for domination; rather we seek the shaman's goal of power within for healing ourselves and the Earth. Recognizing that all life on Earth comprises a single vast living Entity, which has been intuitively conceptualized as a feminine divinity from time immemorial, we are in harmony with our Pagan ancestors who worshiped The Goddess: Mother Earth, Mother Nature. Thus we also affirm mystically and mythically the pantheistic conceptualization of immanent divinity inherent in all living entities, as synergic living Nature, for we define divinity as the highest level of aware consciousness accessible to each living being, manifesting itself in the self-actualization of that being. Hence, "Thou Art God/dess" applies equally to a person, a tree, a grasshopper or a planet. As Neo-Pagans, we are concerned, not with life after death, but with life after birth. We have no dogmas of immortality, considering that whatever one believes about an afterlife may very well be what one gets. We view death as an evolutionary prerequisite site for the emergence of new life, and so we return the dead to the Earth, from which the elements of their energy and matter will eventually be recycled and reconstituted into the energy and matter of other life forms. Other than our ecological responsibility of returning to the Earth that which we have taken from Her, we are not concerned with dying, but with living. We are deeply concerned with improving the quality of that life, to which end we agree with population ecologists that its quantity (in sheer numbers of people) must be drastically reduced. Thus we are strongly supportive of the various measures of birth h control advocated by such agencies as Planned Parenthood, including full legalization of abortion. We greatly fear that if humanity does not choose to limit its numbers by reducing births, Nature will do it for us by increasing deaths. Where we're going: The word religion means "re-linking." The basic commitment of the Church of All Worlds is to the re-integration of people with themselves, their fellow humans, and with the whole of living Nature. In company with all other Pagan peoples, we create no artificial demarcations between the sacred and the secular, for we recognize that religion must ultimately be an entire way of life, not merely some ritual acts performed once a week. We are committed to developing an organic, vitalistic philosophy of life e and its expression in an organic culture. To this end, then, the Church of All Worlds devotes itself to those who need or want the help and understanding of others through the processes of unlearning and learning. It is our aim to offer assistance through any personal expansion programs found t o be effective. Further, we intend to remain open-minded and receptive to new ideas, interests and goals, and learn to live responsibly and responsively with each other. We advocate involvement with every conceivable aspect of the emerging Gaean culture, from religious service and mythology to family relations and child rearing; from education to ecology; from psychic development to space travel; from the sensual to the sexual; from intentional communities to planetary government and world peace. "Nothing short of everything will ever really do." We are engaged in the eclectic reconstruction of ancient Nature religions, combining archetypes of many cultures with other mystic and spiritual disciplines. But we are not just trying to recreate a Paradise Lost; we are actively working to actualize a visionary future. With roots deep in the Earth and branches reaching towards the stars, we evoke and create myths not only of a Golden Age long past, but also of one yet to come... Since we are concerned with the emergent evolution of a total new culture and lifestyle, and since we perceive no distinction between the sacred and the secular, we consider every activity to be essentially a religious activity. For us, taking our cans and bottles to the recycling center is as much a religious duty as prayer and meditation. And so are composting our garbage, growing organic vegetables, practicing safe sex and birth control, using biodegradable products, boycotting ivory, training and study, protecting animals and celebration of the seasons. We recognize that the essence of a religion is in the living of it. Where we came from: The Church traces its history back to 1962, when a "water-brotherhood" called Atl was formed by Tim Zell and Lance Christie at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. During the mid-to-late 1960s the group was centered on the University of Oklahoma cam pus at Norman and operated under the name Atlan Foundation. In 1968, with a number of Atlans in St. Louis, the Church of All Worlds was incorporated, becoming the first of the Neo-Pagan/Earth Religions to obtain full state and federal recognition. In March of that year, the Green Egg appeared. From its inauspicious beginnings as a one-page ditto sheet, it grew over 80 issues into a 60-page journal, evolving into the most significant periodical in the Pagan movement during the 1970s. After a ten-year hiatus the Green Egg resumed publication in 1988 with its 81st issue and has been published quarterly ever since. The Church of All Worlds took much of its original inspiration from the 1961 science fiction classic, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. In the novel, the "stranger," Valentine Michael Smith, was an Earthman born on Mars and raised by Martians ns. Among his other adventures upon being brought to Earth was the formation of the fictional "Church of All Worlds." The church was built around "nests" a combination of a congregation and an expanded family. A basic concept was grokking, i.e., the ability to be fully empathic. It also emphasized the experience of non-possessive love and joyous expression of sexuality as divine union. The common greeting was "Thou art God;" a recognition of immanent divinity in each person. The basic theology of the real-life Church of All Worlds is a form of pantheism which focuses on immanent rather than transcendent divinity. The most important theological statement came in the form of revelatory writings by Tim (now Otter) Zell in 1970-73, on the theory which later came to be known as the Gaia Thesis. This concept is a biological validation of an ancient intuition: that the planet is a single living organism; Mother Earth (Gaia). Pantheists hold as divine the living spirit of Nature . Thus the CAW, recognizes Gaia, Pan and other nature spirits as the Divine Pantheon. In this manner, the Church of All Worlds became an early for-runner of the Deep Ecology movement. Though the Church maintains an egalitarian rather than matriarchal social structure, nevertheless, through its focus on Mother Nature as Goddess, its recognition and ordination of women as priestesses, and the important central policy-making positions he ld by women in the Church, CAW can rightly be held to be the first Eco-Feminist Church. We are not a secret or members-only organization, as are many Wiccan covens, and we welcome participation by all who are sincerely interested in our path regardless o f race, sex, national or cultural origins or sexual preference. We support unity through diversity. Our only creed states: "The Church of All Worlds is dedicated to the celebration of life, the maximal actualization of human potential and the realization ion of ultimate individual freedom and personal responsibility in harmonious eco-psychic relationship with the total Biosphere of Holy Mother Earth." Worship in the Church involves weekly or monthly meetings which are held usually in the homes of nest members on a rotational basis. The basic liturgical form is a Circle where members take turns sharing their creativity. A chalice of water is always s hared around the Circle either as the opening or closing of the ceremony. Other events are celebrated at the Church retreat sanctuary, a 55-acre parcel of sacred land called Annwfn, in Northern Califia. It is maintained by a small residential community of caretakers. In addition to various campfire and ritual areas, the land has several handbuilt buildings including a two-story temple, plus a garden, an orchard and a small pond. It has limited solar electricity and propane hot water, but no telephone or TV. In addition to the eight Celtic seasonal festivals we hold handfastings, vision quests, rites of passage, workshops, retreats, work parties, summer camps and staff meetings on the land. As in Stranger in a Strange Land, congregations of the CAW are called "Nests," and quite a few are currently in existence throughout the world. See the latest issue of Green Egg for listings to find the Nest nearest you. Over the years, the Church has chartered a number of subsidiary branch orders through which we practice and teach our religion. These include: Nemeton POB 610, Laytonville, CA 95454. Founded in 1972 by Gwydion Pendderwen and Alison Harlow, this is the publishing arm. Tapes, songbooks, books, T-shirts, Goddess figurines, God & Goddess jewelry and philosophical tracts. Catalog available. Forever Forests POB 212, Redwood Valley, CA 95470. Founded in 1977 by Gwydion Pendderwen, this is the Church's ecology branch. Sponsors tree planting rituals and environmental actions. Has stewardship of Annwfn, the Church land. Ecosophical Research Assn. POB 982, Ukiah, CA 95482. Founded in 1977 by Morning Glory Zell, the ERA is devoted to research and exploration in the fields of history, mythology, and natural sciences. ERA focuses on the borderline between science and magic . Sponsored the Living Unicorn project, the New Guinea Mermaid expedition, a Peruvian Pilgrimage and other "magical mystery tours," and a Goddess collection and sculpture series. Lifeways 2140 Shattuck #2093, Berkeley, CA 94704. Founded in 1983 by Anodea Judith, this is the teaching order. Offers workshops, classes, healing rituals and training for the priesthood. In 1990, Lifeways president Marilee Lewis inaugurated a Pagan re recovery program called WEBS (Women Emerging and Becoming Sane). Peaceful Order of the Earth Mother POB 5227, Clearlake, CA 95422. Founded in 1988 by Willowoak, POEM is dedicated to children and child nurturing. Provides enriching activities for children at gatherings, summer camps, and a quarterly magazine for Pagan Youth, How About Magic? (HAM). HAM is available by subscription for $7/yr (US) from POB 1542, Ukiah, CA 95482. Green Egg POB 1542, Ukiah, CA 95482. Founded in 1968 by Tim (now Otter) Zell, GE is a professionally-produced quarterly magazine of Neo-Paganism. 56-64 pages, with a four-color glossy cover, GE features articles, fiction, interviews, comics, environment action, columns and an extensive "Readers' Forum." Cover price $4.95. Back issues $6. Subscription $15 (US), $21 (Canada), $27 (trans-Atlantic), $30 (trans-Pacific). POB 1542, Ukiah, CA 95482. Membership: Membership in the Church of All worlds is based on a nine-circle system of involvement which falls into three main bodies (Rings): Seekers, Scions and ordained Clergy. The Church is governed by a Board of Directors with members from all Three Rings. A All members also receive a quarterly membership newsletter, The Scarlet Flame. For more information and membership applications, write to CAW, POB 1542, Ukiah, CA 95482 For More Information on CAW: Adler Margot, Drawing Down the Moon; Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, Beacon Press, Boston, 1979 (revised and expanded 1986). Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, Facts on File, New York, 1989. Melton, Gordon, The Encyclopedia of American Religions, from the Institute for the Study of American Religions, POB 90709, Santa Barbara, CA 93190 (3rd edition, 1988).
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