Pagan Institute Fellows

Pagan Institute Students and Fellows The mission of the Pagan Institute (PI) is to advance and disseminate Pagan scholarship and professional training for Pagans, using seminars, web-based publication, and on-line distance education. My personal dream is to use both the internet and seminars to pass on and further develop Pagan adaptations of what I learned in graduate school and to engage others in sharing and developing their special expertise as well. Following the practice of most seminaries, PI will use praxis "theory informed by practice; practice informed by theory" through presentation and constructive critique of papers and informal collegial discussion.
Students will include those who

*	aspire to leadership roles;
*	already hold leadership roles -- with or without ordination -- and seek to improve their knowledge and skills base;
*	or at this time seek primarily to deepen their own religious practice and understanding.

No two people will have the same background or interests, and so which courses you will take or teach is decided on an individual basis by the student and administration together. It is assumed that all Pagan Institute Students are capable of college level work. Students who are not prepared for graduate level work can participate in classes appropriate to their interests, academic ability, and willingness to work. To become a Pagan Institute Student, apply using the form below. Please feel free to contact the director, Dr. Christa Landon, about this application process.
Scholars The Pagan Institute provides an outlet for Pagan scholars engaged primarily in other work, but who seek to contribute their academic or professional expertise to our movement. We invite papers on any subject which can be useful for other Pagan scholars, activists, or other leaders. Vitas are appreciated, but not required. Please submit your original manuscript of any size as a rich text document to the editor of Pagan Institute Report, using the CONTACT US button at the top of every page on this website. Remember to include a note indicating non-exclusive permission to publish. If you wish to be published under your Pagan name, please indicate accordingly, and we withhold your professional name and institution. We can also supply you with a Pagan Institute mailbox.

Fellows

The Pagan Institute seeks Pagan clergy and scholars (especially those with advanced degrees) to participate in creating a unique learning community as Fellows.

As the breadth of the background assessment form (below) indicates, it's likely that a single individual might qualify to teach one or more subjects, while studying others. This is the basis of collegiality which Fellows will enjoy.

Other benefits for Fellows include:

faculty privileges on the Pagan Institute Forum which will assist you in preparing online coursework, including files for students enrolled in Pagan Institute courses;

access to the Fellows Lounge area in the Pagan Institute Forum

access to Pagan Institute's private e-library

a Pagan Institute mailbox which will redirect mail to any address you direct;

discounts on Pagan Institute coursework and events;

additional benefits such as the Fellows and Institute administration shall arrange.

The Application Process

1. If you have been a practicing religious leader, much of what you ALREADY know may have been learned by modeling it from other practitioners or from books you have already forgotten. The point of beginning for you is to inventory your current knowledge base in the arts of ministry.

2. If you are a scholar or otherwise must protect your identity, Pagan Institute will use your Pagan name instead of your professional name, on request. To reduce confusion and ensure confidentiality, please consistently use your Pagan name in all Pagan Institute correspondence, except in the initial application

3. Make up a list of the things you want to learn about to make your ministry more effective. You may use the list below to jog your memory. Feel free, however, to add additional categories.

4 . Produce an annotated bibliography of the the more valuable books you have read and training or experience you already have which apply to list #2. This will help the Administration to suggest additional resources for you, and help the Fellows and Administration to improve coursework and to develop new courses to better meet your needs.

5. And then do the same for the following fields:

Ancient Paganism: What can be remembered, need not be invented.

methods for the academic study of religion

Paganisms of several times and cultures

the crisis of historical consciousness

accessing genuine survivals

weighing the evidence: surviving texts and other evidence

History of religions (cross-cultural studies seeking to understand the universal
dynamics in religion. This field typically studies surviving Earth-centered traditions.)

The universal categories of religion

models of religious community

Tradition and the dynamics of change

Liturgics: the dynamics of public worship and skills to use them.

Speech and rhetoric skills

Theater and ritual, once indivisible, still have something to contribute to each other.

Music

Dance

Ritual design

Ritual and group identity

Inclusionary and exclusionary practices.

Organizational Development

conflict management

group dynamics

social psychology

using the MBTI

models of leadership

polity and values

Pagan History

Bronze Age

The Age of Aries: 2,600 - 0 bce

The Age of Pisces

Paganism in the Roman Empire and why our religion collapsed

The Dark Ages IV - XIII

The Burning Times XIII-XVII

The Renaissance: The Rebirth of Paganism

The Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Paganism

The Romantics

The Pagan/Occult/Magickal Revival

Pagan Scripture: ancient and modern classics

classics of Pagan literature

the concept of canon

criteria for admission to the canon of Pagan classics

collecting for your own "looseleaf Pagan bible"

Pastoral Care

applied psychology

family systems psychology

supportive counseling and referral

crisis intervention

interviewing skills

mediation skills

recognizing and responding to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Jungian psychology: basic concepts

developmental psychology: birth to death; implications for rites of passage

stages of moral/cognitive development)

feminist revisions to developmental theory

practical theology

Thanatology: the study of death and dying (Kubler Ross, etc.)

spiritual direction (religious counseling)

Theology for interfaith communications:
Learning to speak in their language is essential if we want to teach them about us.

Liberal Theology/Orthodox Theology

Liberation Theology

Process Theology

Practical Theology (theology applied to pastoral care, especially the Problem of Evil)

Identity-based Conflict

All Pagan Institute correspondence should be formatted for plain text (.txt) or rich text (.rtxt) for everyone's convenience. Using attachments in email is discouraged in the interest of safe computing.

Please feel free to contact the director, Dr. Christa Landon, about this application process.