I suppose I am missing context from the thread in which you're cross posting from and what the original question was. My perception is it has to do with the idea that every wiccan considers themselves a priest unto themselves. Is that the gist of it? What I was seeing as parallel to early christianity was the idea of apostolic succession. Early Christianity was, and roman still is,to an extent, a lineaged tradition. That was part of the petrine-pauline arguement, and also part of the refutation and denunciation of the gnostic sects. It's the same sentiment, to an extent, between btw and eclectisism. Of course that is how I tend to view it. Though this early clergy wasn't particularly intercessory, succesion was a determining factor for authority concerning doctrine.
"It's not the only way to worship or serve the gods, nor is it the only religious path worth following." Oh I agree with this. We stress it in our own coven. We make it very clear there is no pressure to become "priest or priestess", in the full sense of those duties. We have coveners who are quite happy to just come for celebratory rites, or for guidance or counseling and and others who wish to go deeper.
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Date: 2004-09-13 07:06 pm (UTC)My perception is it has to do with the idea that every wiccan considers themselves a priest unto themselves. Is that the gist of it?
What I was seeing as parallel to early christianity was the idea of apostolic succession. Early Christianity was, and roman still is,to an extent, a lineaged tradition. That was part of the petrine-pauline arguement, and also part of the refutation and denunciation of the gnostic sects. It's the same sentiment, to an extent, between btw and eclectisism. Of course that is how I tend to view it. Though this early clergy wasn't particularly intercessory, succesion was a determining factor for authority concerning doctrine.
"It's not the only way to worship or serve the gods, nor is it the only religious path worth following."
Oh I agree with this. We stress it in our own coven. We make it very clear there is no pressure to become "priest or priestess", in the full sense of those duties. We have coveners who are quite happy to just come for celebratory rites, or for guidance or counseling and and others who wish to go deeper.