Isaac Bonewits
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Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits (born October 1, 1949) is an influential Neopagan leader and author. He is a liturgist, speaker, journalist, Neo-druid priest, and a singer, songwriter, and independent recording artist. Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, Bonewits has been heavily involved in occultism since the 1960s.
Life
In 1966, while enrolled at UC Berkeley, Bonewits joined the Reformed Druids of North America or RDNA. Bonewits was ordained as a Neo-druid priest in 1969. During this time period, Bonewits was recruited by[1] the Church of Satan, but left due to political and philosophical conflicts with Anton LaVey.Cite error: A <ref>
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(see the help page). Bonewits is a regular presenter at Neopagan festivals in the US.
Bonewits served as Archdruid of ADF until 1996, when he resigned due to the onset of symptoms of Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. He retains the lifelong title of ADF Archdruid Emeritus.
A songwriter, singer and recording artist, he has produced two CDs of Pagan music and numerous recorded lectures and panel discussions, produced and distributed by the Association for Consciousness Exploration. He lives in Rockland County, New York, and is a member of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS). On 23 July, 2004, he was married in a handfasting ceremony to a former vice-president of the organization, Phaedra Heyman Bonewits, and has a son from a previous marriage to author Deborah Lipp, Arthur Shaffrey Lipp-Bonewits. At the time of the handfasting, the marriage was not yet legal owing to the fact that he had not yet been legally divorced from Ms. Lipp, although they had been separated for several years by that point. Paperwork and legalities caught up on 31 December, 2007 making them legally married. [2]
Bonewits is currently encouraging charity programs to help Neopagan seniors,[3] and in January 2006 was the key note speaker at the Conference On Current Pagan Studies at the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA.[citation needed]
Contributions to Neopaganism
Bonewits has coined much of the modern terminology used to define and articulate many of the conceptual themes and issues which affect the North American Neopagan community.
- Pioneered the modern usage of the terms thealogy, "Paleo-Paganism", "Meso-Paganism", and numerous other retronyms.
- Possibly coined the term "Pagan Reconstructionism", though the communities in question would later diverge from his initial meaning.[4][5]
- Founded Ar nDraiocht Fein, which was incorporated in 1990 in the state of Delaware as a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
- Developed the Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame or ABCDEF
- Coined the phrase "Never Again the Burning."[6]
- Critiqued the Burning Times / Old Religion Murray thesis (in Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca)
Popular culture
- In the music video for his song A Witches Invitation, singer Carman goes to meet what he calls a "warlock" named "Isaac Horowitz". This is a play on Bonewits' name, and is based on an actual meeting with Bonewits, as confirmed by Bonewits himself, who also vigorously disputes Carman's account of the incident.
Bibliography
- Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Magic. (1972, 1979, 1989) Weiser Books ISBN 0-87728-688-4
- Authentic Thaumaturgy. (1978, 1998) Steve Jackson Games ISBN 1-55634-360-4
- Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach. (2003) Earth Religions Press ISBN 1-59405-501-7 OP
- Witchcraft: A Concise Guide or Which Witch Is Which?. (2003) Earth Religions Press ISBN 1-59405-500-9
- The Pagan Man: Priests, Warriors, Hunters, and Drummers. (2005) Citadel ISBN 0-8065-2697-1, ISBN 978-0806526973
- Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca. (2006) Citadel ISBN 0-8065-2711-0, ISBN 978-0806527116
- Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. (2006) Citadel ISBN 0-8065-2710-2, ISBN 978-0806527109
- Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, And Substances to Heal, Change, And Grow. (2007) New Leaf ISBN 1564149048, ISBN 978-1564149046. Co-authored with Phaedra Bonewits.
- Neopagan Rites: A Guide to Creating Public Rituals that Work. (2007) Llewellyn ISBN 0738711993, ISBN 978-0738711997
Discography
Music
- Be Pagan Once Again! - Isaac Bonewits & Friends (including Ian Corrigan, Victoria Ganger, and Todd Alan) (CD) (ACE/ADF)
- Avalon is Rising! - Real Magic (CD)(ACE/ADF)
Spoken word
- The Structure of Craft Ritual (ACE)
- A Magician Prepares (ACE)
- Programming Magical Ritual: Top-Down Liturgical Design (ACE)
- Druidism: Ancient & Modern (ACE)
- How Does Magic Work? (ACE)
- Rituals That Work (ACE)
- Sexual Magic & Magical Sex (with Deborah Lipp) (ACE)
- Making Fun of Religion (with Deborah Lipp) (ACE)
Panel discussions
- The Magickal Movement: Present & Future (with Margot Adler, Selena Fox, and Robert Anton Wilson) (ACE)
- Magick Changing the World, the World Changing Magick (with AmyLee, Selena Fox, Jeff Rosenbaum and Robert Anton Wilson) (ACE)
References
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- Berger, Helen A. (2005) Witchcraft and Magic: Contemporary North America. University of Pennsylvania Press ISBN 081223877X, ISBN 978-0812238778
- Berger, Helen A. (1998) A Community of Witches: Contemporary Neo-Paganism and Witchcraft in the United States. University of South Carolina Press ISBN 1570032467, ISBN 978-1570032462
- Berger, Helen A. & Helen H. & Evan A. Leach, Leigh S. Shaffer (2003) Voices from the Pagan Census: A National Survey of Witches and Neo-Pagans in the United States. University of South Carolina Press ISBN 1570034885, ISBN 978-1570034886
- Bond, Lawrence & Ellen Evert Hopman (1996) People of the Earth: The New Pagans Speak Out. (reissued as Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans & Witches Today in 2002 Destiny Books ISBN 0-89281-904-9) Interview.
- Conway, Deanna J. (2001) Wicca: The Complete Craft. Crossing Press ISBN 1580910920, ISBN 978-1580910927
- Conway, D. J. (2003) Magick of the Gods and Goddesses: Invoking the Power of the Ancient Gods. Crossing Press; Reprint edition ISBN 1580911536, ISBN 978-1580911535
- Cuhulain, Kerr (2000) Wiccan Warrior: Walking a Spiritual Path in a Sometimes Hostile World. Llewellyn Publications ISBN 1567182526, ISBN 978-1567182521
- Cunningham, Donna (1996) The Moon in Your Life: Being a Lunar Type in a Solar World. Weiser Books; Revised edition ISBN 0877288372, ISBN 978-0877288374
- Drew, A.J. (2002) Wicca for Couples: Making Magick Together. New Page Books ISBN 1564146200, ISBN 978-1564146205
- Dunwich, Gerina (2001) The Modern Witch's Complete Sourcebook. Kensington Pub Corp ISBN 0806522933
- Frost, Gavin & Yvonne Frost (2004) The Soliltary Wiccan's Bible. Weiser Books ISBN 1578633133, ISBN 978-1578633135
- Gonce III, John Wisdom & Daniel Harms (2003) The Necronomicon Files: The Truth Behind Lovecraft's Legend. Weiser Books ISBN 1578632692, ISBN 978-1578632695
- Harrow, Judy (1999) Wicca Covens: How to Start and Organize Your Own. Citadel ISBN 0806520353, ISBN 978-0806520353
- Harvey, Graham (1997) Contemporary Paganism: Listening People, Speaking Earth. New York University Press ISBN 0814735495, ISBN 978-0814735497
- Higginbotham, River & Joyce (2002) Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions. Llewellyn Publications ISBN 0738702226, ISBN 978-0738702223
- Keith, William H. (2005) The Science of the Craft: Modern Realities in the Ancient Art of Witchcraft. Kensington Publishing Corp. ISBN 0806526335, ISBN 9780806526331
- Lewis, James R. & Shelley Rabinovitch (2002) The Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism. C Trade Paper ISBN 0806524065, ISBN 978-0806524061
- Lipp, Deborah (2003) The Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water & Earth in the Wiccan Circle. Llewellyn Publications ISBN 073870301X, ISBN 978-0738703015
- Mann, Nicholas R. & Maya Magee Sutton (2000) Druid Magic: The Practice of Celtic Wisdom. Llewellyn Publications ISBN 1567184812, ISBN 978-1567184815
- Murphy-Hiscock, Arin (2005) Solitary Wicca for Life: Complete Guide to Mastering the Craft on Your Own. Adams Media Corporation ISBN 1593373538, ISBN 978-1593373535
- Occult Crime: A Law Enforcement Primer. (1993) Diane Publishing Co ISBN 1568068603, ISBN 978-1568068602
- Penczak, Christopher (2002) The Inner Temple of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation and Psychic Development. Llewellyn Publications ISBN 0738702765, ISBN 978-0738702766
- Pike, Sarah M. (2004) New Age and Neopagan Religions in America. Columbia University Press ISBN 0231124023, ISBN 978-0231124027
- Scribe 27 (2002) Arcane Lore: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Occult... But Were Afraid to Ask. Writers Club Press ISBN 0595236979, ISBN 978-0595236978
- Steichen, Donna (1991) Ungodly Rage: The Hidden Face of Catholic Feminism. Ignatius Press ISBN 0898703484, ISBN 978-0898703481
- Urban, Hugh B. (2006) Magia Sexualis: Sex, Magic, and Liberation in Modern Western Esotericism. University of California Press ISBN 0520247760, ISBN 978-0520247765
- Vale, V. and John Sulak (2001). Modern Pagans. San Francisco: Re/Search Publications. ISBN 1-889307-10-6
- Webb, Hillary (2003) Exploring Shamanism: Using Ancient Rites to Discover the Unlimited Healing Powers of Cosmos and Consciousness. New Page Books ISBN 1564146634, ISBN 978-1564146632
- Wildman, Laura A. (2002) What's Your Wicca IQ?. Citadel ISBN 0806523476, ISBN 978-0806523477
- Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon (2004) Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. New Page Books ISBN 1564147118, ISBN 978-1564147110
See also
Notes
- ^ My Satanic Adventure
- ^ Views from Cyberhenge
- ^ Adopt an Elder
- ^ Bonewits, Isaac (2006). Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. New York: Kensington/Citadel. p. 131. ISBN 0-8065-2710-2.
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(help) Author is unsure whether he "got this use of the term from one or more of the other culturally focused Neopagan movements of the time, or if [he] just applied it in a novel fashion." - ^ McColman (2003) p.51: "Such reconstructionists are attempting, through both spiritual and scholarly means, to create as purely Celtic a spirituality as possible."
- ^ "The Aquarian Manifesto"
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- Neopagan Net (formerly "Isaac Bonewits' Homepage")
- A Reformed Druid Anthology includes The Druid Chronicles (Evolved).