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Revision as of 16:45, 14 July 2007 by 86.141.172.225 (talk) (→Life)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits (born October 1, 1949) is an influential Neopagan leader and author. Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, Bonewits has been heavily involved in occultism with an emphasis on Neo-druidism since the 1960s.
Life
In 1966, while enrolled at UC Berkeley, Bonewits was initiated into the Reformed Druids of North America or RDNA. Bonewits was ordained as a Druid priest in 1969. During this time period, Bonewits joined the Church of Satan, but left due to political and philosophical conflicts with Anton LaVey. During his stint in the Church of Satan, Bonewits appeared in the 1970 documentary Satanis, wherein he asked LaVey to bless his penis during a Satanic ritual.
Bonewits graduated in 1970 with a BA, as the only person to have ever received any kind of degree in Magic from an accredited university. (According to the website Controverscial.Com, the publicity from this embarrassed the UC Berkeley administrators, and Magic, Witchcraft and Sorcery was subsequently banned from the individual group studies program.) His first book, Real Magic, was published in 1971. Between 1973 and 1975 Bonewits was employed as editor of Gnostica magazine in Minnesota (Produced by Llewellyn Publications), established an offshoot group of the RDNA called the Schismatic Druids of North America, and helped create a group called the Hasidic Druids of North America (despite his life-long status as a "gentile"). He also founded the short-lived Aquarian Anti-Defamation League (AADL), an early Pagan civil-rights group.
In 1976, Bonewits moved back to Berkeley and rejoined the RDNA, which was now known as the New Reformed Druids of North America or NRDNA. He was later elected ArchDruid of this organization.
In 1983, Bonewits founded Ar nDraiocht Fein or ADF, which was incorporated in 1990 in the state of Delaware as a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Over the years, Bonewits has had varying degrees of involvement with Santeria, the Caliphate Line of the Ordo Templi Orientis, Gardnerian Wicca, the New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn (a Wiccan organization not to be confused with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) as well as others.
Bonewits served as Archdruid of the ADF until 1996, when he resigned due to the onset of symptoms of Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Bonewits retains the lifelong title of Archdruid Emeritus of the ADF. He has been a presenter at nearly every Starwood Festival and many WinterStar Symposiums, and has performed there and elsewhere with Sally Eaton and with the band Real Magic. A songwriter, singer and recording artist, he has produced two CDs of Pagan music and numerous recorded lectures. He currently lives in Rockland County, NY, and is a member of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (or CUUPS). 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 Penis Lipp-Bonewits.
Bonewits is currently encouraging charity programs to help Neopagan seniors, and in January 2006 was the key note speaker at the Conference On Current Pagan Studies at the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA.
Contributions to Neo-Paganism
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 Neo-Pagan community.
- Founded Ar nDraiocht Fein (or ADF) in 1983, which was incorporated in 1990 in the state of Delaware as a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Served as its Arch-Druid until 1996
- Developed the Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame or ABCDEF
- Pioneered the modern usage of the terms thealogy, "Paleo-Paganism", "Meso-Paganism", and numerous other retronyms
- Is thought to have coined the term Pagan Reconstructionism
- Coined the phrase "Never Again the Burning."
- Critiqued the Burning Times / Old Religion Murray thesis (in the Concise Guide to Witchcraft)
Bibliography
- Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Magic. (1972, 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 PressISBN 1-59405-501-7
- 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
Discography
Music
- Be Pagan Once Again! - Isaac Bonewits & Friends (including Ian Corrigan, Victoria Ganger, and Todd Alan) (CD) ACE/ADF Collection
- Avalon is Rising! - Real Magic (CD) ACE/ADF Collection
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
- 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
- Aquino, Michael (2002 5th Edition). The Church of Satan (PDF). pp. p.208, 217.
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External links
- Isaac Bonewits' Homepage
- A Reformed Druid Anthology includes The Druid Chronicles (Evolved).