CHS Announces Release of Pagan Life Academy for Incarcerated Pagans

For Immediate Release:  October 15, 2013

 

Contact: Holli Emore, 888-503-4131, CHS@cherryhillseminary.org

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Cherry Hill Seminary has just released its new Pagan Life Academy, a series of eight low-cost print lessons for incarcerated Pagans. 

 

The Pagan Life Academy series is pan-Pagan, presenting values, ethics, stories and ritual elements that are common to various Pagan traditions.  Each lesson uses elements common to nearly all modern Paganisms:  holidays, the calling of directions, ritual practice, and mythology.  Because inmates are incarcerated most often because they have made poor choices, our writer chose eight character traits, or virtues, and re-wrote stories from ancient cultures to emphasize these virtues.  The ritual actions are based on the stories and include a commitment to continuing the development of a given virtue.  Pagan Life Academy lessons are suitable for solitary practitioners, or for groups, and for use by volunteers and chaplains in prison systems.

 

“As America’s prisons become increasingly crowded they more nearly reflect the changing religious demographics of our country, which include growing numbers of Pagans, and SBNRs (“spiritual but not religious”).  The prison experience can be a cauldron of transformation for many;  Pagan Life Academy is Cherry Hill Seminary’s offering to our incarcerated Pagans and those who serve them,” said Executive Director Holli Emore.

 

The following lessons may be ordered online at http://www.cherryhillseminary.org/students/degree-programs/pagan-life-academy-incarcerated-pagans/, or by sending a check or money order to Cherry Hill Seminary, P.O. Box 5405, Columbia, SC 29250. 

 

Lesson	Item Cost
Samhain, Winter Nights, Halloween – October 31 Persephone and the Pomegranate; truthfulness and integrity	$5
Yule, Midwinter, Winter Solstice – December 21 or 22 The Devotion of Isis to Osiris; devotion and loyalty	$5
Imbolc, Disting, Candlemas – February 1 The Commitment of Mulan; commitment and following through	$5
Ostara, Summer Finding, Spring Equinox – March 20 or 21 The Land Spirits and the Maple Syrup; substance abuse, meaningful work, goal-setting	$5
Beltane, Mayday – May 1 The Binding of Fenris; courage, sacrifice, responsibility	$5
Litha, Midsummer, Summer Solstice – June 21 or 22 The Children of Hercules are Offered Compassion; empathy and compassion	$5
Lammas, Lughnasadh, Freyfraxi – August 1 The Generosity of Baucis and Philemon; generosity and helping	$5
Mabon, Harvest, Fall Equinox – September 22 or 23 Fionn and the Song of Fairie; self-control, risk, endurance, and honor	$5
Welcome and Introduction You will need one of these to go with the lessons - ritual instructions, how to use the stories and discussion guides, individual roles, altar setup, directions, correspondences	$3

 

For more information, visit Cherry Hill Seminary online (http://www.cherryhillseminary.org/students/degree-programs/pagan-life-academy-incarcerated-pagans/).

Scholarships Available for Women in Practical Theology! (St. Thomas University, Miami)

An Exciting Way to a Theology Doctorate!
Practical theology at St. Thomas University is both a theological field and a way of doing theology. It begins with a practical concern that comes out of experience, engages that concern in dialogue with the religious tradition and the culture, and through that dialogue discerns wisdom that leads to transformative action. Our program is unique among Catholic universities in the United States, and is very much open to those from all Christian traditions, approaches, and convictions. 

Program Goals
The Ph.D. program aims to do the following:
·      Develop advanced competency in practical theology that appropriates biblical, historical, and contemporary sources.
·      Apply practical theological method and analytical skills in a manner that critically incorporates insights from philosophical, psychology, and social scientific theory and research.
·      Advance the work of practical theology within culture, society, religious formation, and the life of the faith community.
·      Cultivate practical theological skills critical for transformative leadership and advocacy within society, church, and the contemporary theological conversation.
·      Acquire skills necessary to research and teach practical theology at an advanced level.
 
Funding Available!
Precandidacy students may be offered a practical theology scholarship, a tuition-based scholarship awarded annually by the dean of the School of Theology and Ministry. Our funding is designed to encourage a mix of students – women and men, and people of all different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
 
Seeking Women Applicants!!!
Applications from women are especially welcome and the doctoral program has prioritized recruitment and funding on that basis.
 
 
…Contact Us Now
For personal guidance through the application process and to answer any questions you may have, contact Bryan Froehle. He directs the Ph.D. program and is best reached via email at bfroehle@stu.edu. Email today!