In a forest glade, surrounded by tents of many different designs and colors, with spectators dressed in medieval type garb looking on, a priestess casts a protective circle and at each cardinal point invokes the corresponding guardian. The couple to be married follows her lead and at the end of the ceremony, kiss and embrace. In a church lit by the sun coming through stained glass windows, bride and groom kneel at the base of the alter and take communion from the priest who smiles upon them and blesses them.

Both the above scenes I had the privilege to witness, and of the two the first was performed by a good friend of mine. Both the above scenes were performed by legal, recognized spiritual authority(Priest and Priestess) and yet despite this the issues of authority and power are treated much differently in each of these spiritual traditions. Or are they?

One of the distinguishing features between traditional Christianity and Paganism has been the role of the clergy. The clergy of the Christian traditions are those who are appointed by the community, or flock. The role is that of a social functionary in that the authority is defined by the experience of the spiritual community. Interestingly enough, at this point of recognition all authority and power in the flock is transfered, in most instances, from the community to the priest/pastor. It is a paradox system that is at work here, to create power it must be given up.

The priest becomes the ultimate authority, one step below God. It is assumed the priest holds special knowledge/training, often times following a "call". He studies, teaches and passes the sacred wisdom of the tradition which has been codified by those before him, those of his own profession. Despite the congregation giving up their power and authority, should the priest deviate from what the community considers truth, disciplinary action can range from a simple slap on the knuckles to loss of employment. In the same vein, members of the congregation can be "cast out" by the clergy. This creates a constant power struggle between priest/pastor and congregation. It is a relationship of tension, and may not be intentional.

In the pagan community, power and authority are treated differently. The role of priestess or priest is not that of a social functionary. Their spiritual expierence is not defined as valid by the community, but by the individual. The community accepts the individuality as a valid expression of spirituality, even though the community may not express it the same way the priest of priestess does. Even within a group individual expression is encouraged and often times the power is shared by group members. Although there may be an "official" priestess or priest present, others of the group may also share in that role, and often do so. Members contribute to ritual and for all intensive purposes take on the authority of priestess or priest for the duration of the ceremony. Once the ritual is over, power is once again shared.

However, despite the seeming differences of both Christianity and Paganism in the way authority is treated, are they really different? Christianity has the saints, or prophets whose word is considered the guiding authority of the tradition. Paganism too has it's authority, the guiding mothers and fathers who have helped shape it into the tradition we see today. Cunningham, Starhawk, Matthews, to name a few, have become authorities in the Pagan community. Although the pagan community doesn't treat them as priests, their writings are held in high esteem and have made a profound impact in this spiritual community. The way they are treated, however, is much different then how many Christians treat the prophets or the clergy of their tradition.

We see again a shift from the communal to the individual experience. The Christian clergy serves the role of authority which is bestowed upon them by the community. The pagan clergy, is a matter of title only. The priestess or priest becomes as an artist, if you will. Often times one can participate in a solitary ritual which recognizes them as priestess or priest in the eyes of the God/Goddess. The inner experience becomes what is important, and ritual becomes an artistic expression of the divine. Of course the same could be argued for the ritual of the Christian church as well.

This struggle with defining the boundaries of authority and power highlight our own relationships to authority. Somewhere along the line we have come to associate authority with giving up control. We strive to be an individual, but the responsibility of being an individual is extremely threatening to some. It is much safer and easier to adhere to spirituality in a box, than it is to experience that spirituality first hand. Many Christian churches are run like a corporation. You have the President/CEO with the minor functionaries underneath. Many pagan groups on the other hand feel uncomfortable with that type of power and choose to operate from a "power to" basis as opposed to a "power over" basis. One unfortunate result of this is some groups may be perceived as having no unity, no guiding authority.

Paganism in our most recent past has made a point of stating a "no clergy" identification. However, the very structure of many groups have a spiritual leader who provides guidance and counsel to group members and the community, although the dynamics are much different then that of their Christian counterparts. It is understandable why pagans are leary of organized religion, for "The Burning Times" have not ended for many, but simply changed the way in which one is burned. It is understandable why Christianity is threatened by paganism's focus on the indivi-dual expierence of spirit, because the door is left open for one to experience God outside of the context of the church teachings, which is not a destructive event if handled correctly. However if one is locked into their spiritual beliefs without tolerance for a different expression, our own authority is at stake to be open and tolerant. We no longer become someone with all the answers, but simply a participant in a greater play. "All the world is a stage, and the people upon it actors." is a very, very appropriate quote in this instance.