For the last couple of years I, a relative newcomer to the Chicago neo-pagan community, have listened with great interest to the various stories of how the numerous groups in the area came about - stories about lineage, initiatory histories, ritual influences, and training. Three things became more clear as time went on. First, that the groups in the area share a common history; second, that knowing this history explains a great deal about local group practices; and third, that nobody, despite many of the old-timers' clear memory of the early days of Chicago neo-paganism, had ever written any of it down.
This is why I am beginning the Chicago-area Neo-Pagan History project. I wish to list the basic history of the groups in the area, with an emphasis on the 1970s and particularly groups associated withTemple of the Pagan Way. I want to eventually publish this document with full credit to all the participants. I am considering two versions of the document: a private monograph which will be made available only to the participants in the project and to group leaders, and a second version "sanitized" by removal of certain names and references which will be published openly.
[Before I go any further, I want to say I have done some looking into whether anyone else has already started or completed such a project. Nobody thus far has stated that such a work exists, or is in progress. To all the people who responded to my initial "feeler" on this subject, and who have not yet received a response from me, I apologize for not replying to your email. I have quite a backlog of email to get through yet, and eventually I will reply to everyone.]
[Second, if anyone is hearing of this History Project for the first time, and has already completed such a work, I would be happy to quit this project and accede to you all the credit. I am not eager to undertake this project, because of the work involved, but so far I don't think it has been done, and it desperately needs to be done. If in fact it has been done already, and you know where I can get a copy of the material, please do let me know.]
This project will respect individual and group privacy. If a group is still in existence, I will be publishing its role in the history only with current group leaders' permission. Also, I will be passing a manuscript around to all contributors, and will edit the work according to critical commentary on the work. Finally, two versions of the paper will be produced. The first version will be a private monograph which will be made available only to local neo-pagan group leaders and to the Covenant of the Goddess History Project. This first limited distribution paper will have individuals listed by their true, full names.
In the second version of the paper, I will be asking individuals named in the study whether they wish to be publicly named. If not, their names will be replaced with initials. This second version, sanitized for privacy, will be published on the Web and possibly also in a print publication.
What I am looking for is knowledgeable correspondence on the topic of Chicago-area neo-pagan group history from everyone who wishes to contribute. Even though my emphasis will initially be on Pagan Way derived groups, I want to hear about all the groups (Chicago metropolitan area only please). I would like to hear your stories either via email (preferred), by letter, or via telephone interviews. The less I need to edit your group's account, and the more you provide in the way of facts (dates, names, etc.) the more likely I will be able to use your material in the first phase of this project. The less work for me the better.
Also, the more suggestions I get from all of you about who to talk to, the better. I already have quite a long list of interviewees, but I appreciate any new suggestions, and, of course, telephone numbers or email addresses where I can reach them. These will be used only by me, privately, and will not be published or made available to others.
I suspect that the best info will come via telephone, because the experienced people don't yet have email in most cases. Doing telephone interviews is more work, though. The main reason I am advertising this Project on the internet is that I am hoping there are some internet-capable oldtimers who can give me some of the Chicago-area neo-pagan history via email, which will save me some of the work of lengthy phone interviews. Or at least help me get started faster.
I conceive of this project growing by phases. In the first phase, which I plan to complete by the end of 1998, I am trying to establish basic lineage, who trained who, who was HP/HPS when, and try to get dates for when groups started, split, or folded. Also, when people became group leaders. I want to have a complete picture of which groups arose out of Pagan Way and who all the group leaders were in the past. I will also be producing a Visio diagram of the basic relationships, sort of a family tree.
This project will be staying away from the more controversial and contentious aspects of Chicago history, the so-called "witch wars" (which I prefer to call bitch wars), mainly because I don't want to get sued but also because the facts behind the "wars" are difficult to verify and would hold up the easier and more straightforward aspects of the project. So I will be sticking to the basics: lineage, names and dates.
In that first phase we will have created a skeletal outline. In the second phase, which will not be started before 1999, I want to flesh out that history with more detail on the local impact of crucial events in Chicago-area neo-pagan history, such as the World Parliament of Religions in 1993, and also describe in more detail how ritual practices in the area have evolved.
I would prefer to credit all contributors in the final work by name. If you don't want to be credited in the final document please just let me know. I would prefer not to use pseudonyms unless it is a craft name by which you are predominately known within the community.
I will endeavour to provide the same impartial view of local groups that I provide through the Midwestern Pagan FAQ. I suspect all contributions will find their way into the Chicago-area History Project. I do, however, reserve the right to edit all material. Keep in mind this is a "slow burner" project. I have several other works in progress, so this project will proceed in fits and starts. Do not interpret slow progress as abandonment of the project; rather, I am juggling lots of bits right now, so you may see updates on this only every few months.
Active participants in this project will be mailed draft versions of the document as it evolves to a stable plateau. I need participants then to critique the work, mark it up, and pass it back to me so I can incorporate your comments. This will probably happen at least a couple of times before I am finished.
If you wish to participate in this project, pass me your comments and the following contact information:
You may contact me any of the following ways:
Jeffrey Benner
c/o Aglaian Triad of Wicca
P.O. Box 1662
Homewood, IL 60430-0662(708) 799-6474
This page created 01/21/98 Last updated: 01/23/2001 This Short History of the Chicago Neo-Pagan Community Page © 2001 by Jeffrey Benner. Permission must be obtained before reproducing in any non-electronic format. This web page should be washed in warm with similar color fabrics. Tumble dry on low. Remove immediately from dryer to avoid wrinkles.