Oberon Zell-Ravenheart
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (b. Timothy Zell, also formerly known as Otter G'Zell) (b. November 30, 1942, St. Louis, Missouri) is the co-founder of the Church of All Worlds and a prominent figure in the Neopagan community.
An early advocate of deep ecology, in 1970 Zell-Ravenheart articulated the Gaea Thesis, independently of Dr. James Lovelock, who is usually credited with the theory's development.[1] Zell-Ravenheart, along with his co-wife, Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart and the other members of his group marriage, have been influential in the modern polyamory movement.[2] He also co-founded the Ecosophical Research Association in 1977, an organization that explores the truth behind myths; best known for the creation of the "living unicorn" (created by minor surgery to the horn buds of a goat).[3] One of their "unicorns", Lancelot, toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
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Church of All Worlds
With R. Lance Christie, Zell-Ravenheart formed the Church of All Worlds (CAW) on April 7, 1962, by "sharing water", which would become a foundation ritual of the church. They were inspired to begin the organization after reading Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, and took the name for their new group from a spiritual organization described in the novel. Zell-Ravenheart served as High Priest and "Primate" of the church from the early '60s through the late '90s.[4] Zell-Ravenheart returned to lead the Church of All Worlds, Inc. in 2005 and currently serves as First Primate.[5]
Grey School of Wizardry
The Grey School of Wizardry, inspired in part by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school in the Harry Potter novels by British author J. K. Rowling, is a school specializing in occult magic, operating primarily on-line and as a non-profit 501(C)(3) educational institution in the State of California. It is an outgrowth of the Grey Council[6], a team of two dozen mages and sages. Incorporated March 14, 2004 by Headmaster Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, and created for students of all ages over 11, it provides a seven year program of studies at an Apprenticeship level. Over 300 courses are offered, providing basic education in history, mythology, geography, mathematics, literature, natural history, astronomy, chemistry, physics, zoology, botany, and Latin, as well as 16 magickal Departments. The performing arts are included as well, with classes in poetry, music, theater, and illusion. The Grey School is highly interactive, and includes not just study materials, but four Elemental “Houses” (Sylphs, Salamanders, Undines, and Gnomes) in which students are able to communicate directly with each other. Each House has a Faculty Head and a Student Head. The school has over 1000 students; three times as many adult students as youths, with four adult houses[7]. Graduates are certified as “Journeyman Wizards.”[8]
The Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard and The Companion for the Apprentice Wizard, both by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, are the foundations of the curriculum. Both these books and the School itself focus on magic rather than spirituality.
Role in Neopagan community
As the creator and original editor of the Neopagan magazine Green Egg, Zell-Ravenheart was an early popularizer of the term "Neo-Pagan". In 1967, when Green Egg was still a spirit-duplicated newsletter, Zell used the term "Neo-Pagan" to describe the new religious movement he was helping to create. Green Egg later grew to be a semi-glossy magazine with international distribution and, in an era before the Internet, its letters column provided an important and lively forum for discussion and networking.[4]
Zell-Ravenheart holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri and later did graduate study at Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author of numerous articles and five books (listed below). He considers himself to be a Wizard, and is one of the founding faculty members and currently Headmaster of the Grey School of Wizardry (an online school of magick). He regularly presents workshops, lectures and ceremonies at Neopagan and New Age events, as well as at science fiction conventions and renaissance fairs. As a sculptor, he has created numerous images of Pagan deities -- some based upon historical images, others his original creations. With his family he runs Mythic Images, a business through which his artwork is distributed.[4]
Health Concerns
On August 13, 2008, during a routine colonoscopy, doctors found a golf-ball sized growth attached to the colon, which was subsequently determined to be cancerous. On August 29, 2008, the tumor was removed laproscopically at Petaluma Valley Hospital. Zell-Ravenheart is recovering at his home in Cotati, California.[9]
Books by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart
- Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. New Page Books, US (2004) ISBN 1564147118, ISBN 978-1564147110
- Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons and Reasons (with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart) New Page Books (2006) ISBN 1564148645, ISBN 978-1564148643
- Companion for the Apprentice Wizard New Page Books, US (2006) ISBN 1564148351, ISBN 978-1564148353
- Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. Dekirk, Ash "Leoparddancer", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (2006) ISBN 1564148688, ISBN 978-1564148681
- A Wizard's Bestiary. Dekirk, Ash "Leoparddancer", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (December 30, 2007) ISBN 1564149560, ISBN 978-1564149565
Discography
- The Church of All Worlds - Lecture on cassette ACE
- Men and the Goddess - Lecture (on cassette) ACE
- A Bouquet of Lovers - Lecture with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (on CD and cassette) ACE
- Living Your Own Myth - Lecture with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (on cassette) ACE
Media appearances
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart has been interviewed on many television and radio shows in the United States, England, and Australia. Some of these include:
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See also
References
- ^ Adler, Margot (revised edition, 2006) Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshipers, and Other Pagans in America Today. Boston, Beacon Press ISBN 0-14-303819-2 p.320: After Lovelock's publication of the theory in Newsweek, "Zell entered into a short correspondence with Lovelock, comparing their world views."
- ^ Adler (2006) p.3334
- ^ Man Made Unicorns
- ^ a b c Adler (2006) "Chapter 10: A Religion from the Future - The Church of All Worlds" pp.300-334
- ^ CAWeb - The Official Website of the Church of All Worlds, Inc.
- ^ Wizard School Website
- ^ We're Off To See A Wizard: The Magical Life of Oberon Zell - Interview by Natalie Zaman
- ^ Grey School of Wizardry Website
- ^ Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon; Zell-Ravenheart, Morning Glory; Epona, Julie. "OZ's Blog". Retrieved on 2008-09-01.
Articles and interviews
- Wizards of Old and New, the Grey School is Calling For You! by Laneth Sffarlenn Witchvox Article
- Online Wizardry Recognized with a 501(c)(3) Alternative Approaches article
- Interview With a Living Pagan Icon The Goddess interview by Mabyn Wind
Additional reading
- Aloi, Peg. The Oberon Interview in Obsidian Magazine, Issue 1.
- 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.
- Vale, V. and John Sulak (2001). Modern Pagans. San Francisco: Re/Search Publications. ISBN 1-889307-10-6
External links
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