Gangleri is an Asatru-based book review site. The site author explains: “Gangleri” (“seeker”) is the name king Gylfi took when he decided to travel to Asgard to question the Gods. As we are all seekers, I found this a fitting name.
A while ago I was going around the web like I do not do very often and I ran into a ‘blog’ called “Humanistic Paganism“, a board for atheistic pagans. I never really saw such divisions within ‘the pagan sphere’, but here apparently are people who found it needed to team up and give themselves a voice for having ‘uncommon pagan ideas’. The ‘blog’ has a few entries that make a nice read, but I have not really tried to read up. Soon after I started following the ‘blog’ a book was announced and eventually this book was published in April 2016 Godless Paganism, voices on Non-Theistic Pagans.
I got the book to see what this would be about and soon also experienced why there are people giving “non-theistic pagans” a voice……….
You can read the rest here.
I am reading “Godless Paganism” right now, jumping around like a happy bee in an orchard, and I enjoyed your review, Gangleri.
There is another book with an uncanny resemblance of cover, Greta Vosper’s “With or Without God.” Vosper is a United Church of Canada minister (Canada’s largest protestant denomination and the church I was raised in). She is also an atheist and serves a thriving congregation, West Hill United in Toronto. When Vosper came out as an atheist, her congregation asked her to continue in her post. However, she has had a bumpy ride from the church’s old guard due to her unabashed atheism… in tandem, I think, with the decline of main stream churches in an evolving post-Christian North America. Like “Godless Paganism” Her book is also excellent, and serves as a guide to churches who wish to transition into non-theistic, post-Christian spiritual communities.
I could go on and on about the merits of both books. They look identical, but whether you pick up “Godless Paganism” or “With or Without God” you are in for a thought provoking treat.
I’m reading Godless Paganism right now and I’m loving it! I’m atheist/agnostic and it is really comforting to know that there are others out there who are similar to me. Do I agree with everything everyone says in the book? Nope, but that’s ok and I’m really glad to read all the sections. I tend to hang out with theistic pagans and a lot of the rituals don’t have much meaning for me and I felt really alone for a long while. I can’t tell you how it warms my heart to know that I’m not alone.