Aquarian Tabernacle Church
Encyclopedia
The Aquarian Tabernacle Church, abbreviated as ATC, is a Wiccan church located in Index, Washington
and is considered the first Wiccan church
with full legal status and recognition by major governments, the United States, Canada and Australia. It was founded as a church by Pete "Pathfinder" Davis, the current archpriest, in 1979. The current archpriestess is Deborah Hudson, and Reverend Barbara Lauderdale is the Director of Institutional Pastoral Care Services.
The church is based on British Traditional Wicca
but the purpose is to provide services to the larger Pagan
(or Neopagan) community, such as open worship, festivals, and a lending library. The policy of open attendance assists this goal. Festivals include Hekate
's Sickle Festival (Samhain
) and Spring Mysteries (a recreation of the Eleusinian Mysteries
). In 2002, Raymond Buckland
wrote that "the ATC has grown by leaps and bounds to become one of the most respected Wiccan institutions in the country, if not the world."
Index, Washington
Index is a town in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 178 at the 2010 census.-History:Prior to settlement by westerners, the Skykomish Indians lived in the area between Sultan and Index...
and is considered the first Wiccan church
Wiccan church
Wiccan churches are a type of organization found within some groups of Wicca, particularly in North America. While in Europe Wicca is most often organized into independent covens, in the United States some covens choose to combine to form a "church". Churches are often formed from hive covens...
with full legal status and recognition by major governments, the United States, Canada and Australia. It was founded as a church by Pete "Pathfinder" Davis, the current archpriest, in 1979. The current archpriestess is Deborah Hudson, and Reverend Barbara Lauderdale is the Director of Institutional Pastoral Care Services.
The church is based on British Traditional Wicca
British Traditional Wicca
British Traditional Wicca is a term used to describe some Wiccan traditions which have their origins in the New Forest region of England...
but the purpose is to provide services to the larger Pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
(or Neopagan) community, such as open worship, festivals, and a lending library. The policy of open attendance assists this goal. Festivals include Hekate
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate is a chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.She is attested in poetry as early as Hesiod's Theogony...
's Sickle Festival (Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
) and Spring Mysteries (a recreation of the Eleusinian Mysteries
Eleusinian Mysteries
The Eleusinian Mysteries were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. Of all the mysteries celebrated in ancient times, these were held to be the ones of greatest importance...
). In 2002, Raymond Buckland
Raymond Buckland
Raymond Buckland , whose craft name is Robat, is an English American writer on the subject of Wicca and the occult, and a significant figure in the history of Wicca, of which he is a High Priest in both the Gardnerian and Seax traditions.According to his written works, primarily Witchcraft from the...
wrote that "the ATC has grown by leaps and bounds to become one of the most respected Wiccan institutions in the country, if not the world."
See also
- Spiral Scouts International
- Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary
- List of Pagan traditions