Pagan Religious Marriage Celebrants
in Australia
Issues Concerning Pagan Religious Celebrants for
the Community
In the future, demand for Pagan Religious Celebrants
will only grow. In order to meet this need, more people
will have to undertake the long and demanding process
of accreditation by the Attorney-Generals Office.
This raises several issues that the Pagan community
as a whole must address.
Recognition as a Denomination
Firstly, some of the larger groups in the Community
might attempt to gain Recognition of Denomination
under Marriage Act 1961 Division 1 of Part IV Section
26. While applicants would still need to be approved
on an individual basis, the process would be much
easier if handled at an organisational rather than
individual level.
For such recognition to occur, many organisations
would need to work together, to share experiences
and resources. Groups need also to formalise what
are at the present time are fairly informal management
arrangements. While this may be off putting to many
who don't like the idea of Paganism becoming just
another formal religion, if we wish to enjoy certain
privileges (such as being married by our own clergy),
then this will have to be done.
Ecumenical Activities
Secondly, Pagans of various traditions are becoming
more involved in ecumenical activities such as attending
Interfaith Dialogue meetings and being involved in
things like the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commissions investigation into Article 18. We would
have a much stronger voice if we could stand as legal
equals with members of the larger religions and faiths.
The appointment of Religious Celebrants is one way
to do this.
Its All in the Numbers!
Thirdly, and perhaps most contentiously, one of the
stumbling blocks in the attempt to get more celebrants
(religious or civil) is the lack of data in relation
to the number of people who make up the Pagan community.
The appointment of Religious Marriage Celebrants is
directly tied to proving that one has a congregation
to cater for. This requirement does not take into
account the fact that Pagan faiths don't always work
on the same organisational model as Judeo-Christian
religions.
A possible solution to this hurdle, that would require
the co-operation of the whole Pagan community, is
to conduct some sort of survey of the Pagan community.
This survey could provide several pieces of information:
- A rough estimate of the number of Pagans in Australia.
- The number of Pagans broken down by state (this
could be used to show for example that states such
as NSW, with a large Pagan community, have no one
able to perform marriages).
- A rough estimates of those who practice in groups
vs those who practice alone (this could be used
to explain that while there may not be specific
congregations, there are still a large number of
people who require specific religious services such
as marriages).
- Those who have or would like in the future, to
use the services of a Pagan Religious Celebrant.
The data from such a survey, as well as other information,
could be used in a submission to the Attorney General's
Office, which would explain the unique position of
the Pagan community in relation to the appointment
of Religious Celebrants. Negotiations could then proceed
from an informed background.
Finally, by working towards some of these community
wide goals, we are helping to develop a better sense
of community in a positive and practical way. We have
to start working together or little will change.
So, for those wanting to have a Pagan wedding, it
is possible but it will take some doing. For those
of you interested in becoming accredited it is possible
but will take an awful lot of doing!! But gradually,
the needs of the Pagan community are being met in
more and more ways. Hopefully, in the not too distant
future, anyone who wants to have a Pagan celebrant
officiate at there marriage will be able to do so
as easily as anyone who is a member of a more widely
practiced faith.
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