Bøger af Samuel Wagar

Samuel Wagar's fourth book, a memoir, was published on the 13th of January, the 20th anniversary of the start of the religious discrimination scandal when the BCNDP removed him as a candidate for being a Witch. Wagar talks about that scandal but also a wide ranging political career as an anarchist and peace activist (which included pie-killing a politician, anti-nuclear protests, and provides fascinating insights into the hard left in 1980s Toronto), in the NDP and later Green Party, several differences of opinion in the Pagan communities of Toronto and British Columbia through the 1990s, starting a church (Congregationalist Wiccan Association of BC) and other community service (an annual festival, assistance with starting Panfest and the CWA Alberta, involvement in the Canadian National Pagan Conference / Gaia Gathering). He also speaks of areas of his private life - the births of his sons, his covens, visits that he organized from famous Pagan friends, and other things. An insightful memoir written by one of Canada's Wiccan Elders that will shed valuable light into parts of Canada's religious history. And Wagar cites documents and provides footnotes - the opinions are his, the facts are real.

The Adelphon Kruptos is the secret ritual manual of the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor, a working class secret society which grew into the first mass trade union in North America. Founded in 1869, it grew to 800,000 members, 20% of all the workers in America, by its height in 1886. It was notable for including women and men, black, brown and white workers (although, to its lasting shame, not Asian-origin workers). Advancing a co-operative socialism, an ethical and cultural approach rather than a Marxist or class-conflict approach, it was unable to cope with the intensification of class conflict after the depression of the 1880s and collapsed. The ritual manual shows the crossover of the secret societies, which were a prominent feature of late, Victorian America, an alternative ethics, with the organizations of the working class. Its celebration of the nobility of labor and the power of solidarity continues to inspire. Samuel Wagar's Masters' thesis work on the intersection between the socialist movement and the Theosophical Society in the 1920s came from long standing interest in working class organization, the occult and metaphysical subcultures, and social change. He is a Wiccan priest and chaplain at the University of Alberta as well as a Doctor of Ministry student at St. Stephen's College in Edmonton. He has four other books out, and continues to be excited by scholarship. swagar@ualberta.ca

The religion of Theosophy was a significant influence in Canadäs early socialist movement. Although the influence of Theosophy has been examined in the socialist movements of the United States and the United Kingdom, the work that has been done in Canada has been limited to 1890s and 1920s Ontario. The socialist ¿heartland¿ of Canada in the early twentieth century was British Columbia and the influence of Theosophy there was profound. Theosophy cannot be conflated with the Christian social gospel, whose influence is well documented. By examining a series of political retreats co-sponsored by the Federated Labor Party and the Theosophical Society and organized by Jack Logie in Summerland, B.C. in the 1920s, these connections are brought into sharp relief.