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Internet Book of Shadows, (Various Authors), [1999], at sacred-texts.com
DEGREES OF INITIATION
SPARROW SONG
What do the three ( or four ) degrees of Wicca entail?
Well, as I see it, the (in my case) three degrees reflect levels
of competency. You have to know and maybe even be able to teach
various things to be upped a degree. Also, I see the degrees as much
like Church hierarchy. First degree makes you a priest/priestess, and
makes you responsible for a small part of the lay community. Second
degree is kinda like being a bishop -- that's also when you become an
"Elder" -- and makes you responsible for lay community and what first
degrees are in your group. In other words, 2nd degree has more and
greater attendant responsibilities (which is as it should be, no?). In
my tradition, 3rd degree is given when it looks like the person is
ready to go off and found a coven of his/her own (preferably with
his/her mate -- they like to give thirds in pairs), which the person
then should do (cause there shouldn't be more than one set of 3rds in a
coven). 3rd is rather closer to 2nd than 2nd is to 1st, as I see
it. And in the way of what one must know, well, it seems to consist of
memorizing a basic ritual and knowing why it works, plus various other
things too numerous and eclectic to mention here. Ultimately, I think,
advancement is according to the whim of the High Priestess & Priest.
Yea, it's a pain, but if you don't like it you can always "invent
yer own grandmother" and start off on your own.<grin> After all,
that's one of the good things about this religion: its flexibility.
And as long as you don't dismember animals and children, you may even
be recognized and acknowledged! (mostly joking)
Seriously, I've been finding the whole degree system a pain lately, a
source of unfair manipulation along the carrot-and-stick lines, so I'm
somewhat bitter about it all. Brighit (are you out there?) may be
better able to explain it, since she's a HPs herself, and of a very
formalized tradition...
Seems that while I've been gone there have been one or two
requests for me to comment on things ... First, on degree systems:
Yes, SeaHawk is right, we Gardnerians do have a fairly rigid system
although each coven interprets it slightly differently. In Tobar
Bhride [my coven] our first degree is NOT considered clergy nor is it
eligible for CoG credentials because it is considered an acknowledge-
ment of one's commitment to the Craft and the Coven, but not
necessarily a commitment to clerical responsibility. First degrees are
considered competent to do a circle for themselves only -- and given
only that part of the Book which is relevant to that scope of practice.
Second degree Priest/ess/es are considered teachers, and in our
particular coven must have taught us, as a coven, something before
elevation to that degree is considered. They are eligible to lead
group celebrations and also eligible for CoG Ministerial Credentials.
Elders, Third Degree Witches, in Tobar Bhride, are those with direct
experience of deity through a formalized ritual of possession. This
experience, and a year of service to Tobar Bhride, are the requirements
for Third Degree.
624
I agree with SeaHawk about the sometimes arbitrary forces at work
in initiation and elevation. Unfortunately in many covens the HP & HPs
feel themselves oathbound to be arbitrary, authoritarian and
autocratic, and absolutely not subject to any constraint or needing
any consensus whatsoever. Or in some covens they will agree to
consensus on the little things and arbitrarily disperse the big ones
<listening, SeaHawk? *wink*>. In Tobar Bhride, to avoid this, we have
made a rule for ourselves: if a person fulfills all the paper
requirements for initiation/elevation and does not receive that degree
within two Sabbats' time, the Council of Elders is FORCED to explain
why to the petitioner. This seems to curb the temptation to such
authoritarian use of power ...
625