American Council of Witches


The American Council of Witches was an independent group founded in 1973 consisting of approximately seventy-three members who followed Pagan, Neopagan, or Witchcraft traditions; the group convened and disbanded in 1974 after drafting a set of common principles.

History

The council convened April 11–14, 1974, in a Spring "Witchmeet" in Minneapolis, Minnesota to postulate a summary set of principles which would clarify the actuality of Neopagan religions in North America, unify and define the many differing beliefs across the many paths and traditions prevalent in Neopaganism at that time, and to counteract misinformation, cultural stigma, stereotypes, and lack of governmental recognition. The council was assembled by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, president of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd., one of the largest publishers of occult, Neopagan, and New Age books in the world. These "Principles of Belief", also referred to as "The Thirteen Principles of Belief" or "The Thirteen Principles of Wiccan Belief", are still endorsed by many American Witches, Neopagan groups, and individuals.
In 1978 these principles were incorporated into the United States Army's Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains in a section on the Wiccan religion. This section was prepared under the direction of Rev. Dr. J. Gordon Melton, director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and editor of the Encyclopedia of American Religion.
The American Council of Witches disbanded later that year due to difficulties in reconciling differences among its members' traditions.

Views of the Council

The position expressed in the document is that modern Witches are not bound to any modern interpretation of historical evidence or any contemporary hierarchy, but are rather subject only to their inherent Divine connection: "We are not bound by traditions from other times and other cultures and owe no allegiance to any person or power greater than the Divinity manifest through our own being."
The Council also expressed a desire to include anyone wishing to be affiliated with a Neopagan tradition, as long as their views, attitudes, and opinions do not contradict or oppose those of the tradition: "In seeking to be inclusive, we do not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies & practices contradictory to these principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us to any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge & beliefs, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national or cultural origins, or sexual preference."

Thirteen Principles of Belief

In April 1974 members drafted a general set of principles loosely acceptable across the many traditions participating in the Council. These Principles of Wiccan Belief remain important to many modern-day Neopagan groups and individuals.

Members on the Council

Members on the Council of American Witches included:
1. Carl Weschke
2. Isaac Bonewits, ArchDruid
3. Rusty Bonewits
4. Margot Adler. NPR
5. Tim Zell, CAW
6. Morning Glory Zell, CAW
7. Carolyn Clark, CAW
8. Don Wildgrube, CAW
9. Tom Williams, CAW
10. Charles Leach, CAW
11. Bill Morris, CAW
12. Carol Barbier, CAW
13. Gavin Frost, C&SoW
14. Yvonne Frost, C&SoW
15. Harold Moss, CES
16. Jimmy Kimble
17. Herman Slater, Warlock Shop
18. Donna Cole, Pagan Way
19. Lady Circe
20. Lady Cybele
21. Lady Eleanora
22. George Lincoln
23. Ed Fitch, Pagan Way
24. Pedro Gutierrez
25. Cyn Zurbriggen
26. Cyn's partner, Tom?
27. Alison Harlow, Nemeton
28. Lady Sintana, House of Ravenwood
29. Lady Theos, Gardnerian
30. Lord Phoenix, Gardnerian
31. Stan Musicar, from NY
32. Lady Aiesha, Alexandrian,
33. Edmond King, Council Chairman
34. Lord Richard Allan Boulter, Native Wiccan American Chairman and Shaman.
35. Lady MA Kalipso Somerford, Native Wiccan American High Priestess.

Revival attempts

Attempts to revive the Council, first in 2011, and again in 2015, were met with heavy scrutiny from witches and contemporary pagans. Both revival attempts collapsed among widespread concern regarding unclear goals and lack of transparency.