Ten Questions with Christopher Penczak

1. As a Rebecca that prefers not to be called Becky, why do you prefer Christopher to Chris?

Well, it comes down to practicality, at least at first. I was in a rock band in college with another Chris, and we got
tired of both turning around when someone yelled Chris, so I started going by Christopher. Now, despite the recent
NewWitch cover that has me as Chris Penczak on the cover, I prefer Christopher. Only folks who know me before
college still call me Chris. My mom won out. She preferred I was called Christopher and as a kid I didn’t like it. Looks
like she’s got a powerful Magickal Will in the long run.

2. I have met with several different covens and solitary magic practioners, regardless of tradition or
philosophy; all them have at least one of your books in their library. Why do you feel your books are so
well suited to just about everyone?

Wow. Well, I’m pretty honored by that. I think in the end, I try to write books I wish I had when I was learning,
compiling ideas and exploring new things all in one place. I have a pretty wide range of traditions I draw upon
myself, and I try to be respectful to traditionalists and eclectics alike, and drawn on both, and many things in
between. I find it funny that most traditionalists see me as very modern and new age, and not very traditional, and
some die hard eclectics see me as too traditional, as I emphasize discipline and digging deep spiritual roots. I guess
I have aspects of both.

I think in general I like to show many different ways of doing something, so that I rarely give the impression there is
only one way to do something. It makes the teachings more open and accessible to a larger group of people. I like
to explain the ideas behind a technique, and then give examples. Once you understand the why, you can be
creative about the how.

3. You wrote the book, “Sons of the Goddess: A Young Man’s Guide to Wicca”. With so much emphasis
seemingly placed on the Goddess in Wicca, how can Wicca be a fulfilling religion for men?

I think witchcraft can be a fulfilling religion for everybody who is called to it. While there has been an emphasis on
the Goddess for many traditions, there is also the balance of the God. Sons of the Goddess was a book to explore
the relationship, particularly the mother and son relationship between the Goddess and the God, and what that
means to modern men practicing witchcraft. Our whole Wheel of the Year cycle is really about the relationship of
the God, as a transitory force, with the Goddess, as the eternal force. The god waxes and wanes with the shift in
the Sun. By learning to align with the solar forces ,and exploring the energies of the Dark and Light gods, along with
the Goddess, men and women can find a more complete sense of the mysteries and magick in witchcraft.

4. What challenges do you see facing the Wiccan community? How can the community resolve those
issues?

That’s a big question. And a good one. I think we have to figure out collectively and individually our role as a
“mainstream” religion. We are often seeking legitimacy in mainstream eyes, a seat at the table of global religions,
and while I think that’s good, I think we have a different focus and purpose than the mainstream religions. I’m not
sure if we are best served by emulating them. But we don’t have many other models to go by. As a personal,
mystical tradition, much of our work is to transform the soul. We must do the magick, not necessarily just talk about
it, or simply profess faith. While we are doing our spiritual work, how do we fit into social services, prison ministry,
economics, politics, minister training, environmentalism and other forms of activism? Some traditions are tied to
these issues intimately, and others are not. Some, in their effort to be more involved in the mainstream, are loosing
the mystery traditions, personal development and relationship with the spirit world. Much of our responsibility is
moving energy between the worlds and aligning ourselves and our world with the hidden spiritual forces, to be a
bridge between the worlds. We can’t forget that. But we also know that all magick needs real world follow up. We
can’t just wish a better world and hope it will be so with no action. It’s tough territory, as both are important, and I
believe neopagan traditions have a lot to offer the world as we approach the next age. While I think we have
something valuable to offer, we first have to learn to define and embody our values a bit better, and then be able to
share them with the world.

The modern revival of paganism is still going through growing pains and this is a critical time to decide what we are
really going to be. If our recent history is anything to go by, perhaps we wont’ have one voice, one purpose, one
way of going about things, and each group and practitioner will do as their will indicates. It will make it harder to
present ourselves to the mainstream with any coherence, but perhaps that view point is a part of what we have to
offer too. Perhaps we don’t need one cohesive voice and vision.

5. What does the term d20 mean?

It refers to a twenty-sided die, used in table top, paper and pencil role playing games. D20 systems are most
popular in Dungeons & Dragons style games. My husband designs role-playing games, also known as RPGs and
writes related game fiction, and his game Mutants & Masterminds, is considered a d20 RPG.

6. Who generates the longer line, you at spiritual events, or Steve (Christopher’s spouse) at gaming
conventions?

Depends on what we’re offering and where we are. If Steve is releasing a new book or game product at a major
convention, I think they have a pretty big line. If I’m selling books after a class at a convention such as Pantheacon,
I have a pretty big line too. It’s pretty wild to think about it. It makes up for the events and book signings we both do
where only a few people show up. The balance keeps us humble. You never know when you sign on for an event
what it will be like. I’ve done gigs for over 500 people and I’ve had events where only two show up. I think Steve’s
job is much the same. You just never know who will show up. Sometimes the best events are with the two people
though.

7. In your opinion, is there a difference between Witchcraft and Wicca?

That depends on what day you ask…. For some reason it’s become a big issue lately. When I began my journey,
there wasn’t much difference between the two. Wicca was defined as the modern revival of the religion of witchcraft,
or the legally recognized and protected form of witchcraft. Some think of the religion as Wicca and the spellcraft as
witchcraft. I was taught witchcraft, and called it witchcraft, and it included science, spells and religion. I now look at it
as a modern form of witchcraft in the sense that it has been influenced by Theosophy, ceremonial magick,
shamanism and eastern thought, yet I think there were parallels between those traditions and more indigenous pre-
Christian European forms of spirituality we would consider witchcraft. I consider myself a practitioner of modern
Craft, taking the best of the old and the new to move towards the future.

We used Wicca as a “safe” word. When someone asked me about my religion, I would start out and say “earth
religions” and see what they said. Then I’d move on to pagan or neopagan. Then I would use the term Wicca,
because at the time not many people knew what that was, and then work my way up to witchcraft. And that was a
gentle approach. Since I’m now associated strongly with witchcraft, I just start there and if someone can’t handle it,
they can’t handle it, and that’s fine.

Due to the popularity of eclectic approaches and self initiation, championed by Scott Cunningham, there became a
schism between Eclectic Wicca and Initiatory Wicca, such as the Gardnerian and Alexandrian lines. I was surprised
at the adamant insistence of Gardnerian/Alexandrian initiates in the UK claiming what they practices was truly
Wicca, and everything eclectic and solitary was just another form of witchcraft. Usually Americans call it British
Traditional, though it’s gotten confused with people professing pre-Gardnerian traditions, popularly called
Traditional Witchcraft. Such groups would include those in line with Robert Cochrane, a contemporary and vocal
critic of Gardner, and the Cultus Sabati. Though it’s a fairly recent development, most people will now say British
Traditional Wicca to differentiate it from pre-Gardnerian Traditional Craft. Each of these lines – Trad Craft,
Gardnerians/Alexandrians and solitaries/eclectics want to differentiate themselves from each other. They each have
their own mysteries and attitudes toward magick, and can be very different from each other. Yet, I think they have
more similarities, at least the serious practitioners of each, than most would like to admit.

For me, I’m a witch. And much like Doreen Valiente once said, “a witch is a witch is a witch.” I embrace the teachings
and ideas from all these different currents and though I’m eclectic, I believe in respecting and honoring the past as
your build the future. You must be respectful to where something comes from, but at the same time, we are children
of the global era, and have access to all this information and experience. We’d be unwise not to explore it all and
find what works. We are a scavenger religion in many ways, and always have been, from modern witches to our
ancient forbearers. For me, I prefer the terms witch and witchcraft, but I can embrace and certainly don’t shun
Wiccan and Wicca.

8. If someone wanted to start reading your work, with what book would you suggest they start?

It depends on what they are interested in first…. If it’s witchcraft, then perhaps The Inner Temple of Witchcraft might
be the best place to start. If you don’t know anything specific about metaphysics, I’d suggest the Mystic Foundation.
It’s the book for people interested in alternative spirituality and personal mysticism, but for those who are either not
sure what path they are on, or are interested in looking at a wide range of paths and traditions.

9. What book has most inspired you?

What witchcraft book? Well, probably my teacher’s book, Power of the Witch by Laurie Cabot. It was the first book
on the Craft I read, and it was important for me because it connected the science aspects of the craft with the
religion and spell work. I think without that piece I wouldn’t have gone further. With it, I was able to appreciate the
work of Scott Cunningham and Doreen Valiente. But I started as a skeptic, so I needed to understand the ideas
behind magick before I could do it. I took that approach when I started teaching, and in my level one book, The
Inner Temple of Witchcraft.

10. Parting shot! Ask us here at The Magical Buffet any one question?

What was your first initiatory spiritual experience? I always like to hear about people’s awaking and deepening
experiences, and how they sometimes occur in formal rituals and traditional initiations, and they often occur in the
process of life and personal practice. My first one was experiencing a psychic healing and diagnosis, when I thought
there was no way I could perform such a thing. It changed my life.

You and I have a lot in common Christopher. I find faith and belief to be absolutely fascinating and one of my
favorite questions to ask is, “What made you decide to follow the spiritual path you’re on?” Unfortunately for you,
asking me that kind of questions is horribly disappointing. I have yet to have an initiatory spiritual experience. It’s
not for a lack of putting myself out there, it just hasn’t happened yet. Of course, if I had found that experience with
something, The Magical Buffet may never had occurred. The Magical Buffet is definitely the work of a seeker, who
loves the Bill of Rights.