The CR FAQ: An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 204 pages
• Published by: River House Publishing August 22, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0615158005
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0615158006
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Weighs: 10.4 ounces

Product Description
Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR) is a polytheistic, animistic, religious and cultural movement. It is an effort to reconstruct, through both scholarly research and experiential practice, a spiritual tradition that is true to ancient Celtic religion and relevant to our lives in the modern world. This print edition of "The CR FAQ - An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism" includes a detailed pronunciation guide and an extensive glossary of terms and deities. "The CR FAQ" was written by a diverse collective of Celtic Reconstructionist (CR) elders and long-term practitioners. It is the very first book to be published that is wholly about Celtic Reconstructionism. All profits from the sale of this book are being donated to Gaelic language and cultural preservation charities in the Celtic Nations and worldwide.

Reader Reviews
I really enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot about CR. I think that everything in this book is available on the web, but I am still glad that I bought the book, because reading it on the internet would have been overwhelming for me. Also, I think its great that the profits go to good causes. I have a few issues with the book that I would like to address. The first is that there seems to be a lot of hostility towards eclectic neo-pagans. I agree with the authors that some eclectics do perpetuate a lot of cultural theft, but I also believe that it is possible to practice eclecticism ethically. The tone of the writing came off as a little self-righteous. For instance on page 74-75 the answer to a question about CRs stealing cultural elements from Native Americans, ends by saying "This is why we do our best to make a distinction between our approach and that of eclectics and "shame-ons." The authors seem to be implying that all eclectics steal cultural elements from Native Americans, because they leave out the word "some" before "eclectics". They also make the mistake of equating shamanism with Native Americans. If it is offensive to call Celtic spiritual practices shamanism, why is it ok to call Native American practices shamanism, when it is not a word from any Native American language? That just doesn't make sense to me. My other problem with the book is with the reading list--which I really think is a great bunch of books. The problem for me is that the authors take pains to point out which books get a "qualified recommendation" and the reasons why those recommendations are qualified, but it doesn't go far enough. For instance "The Silver Bough" gets recommended without a qualifier, but in the first of the series F. Marian McNeill writes some outdated ideas about early Scots worshipping a "solar god". There are other books on the list that I feel could have used a qualifier and to give it to some and not others could be confusing to readers who may feel the absence of qualifiers mean that those particular books do not contain misinformation. I do recommend this book highly (with the aforementioned "qualifiers") for anyone interested in Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism and related subjects.