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OAG Required Reading

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The Ordo Arcanorum Gradalis
OAG Required Reading
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A student enrolled in the OAG's Ordination program must read and answer questions about the following books and an additional book in each category, which is chosen by the student and his or her mentor. (Note: This list was adopted by the council of Grail Priest/esses in the Summer of 2001, replacing the original reading list that appeared in The Crafted Cup.)

The Crafted Cup, by Shadwynn
   This book contains the theology and rituals of the Ordo Arcanorum Gradalis. Unfortunately, it is currently out of print, although it can often be found at Amazon.com, used bookstores or online auction sites.

Sources of the Grail

Sources of the Grail, edited by John Matthews  ["Grail Lore" category]
   This book contains a number of the most important Grail texts, along with interpretive and scholarly essays.

Sources of the Grail at Amazon.com

To Stir a Magic Cauldron, by Silver Ravenwolf   [Practical Wicca]
  Although the OAG does not stress spell-casting, we expect students to have an understanding of the art and mechanics of ritual and a grounding in the techniques of magic.

To Stir a Magick Cauldron at Amazon.com

Sophia

Sophia: Goddess of Wisdom, Bride of God, by Caitlin Matthews [Goddess Lore and Theology]
   C. Matthews looks at the Goddess in the Western Tradition, drawing examples from the Ancient Near East, Christianity, Gnosticism, Britain and the Grail Quest.

SOPHIA at Amazon.com

Son of Man: The Mystical Path to Christ, by Andrew Harvey  [The Mystic Christ]
   This book presents a compelling image of Jesus as both a historical mystic and spiritual leader, and as the Cosmic Christ, including his connection to the Sacred Feminine. It celebrates the powerful, mystical essence of Christianity that has too often been lost in dogma and hierarchy.

Son of Man at Amazon.com

People of the Earth

People of the Earth: The New Pagans Speak Out, by Ellen Evert Hopman & Lawrence Bond  [Contemporary Paganism]
   This book is a compliation of interviews with Pagans representing a wide variety of traditions. An excellent successor to Adler's Drawing Down the Moon.

People of the Earth at Amazon.com

The Western Way, pts 1 & 2, by John & Caitlin Matthews  [The Western Tradition]
    The only hold-over from the original reading list (next to The Crafted Cup itself), The Western Way is a comprehensive survey of the history and evolution of the spiritual traditions of the West. Part One focuses on the Native, shamanic Tradition; Part Two addresses the Hermetic Tradition. Numerous exercises enhance the text, providing an opportunity for exploration by the student.

The Western Way at Amazon.com

The Direct Path: Creating a Personal Journey to the Divine Through the World's Traditions, by Andrew Harvey  [Mysticism]
   A deeply personal exploration of the meaning and purpose of the mystic path, and in-depth discussions about a variety of mystical techniques from both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions.

The Direct Path at Amazon.com

The Moon Under Her Feet

The Moon Under Her Feet, by Clysta Kinstler  [Fiction]
   This book has little grounding in historical scholarship, but it is superb myth-making: portraying Mary Magdalene as a priestess of Inanna-Ishtar, and Yeshua (Jesus) as the Sacred Consort. It emphasizes the symbolic motifs of Christianity which were common to ancient Near Eastern religion, and presents a challenging and sympathetic portrait of a priestess struggling to be true to her vocation.

The Moon Under Her Feet at Amazon.com