On this page, you will find resources that are can be helpful to chaplains and volunteers who work with Pagan inmates. Do you have a resource to share? Reply to this post to keep it as current and helpful as possible!
Online Resources
Mill Creek Seminary mission is "To organize Pagan correctional chaplains into a recognized association, to develop resources and support, to promote professional standards of conduct, to provide training and certification, and to assist law enforcement and correctional agencies with religious accommodations of Pagan faiths." You can apply for membership through their website.
Church of the Spiral Tree is a self-proclaimed ecumenical Pagan church that has a Pagan Prisoner Committee. They provide ritual services to local inmates in Georgia as well as organize a nationwide database of incarcerated Pagans who want a pen pal (Church of the Spiral Tree).
The Druid Network offers short and concise articles about issues relating to Pagan prison ministry (Druid Network, 2011).
Pagan Prison Ministry Yahoo Group is an online forum for people involved in Pagan prison ministry (Pagan Prison Ministry, 2011). Although it has been active since 2000, the number of posts have been declining.
Witches Against Religious Discrimination (WARD) have several articles about prison ministry, and some Wiccan themed scripted workshops that can be used in your own ministry (Wynne, 2001).
Pagans in Prison is an online article that gives a great overview of the need for Pagan prison ministry volunteers and the life of incarcerated Pagans (Filan, 2007).
Enchantment Encumbered: the Study and Practice of Wicca in Restricted Environments by Ashleen O'Gaea & Carol Garr is the only book specifically about Pagan prison ministry available. The book is in three portions. The first is the basics of Wicca, the second is a book of shadows specifically for people without access to typical supplies, and the third is about rituals and life outside of prison systems (O’Gaea & Carol, 2009).
Prison Ministry by Lennie Spitale is written for Christians primarily, but if you can put aside the off-putting language and proselytizing suggestions, the book has useful information about the realities of incarcerated life and tips on how to approach prison based ministry (Spitale, 2002).
Pagans and the Law by Dana D. Eilers has limited information about the rights of incarcerated Pagans but may prove useful in some situations (Eilers, 2009).
The Pagan Clergy’s Guide for Counseling, Crisis Intervention and Otherworld Transitions by Kevin Gardner is specifically written for difficult ministerial situations (Gardner, 2009).
Spiritual Mentoring: A Pagan Guide by Judy Harrow is not specifically written for the Pagan ministry to incarcerated individuals, but it does provide a valuable resource for Pagans who are not trained specifically in Chaplaincy or counseling skills (Harrow, 2002).
A Teaching Handbook For Wiccans & Pagans by Thea Sabin is a guide for how to specifically teach Pagan groups. While it is not written for prison populations, a lot of the content will be applicable (Sabin, 2012).
The Wiccan Ministers Manual by Kevin M. Gardner gives basic guidance for anyone who wants to serve others in a Pagan ministerial capacity (Gardner, 2008).
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