Isaac Bonewits (Born October 1, 1949 in Royal Oak, MI, Died August 12th, 2010 in Pomona, NY) was an influential member of the America Pagan community and the co-founder (with Shenain Bell) and Archdruid Emeritus of Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship and the Aquarian Anti-Defamation League, which is devoted to protecting the interests of members of minority religions. One of the elders of the Pagan community, he has been a spokesman for the community with journalists and law enforcement. He was the first person to graduate from a Western educational institution with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Magic and Thaumaturgy which he did through UC Berkeley's individual group study program in 1970.
Bonewits was a long time proponent of the establishment of official Pagan seminaries and full time paid Pagan clergy. The latter idea is not popular with the Pagan community at large and earned him much derision for trying to be a "professional Pagan" and expecting the community to "pay his bills for him".
In February 2008, Isaac and Phaedra Bonewits opened the Real Magic School, an online occult school.
Isaac Bonewits succumbed to cancer in August 2010.
One of his most notable contributions to our community is the Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame which is an invaluable tool for new Pagans, witches and occultists when considering new or continuing membership to questionable organizations within (and without) the community.
He was the author of several books including:
- Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Magic
- Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism
- Neopagan Rites: A Guide to Creating Public Rituals that Work
- The Pagan Man: Priests, Warriors, Hunters, and Drummers
- Authentic Thaumaturgy
- Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach
He has co-authored:
- Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, And Substances to Heal, Change, And Grow with Phaedra Bonewits
- Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca
and Witchcraft: A Concise Guide or Which Witch Is Which? with Ashleen O'Gaea
- Mysteries of Druidry with Brendan Cathbad Myers
- The Study of Witchcraft: A Guidebook to Advanced Wicca with Deborah Lipp
- Essential Asatru: Walking the Path of Norse Paganism with Diana L. Paxson
And has contributed to
More information at http://www.neopagan.net
