STRUCTURE OF THE
CORRELLIAN NATIVIST TRADITION
The Correllian Nativist Tradition is founded upon the teachings of
the High-Correll family. The Correllian Tradition is dedicated to
fostering communication and co-operation between Pagan peoples
everywhere, and to improving and securing the status and legal
rights of Pagans as an ethnic group.
The teachings of Correllian Nativism derive from the
blv.
Orpheis Caroline High Correll, an American woman of mixed
racial and cultural descent, who taught that Pagan (Native) peoples
around the world could only survive through united action against
religious/cultural imperialism.
There follows a discussion of the structure and current leadership
of the Correllian Nativist Tradition. To learn more about degrees
of initiatory and non-initiatory membership, go
HERE.
LEADERSHIP
CHANCELLOR
The chief
executive officer of the Correllian Nativist Tradition is the
Chancellor. The Chancellor is responsible for the day-to-day
running of the Tradition, the administration of all records and
legal matters. The Chancellor is the deputy of and represents the
interests of the leadership of the Correllian Tradition in all
things. The Chancellor is the principle authority in and the final
court of appeals for all matters relating to the administration of
the Tradition.
The office of Chancellor must be filled by one of the Joint Heads
of the Correllian Tradition, but may be filled by either the First
Priestess or First Priest. In the event that the Joint Heads cannot
agree on which should act as Chancellor, the matter will be
resolved by vote of the Correllian Council of Elders. Once filled,
the office is understood to be held for life.
The office of Chancellor was first established by the Correllian
Council of Elders at their meeting on Mabon, year 0 Aquarius (2000
AD), held in conjunction with the Awakenings Festival. The creation
of the office of Chancellor formalized an existing agreement which
had been in effect since 1592 Pisces (1992 AD) between the First
Priestess and First Priest, allowing the First Priest to act in all
matters for the Tradition leadership severally and as a whole, in
recognition of the need for more immediate response to situations
than was possible under the diarchal system. It is to be understood
however that the establishment of the office of Chancellor does not
replace the diarchy, but rather serves to streamline its
operations.
The Chancellor of the Correllian Nativist Tradition is
Rev. Donald
Lewis-Highcorrell, First Priest and Paramount High Priest of
the Tradition.
FIRST PRIESTESS
The First
Priestess and First Priest traditionally act as Joint Heads of the
Correllian Tradition, forming a diarchy. The First Priestess is the
Matriarchal Joint-Head of the Tradition. In this capacity the First
Priestess is responsible for maintaining the sanctity of the
Correllian Tradition and its connection with the Ancestors and the
Divine. The initiation of all Priesthood, Temples and Orders
ultimately derive authority from this sanctity, and thus from the
First Priestess. The First Priestess also acts as chairperson for
the Correllian Council of Elders.
The most recent First Priestess of the Correllian Tradition was
Rev. Krystel
High-Correll, who reigned from 1579 Pisces - 5 Aquarius (1979 -
2005 AD). On 3 September, Year 5 Aquarius, Lady Krystel became the
first First Priestess to formally retire from public life, taking
the title First Priestess Emeritus. After returning briefly to
active service Lady Krystel renewed her retirement in December of
Year 7 Aquarius, naming First Priest Rev. Don Lewis as Regent for
the Office of First Priestess.
Previous First Priestesses of the Correllian Tradition include Blv.
Orpheis Caroline High Correll, Blv. Mable High Correll, and Blv.
Rev. LaVeda Lewis-Highcorrell who served as Regent for the office
of First Priestess before the acclamation of Lady Krystel.
FIRST PRIEST
The First
Priest is the Fraternal Joint-Head of the Tradition. In the past
the First Priest was normally either the brother or son of the
First Priestess. The First Priest is responsible for co-ordinating
relations between Correllian Temples, and acts as chairperson for
the Witan Council when it shall be invoked. The First Priest is
responsible for the Tradition’s relations with other Wiccan and
Pagan Traditions. The First Priest is also responsible for
maintaining the Tradition’s history and internal records, and its
publications.
The current First Priest of the Correllian Tradition is
Rev. Donald
Lewis-Highcorrell, having been thus acclaimed in 1579 Pisces
(1979 AD).
Previous First Priests of the Correllian Tradition include Blv.
William High, Blv. Frank High Correll, and Blv. William High
Correll.
FIRST ELDER
The First
Elder of the Tradition is the principle advisor to the Tradition
Heads, and to the Tradition as a whole. The First Elder is chosen
by the Tradition Heads and is the Philosopher Laureate of the
Correllian Tradition. The First Elder is also responsible for
overseeing the succession to the offices of the Tradition
leadership.
The current First Elder of the Correllian Tradition is
Rev. V. L.
Bitterwind, having been thus acclaimed in 1589 Pisces (1989
AD).
Previous First Elders of the Correllian Tradition include Blv.
Frank High Correll, and Blv. Rev. Gloria High Correll.
COUNCIL OF
ELDERS
The Correllian Council of Elders (CCE) is an advisory body made up
of the Officers of the Correllian Tradition as listed above, as
well as other members chosen from among highly respected members of
the Tradition. The Council of Elders might be described as the
“cabinet” of the Tradition, being a council whose non-binding
opinion is solicited to help shape national policy. The Correllian
Council of Elders may be convened at the discretion of either of
Joint Heads of Tradition, but is chaired by the First
Priestess.
The principle purpose of the Correllian Council of Elders, besides
advising on matters of national policy, is to oversee the
succession to the offices of the Joint heads of Tradition and the
Chancellor of the Church.
Membership on Correllian Council of Elders requires nomination by
the Council of Elders or one of the Officers of Tradition, and
confirmation by the Tradition Heads.
Members of the Council of Elders are considered to be Arch
Priesthood, and are sometimes described accordingly.
Current members of the Correllian Council of Elders include: Rev.
Don Lewis, Rev. Krystel High-Correll, Rev. V. L. Bitterwind, Rev.
Ed Hubbard, and Rev. Traci Logan-Wood.
WITAN
COUNCIL
The Witan Council is made up of the Heads of all Correllian
Temples, members of the Correllian Council of Elders, and the
Officers and Heads of the Correllian Tradition. Only fully seated
Temple Heads may be considered members of the Witan Council, though
Acting Temple Heads may attend and address the Council. The First
Priest acts as chairperson of the Witan Council.
The Witan Council is an advisory body which may be convened as
needed to advise on matters of Tradition policy. However, the
principle duty of the Witan Council is to confirm the succession to
the offices of First priestess and First Priest.
To learn more about the Witan Council, go
HERE
CORRELLIAN
DIRECTORATE
The Correllian Directorate was dissolved by order of the Chancellor
as a body of the Tradition on 25 September, Year 6 Aquarius
TEMPLES
Correllian Temples are be established by charter, which may only be
granted by the Heads of the Correllian Tradition through the
Chancellor. Though any Temple may include Correllian ideas or even
Correllian clergy, only a Temple chartered by the Correllian
Tradition can be considered a true Correllian Temple.
Customarily Correllian Temples are established under a chartered
Temple Head and a Board of Directors. The Head of Temple is
responsible for the day to day running of the Temple. The Temple’s
Chief Director, who may or may not be the same person as the Temple
Head, is responsible to the Correllian Tradition for all required
legal paperwork.
Temple Heads are established by charter. The first Head of a given
Temple is considered the Founding Head of Temple. Subsequent Heads
of Temple may be nominated by their predecessor or by the Temple’s
Board of Directors, but must be recognized by charter of the
Tradition before being considered to be fully seated. Moreover, to
be fully seated a Head of Temple must be a member of the High
Priesthood, or Third Degree of Clergy.
Temple Heads may be chartered from outside the High Priesthood at
the discretion of the Chancellor, but are considered to be Acting
Temple Heads under the imperium of a Third Degree Sponsor until
such time as they themselves achieve the status Third Degree
Priesthood, when they can be considered fully seated. When an
Acting Temple Head achieves Third Degree status all initiations
which they have performed in the pursuance of their office shall be
considered part of their lineage. If an Acting Temple Head never
achieves Third Degree status, initiations they have performed shall
trace through the lineage of their Sponsor.
All fully seated Heads of Correllian Temples have a seat on the
Witan Council, hence the name. Acting Heads of Temple may attend
and address meetings of the Witan, but do not have a vote on the
Council until they are fully seated.
Correllian Temples are expected to conform to the basic tenets of
Correllianism, but are given great leeway in the actual running of
the Temple.
PROTO-TEMPLES
A Proto-Temple is founded in the expectation of going on to become
a full Temple.
When a Proto-Temple receives its charter as a Temple, the Keeper
becomes recognized as the seated Head of Temple. If however the
Keeper is below Third Degree when the Temple is chartered and is
acting under the imperium of a Third Degree sponsor then the Keeper
shall be recognized as Acting Head of Temple under their sponsors
imperium until they have themselves attained the Third Degree, at
which time they shall be fully seated on the Witan.
SHRINES
In Correllian parlance a Shrine is a place of worship similar to
but less formal than a Temple. Whereas a Temple must be headed by a
Third Degree Cleric, or under the direct imperium of a Third Degree
Cleric, a Shrine may be headed by a person of any Degree.
Sometimes a Shrine is formed as a less formal alternative to a
Temple. Other times a Shrine may be formed to fulfill a specific
function -as an annual ritual, social event, ministerial or
charitable activity.
The Correllian Tradition recognizes three kinds of Shrine:
A
Witan Shrine is founded in the expectation of going on to
become a Proto-Temple.
A
Formal Shrine is a Shrine which has been established to
perform a specific duty, often of a charitable nature.
A
Personal Shrine is a personal expression of the Shrine
Keeper's spirituality and may be undertaken by any Tradition
member.
All three kinds of Shrine are described in greater detail
below.
WITAN
SHRINES
The most formal Shrines in the Tradition are Witan Shrines! A Witan
Shrine is a Shrine founded in expectation of its later becoming a
Proto-Temple: At this time all new Correllian Temples must spend at
least one year as a Witan Shrine prior to being officially
chartered as Temples of the Tradition.
A Witan Shrine functions in the same manner as a Shrine, described
above, with the difference of its being considered a formal body of
the Tradition rather than a private function of the Shrine Keeper,
and it’s focused toward developing the functions of a Temple.
The Keeper of a Witan Shrine must be a member of the Third Degree
High Priesthood, or a person studying toward Third Degree and under
the imperium of a Third Degree sponsor approved by the Council of
Elders.
Unlike ordinary and Formal Shrines a Witan Shrine is considered a
formal body of the Tradition. A Witan Shrine Keeper is not regarded
as having a seat on the Witan Council, and hence has no vote in the
Council, but may attend and participate in the Council on the same
basis as Acting Heads of Temples.
FORMAL
SHRINES
In addition to the Witan Shrines described above, the Correllian
Tradition also includes Formal Shrines.
A Formal Shrine is basically the same as a Personal Shrine: a
private worship center maintained by an individual Correllian
Tradition member of either Inner or Outer Court. The difference is
that a Formal Shrine is dedicated to a specific project, event, or
program of a social or charitable nature which the Tradition
endorses.
A Formal shrine is created by Charter rather than recognition. To
be granted a charter as a Formal Shrine a Shrine must meet these
criteria:
A) The Shrine must have been in existence as a recognized Shrine of
the Correllian Tradition for a minimum of one year prior to
applying for a charter as a Formal Shrine (three years is
preferred).
B) To be chartered as a Formal Shrine a Shrine must be associated
with a charitable activity or ministerial outreach project of some
sort, beyond the celebration of worship.
Despite this a Formal Shrine, like an ordinary Shrine, has no
representation on the Witan Council as it remains essentially a
venture of its Shrine Keeper rather than of the Tradition as
such.
PERSONAL
SHRINES
To be an official Correllian Shrine, a Personal Shrine must be
recognized by the Tradition. A Personal Shrine is given official
existence through Recognition rather than Chartering. Recognition
may be obtained through application to the Council of Elders
through the office of the Chancellor.
Though a Personal Shrine may be recognized by the Tradition, it is
not an official body of the Tradition, but rather the private
project of a Tradition member.
Any Correllian may act as a Shrine Keeper, because of the informal
nature of a Personal Shrine vs a Temple. A Keeper may be a Cleric
of any Degree, or even an Outer Court Member, since a Personal
Shrine performs no official ceremonies. However for the same reason
a Shrine -no matter what the Degree of the Keeper- has no
representation on the Witan Council.
ORDERS
An Order is an association dedicated to the study or practice of a
particular subject, such as ecology, healing, music, etc.
Although regarded as an independent body, an Order is formed by a
Charter from the Tradition, which may only be granted by the Heads
of Tradition through the office of the Chancellor. An Order may be
formed around any subject of interest.
An Order commonly has a single Head who is responsible for
organizing and facilitating it, who is called an Order Head. The
Order Head is also established by Charter from the Tradition. The
Order Head may be of any Degree appropriate to the Order’s subject,
as defined by the Tradition.
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