Over the past couple of weeks we have seen a massive influx of Tumblr Temples being created. What was originally just The Temple of Hyacinthus and The Temple of Hypnos has now grown into over 7 Tumblr Temples (as least at the time this is being written).
This is exciting! It has been wonderful to see our community grow and see the creation of new spaces for worship, community, and education.
However, there are some things that we would like to say to the current and potential future Tumblr Temples that are being created.
When we created The Temple of Hyacinthus, we did so with the full knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be a community educator and person of influence.
Hytheria Aön has a degree in Social Work, as well as minors in Psychology and Gender Studies. He is an experienced spiritualist who has been practicing witchcraft and paganism through the entirety of his teen years and adult life. He is also an experienced community educator, having worked as a professional public speaker and community organizer for several years.
To claim any title of influence - be that High Priest/High Priestess, Priest/Priestess, or even Cleric - is not something to be taken lightly. And we would like to express concern over the way these titles (and by extension these Temples) are being used.
We say the following not to offend or upset any member of our community, but to express a reality of spiritual and religious practice: You cannot be a clergy member of any faith if you have not studied that faith in depth - and you cannot be a clergy member of any faith if you are a minor.
To expand upon the second point, if you cannot legally consent to adult activities (physical, recreational, etc.,) then you cannot consent to be a clergy member.
Our Temple was not created in haste - we have a Code of Conduct and Community Rules, and have been working slowly and carefully to expand our Temple within this community.
We love being able to see our community grow, but we are concerned that others are "jumping on the trend" (for lack of a better phrase) of E-Temples/Tumblr Temples.
Please, take time to reflect on the choices you are making and the language you are using - are you really a Priest/Priestess or are you just a Devotee or Steward? Is the space your creating actually going to function as a Temple or is it more of a Shrine* - or is it just a blog?
*Information about what makes a Shrine different from a Temple can be found here
The reason we created the term 'Hytheria' is because Aön is not yet educated or learned enough to claim the title of Priest/Clergy.
The reason Aön only claims the title of Devotee in reference to Lord Apollo (and not the other Theoi he worships) is because becoming a Devotee is a serious - often lifelong commitment.
The reason we are making this post is not to shame or call out any individual or Temple - but to express our concerns and remind others that these commitments should be taken seriously.
Hello there , I hope I'm not bothering you , but I was wondering if you could give me some advice <3
I've been a devotee of Lady Selene for a while ( and while I'm also devoted to other deities, I'd say I have the strongest connection to her ) , and ever since I've seen these wonderful e-temples to honor the theoi , I've been thinking about making an e-temple to Lady Selene, but at the moment I'm a little overwhelmed and not sure where to begin. And I'm a bit worried that I , as a devotee , am not fit for running an e-temple since I'm not an experienced priestess . Maybe you could give me some tips or suggestions, but you of course don't need to ! Either way, I hope you have an amazing day, khaire <3
Khaire Louisa,
Thank you for your question! I am honored that you came to us seeking advice regarding starting your own temple.
I gave a quick glance to your blog and noticed that you are a minor.
At this time, The Temple is currently deliberating on the ethical nature of those under the age of 18 creating and stewarding temples within the community.
We are unable to give any advice at this time, as we are not sure where this deliberation will end up.
I think it is wonderful that you feel called to religious practice and temple stewardship, but at this time it may be more worthwhile to create an e-shrine or devotional blog. (Information regarding the difference between a Temple and a Shrine can be found here).
My apologies that this is probably not the answer you are looking for, but it is the best answer I am able to give at this time.
