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Introduction

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Introduction to The Dionysian Naturalist  (November 2024) In Praise of Sacred Nature: Reimagining Reverence, Ritual, and Revolution As the environmental crisis deepens and humanity’s disconnection from the natural world widens, the call for a renewed reverence for “sacred nature” becomes more urgent. This vision of nature transcends its utility as a resource, honoring it as an inherently sacred force—a living presence that envelops, sustains, and compels us toward awe and accountability. To approach nature with reverence is to see it not as other, but as kin and collaborator, a partner in the unfolding dance of existence. It asks of us humility, responsibility, and an open heart to its mysteries. The Dionysian Naturalist: Ecstatic Roots in Sacred Ecology The figure of the Dionysian Naturalist rises in response to this call. Rooted in the soil of Religious Naturalism, it germinates into a wilder, more insurgent spirituality, enriched by the ecstatic energies of Dionysus. Where much...
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May We Become What Love Requires—An Opening Prayer by Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D.

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  May We Become What Love Requires WAYNE MARTIN MELLINGER, PH.D. Dear friends, This Thursday evening, November 5, I will offer the opening prayer at the City and Faith Community Summit on Homelessness. Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez asked CLUE’s Housing Justice Work Group to help organize this gathering of faith leaders. CLUE brings a long history of interfaith work for social justice and strong relationships with congregations and clergy throughout our community. I wanted to share my prayer with you. It speaks to the hardships our unhoused neighbors face, gives thanks for the compassion already at work among us, and asks how our faith communities can take a more active role in making shelter, housing, and belonging possible. These questions touch our Unitarian Universalist commitments deeply: How do we recognize the worth and dignity of each neighbor, and what does love require of us now? May We Become What Love Requires Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D. Spirit of Life, Source o...
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We Belong to the Turning Earth - Halloween Ritual

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  We Belong to the Turning Earth A Dionysian Naturalist Ritual Poem for Samhain Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D. · Collaborative working draft · October 31, 2026 This contemporary observance draws on the seasonal Wheel of the Year practiced in Naturalistic Paganism and modern Druidry. It honors the autumn cross-quarter in the Northern Hemisphere without invoking spirits or other worlds. The seasons and directions are acknowledged as earthly relationships, not supernatural powers. Adapt the landscape references to your home. Allow about fifteen minutes, or longer for shared memories. Gather a photograph or remembrance object, a candle or battery light, a little plain water, and an apple, pumpkin bread, or another seasonal food. A mask and music are optional. One person may speak every line; in a group, everyone may join the refrain. Silence, seated movement, and passing are always welcome. Pause. Feel the support beneath your body. Here we are, with the day still clinging to our ...
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Textbook Proposal: The New American Religions of Nature by Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D.

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The New American Religions of Nature Lived Religion, Ecology, and Religious Innovation in the United States Book proposal  Wayne Martin Mellinger PhD  October 29, 2026 Consolidated draft for author review. Production options and items requiring confirmation are identified below. Overview How does treating nature as sacred become a way of living, and when does it become a reason to act? The New American Religions of Nature is an illustrated textbook for advanced undergraduate courses on nature spirituality, religion and nature, and American religions. It examines religious creativity through what people do: seasonal rites, household observances, meditation, gardening, gatherings, online learning, ecological service, and relationships with particular places. It follows these practices through organizations, informal networks, and solitary lives. The book brings a comparative sociological approach to Pagan traditions, Druidry, religious naturalisms, Buddhist-influenced practices,...
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