Pagan Parents Raising Christian Children - Part 1: How is it Possible?

Religion. This is a touchy subject for many people. In many ways it is regarded as offensive as a four letter word because you are unsure how the conversation will end. My husband and I have been following a Pagan path for many years now, each our own. We have six young children at home ranging in age from 13 to 2 years.

As children our parents gave us the freedom to decide our own spiritual paths in life. When we started having our own children we decided that we would do the same. Everyone, no matter their age, should have a choice in their spiritual worlds. Even if those worlds far differ from what we have both chosen as our paths. At this moment in time our children are all Christian.

When our first son was born we had the misconception that we could be non-partial to the subject..let them find themselves naturally. As one child became two, three and eventually six we realized we had our jobs cut-out for us. We would have to show restraint often, remembering not to interfere with their learning and growth.

Waiting for your child to ask you the questions that you want to answer about your spiritual path is stressful. You don't want to bring the topic up yourself, otherwise you feel as if your bending them to your way of thinking. At least that is how we felt. So we silently wait for that momentous occasion where they realize mom and dad don't celebrate the same holidays, or worship at the same church/temple.

We do have the advantage of having first-hand knowledge about many of the religions of the current day. Our years of searching for our own paths have led us into many congregations. We have the ability to nurture them, explain to them the path that they are seeking at the time. Christianity encompasses so many labels; Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian and so on. Each has much in common but they also have slight variances, if not vastly differing altogether. So we study, and we share. The day's come where they ask us to share our stories and beliefs.

Those days are few...for the moment. We know as they grow into their teenage years we will be answering more questions than we may not be able to handle as fluidly as we envision. We are committed to the task however; they are our precious future. We will help them flourish in whatever path they choose. My husband and I have decided to keep a journal, and we will share it with the world one entry at a time. Pagan Parents raising Christian children, for that is what we are. maybe one day that will change. That is for our children to decide.