By Antonia Blumberg
[Snip] There is a sacred relationship between youth and elder, apprentice and teacher that persists despite the often-voiced fears of the younger generations’ growing indifference toward religion. Young people have the difficult task of maintaining faith in a troubling world — but our elders have just as essential a responsibility to think critically about the legacy they are leaving behind.
Starhawk is doing it right and I encourage other religious leaders, regardless of their tradition to take note:
1. She promotes causes, not a personal brand. Starhawk doesn’t have a fancy PR team or a million social media accounts. Her primary concerns are the environment, women and minority empowerment and peace in conflict areas — basically the most important things in the world that transcend personality or religious tradition.
2. She’s accessible. She frequently teaches permaculture classes, leads rituals and hosts workshops in California and around the country. Admission is not prohibitive and scholarships are often available. When I arrived at Catland on Sunday, Starhawk was standing in the midst chatting with people as they arrived. There’s nothing “holier than thou” about her attitude toward others.
