Phillip Emmons Issac Bonewits (born October 1, 1949) is an influential Neopagan leader and author. Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, Bonewits has been heavily involved in occultism with an emphasis on Neo-druidism since the 1960's.

Life

In 1966, while enrolled at UC Berkeley, Bonewits was initiated into the Reformed Druids of North America RDNA or RDNA. Bonewits was ordained as a Druid priest in 1969. During this time period, Bonewits joined the Church of Satan, but left due to a personality conflict with Anton LaVey.

Bonewits graduated in 1970 with a BA, as the only person to have ever received any kind of degree in Magic. Gaining a bit of notoriety from this, Bonewits soon earned a book contract

In 1976, Bonewits moved back to Berkeley and rejoined the RDNA which was now known as the New Reformed Druids of North America or NRDNA. He was later elected ArchDruid of this organization.

In 1983, Bonewits founded Ar nDraiocht Fein or ADF, which was incorporated in 1990 in the state of Delaware as a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Over the years, Bonewits has had varying degrees of involvement with Santeria, the Caliphate Line of the Ordo Templi Orientis, Gardnerian Wicca, the

Bonewits served as ArchDruid of the ADF until 1996, when he resigned due to the onset of symptoms of Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Bonewits retains the lifelong title of ArchDruid Emeritus of the ADF. He currently lives in Nyack, NY and is a member of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans or CUUPS, and is married to the co-founder of the organization, Phaedra Heyman Bonewits.

Bonewits is currently promoting a charity program to help Neopagan seniors,¹ and in January 2006 was the key note speaker at the Conference On Current Pagan Studies at the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA.

Contributions to Neopaganism

Bonewits has coined much of the modern terminology used to define and articulate many of the conceptual themes and issues which affect the North American Neopagan community.

• Developed the Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame or ABCDEF
• Pioneered the modern usage of the term thealogy, Paleo-Paganism, Meso-Paganism and numerous other retronyms
• Is thought to have coined the term reconstructionism
• Coined the phrase "Never again the burning."

Partial bibliography

• Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Magic, 1972, 1989 ISBN 0877286884
• Authentic Thaumaturgy, 1978, 1998 ISBN 1556343604
• Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach, 2003 ISBN 1594055017
• Witchcraft: A Concise Guide or Which Witch Is Which?, 2003 ISBN 1594055009
• The Pagan Man: Priests, Warriors, Hunters, and Drummers, 2005 ISBN 0806526971
• Bonewits' Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca, 2006 ISBN 0806527110

See also

• Ar nDraiocht Fein
• Neo-Paganism
• Thealogy