The Path of the Blue Raven

REVIEW of The Path of the Blue Raven, from religion to re-enchantment

In myth the Raven symbolises magical initiation and transformation says author Mark Townsend, whose fascinating and surprising book  The Path of the Blue Raven charts his spiritual journey from institutional religion to something, well, rather more exciting. Townsend, until recently a parish priest in the C of E has now become a ‘post-denominational’ independent celebrant for the whole community - and somebody who  hangs out with  Druids.

The book tells of his gradual disillusionment with Churchianity (but not Christianity’s founder) through a series of  personal crises that forced him to re-valuate how he saw himself and his role. Part two of the book relates the insights, encounters and friendships that led him to discover his  wiser  ‘higher self’  or ‘inner voice of God’- that Townsend calls the ‘wizard within’ and also the awe and wonder - and the divine - in the holy book of nature.  The final part of the book is a collection of other people’s stories of their spiritual journeys, from Christianity to Paganism, some  blending, like Townsend, the shared wisdom of both paths and traditions:  a blending that some might term ‘Christo-Paganism’ or ‘Christian Druidry’.

The major theme of the book is ‘magic'. There is more than one kind says Townsend, and he should know, for he is also a semi-professional stage magician (and member of the prestigious Magic Circle). He notes that cojurer's art is based on deception, but illusions and tricks don’t just entertain but can also awaken the minds of his audience to the wonder of the world, re-activating their intuition and imagination. Townsend even used conjuring to illustrate sermons (he relates some of the flak he got from Christians about this). But his magic rather than his church services led to more metaphysical discussions with people ‘down the pub’ for whom theology and church is a turn off. Townsend's discussion of magic is not definitely pushing any kind of  believe it or not and supernatural ‘woo-woo’ (afterall, he was a  liberal vicar) but he does want to open our eyes to the ‘deeper magic’ in ordinary life,  in the depths of human brokenness/chaos, and in creatures great and small, particularly the evocative ravens (this is not an ornithological study mind you!)

It helps if you like the person behind an autobiographical account – and I certainly warmed to Townsend when listening to his personal story, which includes moving, amusing and often decidedly odd ball moments. The soul searching is typical of a deep thinking person who really cares. Townsend makes some very frank and honest admissions as to his own mistakes and character. At times he is sadly  poignant but not bitter or nasty about the failings of the Church (he even dedicates the book to the C of E).

Townsend clearly has a bard’s gift for story telling and he uses a variety of devices, a rich pastiche of writing styles, which could have been - but isn’t - messy or uneven. So we have him weaving around his own story with modern fairy tales,  mythic imagery,  inspirational quotes from other writers, asides into high theology and social critique, and true down to earth  vinigettes showing he is very  perceptive of  psychology and the spiritual longings of ordinary folks. He includes his journal entries and his wierd internal dialogue, and plenty of great anecdotes from his  work  as a somewhat unconventional priest. Two memorable tales for this reader are the cringe worthy image of him as a one-time Pentecostal bible basher, and  the  story of the creative memorial service  he provided for an old man’s beloved pet  (NB this is not in the prayer book). The book contains a treasure house of intellectual stuff to seriously think about, but Townsend manages to prevent it all becoming too heavy or earnest by adopting a refreshing tone  of  irreverent irony (he has chapter headings such as  “holy sh*t!” and “more holy sh*t”).

My only significant criticism is that to put all this stuff in one book may be  too much of a good thing as the book's length may well put  off  less avid or doubtful readers. The author is so creative, and skilled and with such an eye for great stories, I also suspect he might have been slightly overindulged in his art by his publisher. I was kept fascinated by Townsend’s journey, while the stories of other people do strongly add to the book's purpose and interest. However their number and breadth gets a bit too encyclopaedic and perhaps including a few too many variations on a theme.

I would be pleasantly surprised if the book gets stocked by the SPCK or seminaries as it is likely to upset many Anglicans and all religious conservatives. But it has a message the Church really needs to hear.  The book ought to get a wide, not just 'religious' audience. I’d recommend it to Pagans who don’t entirely reject their Christian heritage, and  Christians disillusioned by dogma. It’s great help to interfaith dialogue, but mostly for anyone who gets a buzz from communion with nature, myth and magic. The seeker might even be helped to find a new-old eco-friendly, universalistic non-institutional spirituality.  Townsend doesn’t preach but does  inspire the reader to see a raven’s wing glimmer of his spiritual/magical vision -  the rest of the path is up to us. Please read!

White Horse