Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (b. Timothy Zell, November 30, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, also formerly known as Otter G'Zell) is a co-founder of the Church of All Worlds, as well as a writer and speaker on the subject of Neopaganism. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri in 1965. In 1967, he received a Doctor of Divinity from Life Science College in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, then a teaching certificate from Harris Teacher's College in St. Louis in 1968. He also attended graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis.[1]
In an interview with Natalie Zaman in 2008, Zell described himself as a "Wizard". Distinguishing his practice from the wizards of fiction, Zell added a "k" to his spelling of "magick", and claimed that his interest therein began at an early age with the reading of Greek myths and fairy tales. As a child, Zell had visions, which his mother told him were derived from the life of his grandfather.[2]
An early advocate of deep ecology, Zell-Ravenheart articulated the Gaia Thesis (preferred spelling Gæa or Gaea) in 1970, independently of Dr. James Lovelock, who is usually credited therewith.[3] Along with his wife Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart and the other members of his group marriage, he has been influential in the modern polyamory movement.[4]
Zell-Ravenheart also co-founded the Ecosophical Research Association in 1977, an organization that explores the truth behind myths. This group was known for the "living unicorns" they created by minor surgery to the horn buds of goats. One of their unicorns, Lancelot, toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.[5]
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With R. Lance Christie, Zell-Ravenheart formed the Church of All Worlds (CAW) on April 7, 1962, by the ritual of "sharing water". This foundation ritual was practiced by a fictional church of the same name in Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Zell-Ravenheart and Christie attributed their inspiration to Heinlein's novel. From the 1960s through the late 1990s, Zell-Ravenheart served as High Priest and Primate of the church.[6] Zell-Ravenheart returned to lead the Church of All Worlds, Inc. in 2005 and currently serves as First Primate.[7]
A sculptor as well as an author, Zell has created numerous images of Pagan deities—some based upon historical images, others his original creations. With his family, he runs Mythic Images, a business through which his artwork is distributed.[6]
As the creator and original editor of the Neopagan magazine Green Egg in 1968,[8] Zell-Ravenheart was an early popularizer of the term "Neo-Pagan". When Green Egg began publishing as a spirit-duplicated newsletter, Zell used the term "Neo-Pagan" to describe the new religious movement he was helping to create. Green Egg later grew to be a semi-glossy magazine with international distribution and, in an era before the Internet, its letters column provided a widely distributed public forum for discussion and networking.[6] From 1994 to late 2001, Green Egg was edited by Maerian Morris, a former High Priestess of the Church of All Worlds.[9]Green Egg is currently published as an e-zine, edited by Ariel Monserrat.[10]
Zell-Ravenheart is one of the founders and is the current Headmaster of the "Grey School of Wizardry", a nonprofit, online school specializing in the teaching of a wide range of esoteric magick. The Grey School incorporated on March 14, 2004 as an educational institution in the State of California and presently serves hundreds of students in over 40 countries. The school grew from lessons originally created by the Grey Council, a team of two dozen magickal practitioners who together with Zell-Ravenheart wrote the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. While initially conceived for ages 11-17, the school also accepts adult students.[11]
Zell-Ravenheart regularly presents workshops, lectures, and ceremonies at Neopagan and New Age events, as well as at science fiction conventions and renaissance fairs. He and his wife "Morning Glory" Zell-Ravenheart have appeared at over 20 Starwood Festivals (and a few WinterStar Symposiums) over 25 years, and have maintained Church of All Worlds presence at Starwood, called the CAWmunity, for over a decade.[1]
Oberon and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart currently live in Sonoma County, California, where they are members of the Sonoma County Pagan Network. He is a frequent speaker at the organization's local activities, and has contributed articles to its website.[12][13]
During a routine colonoscopy, doctors found a cancerous growth attached to Zell's colon, and removed it laparoscopically at Petaluma Valley Hospital. Following surgery, he underwent a six-month course of chemotherapy and has continued a reduced schedule of travel and teaching. Another surgery repaired a hernia at the cancer surgery incision in August 2009, but was otherwise not cancer-related. Zell regards himself as cured of the cancer.[14]
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart has been interviewed on many television and radio shows in the United States, England, and Australia. Some of these include:
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