Macha Nightmare has been an inspiration and light for the contemporary Pagan community. Cherry Hill Seminary alone is indebted to her tireless efforts and input. Macha exemplifies the grounded, selfless and open pagan we all aspire to be. We need honesty and those who say things as they are. This is Macha, and I am grateful that she is one of us. She is also fun and has a great sense of humour. – Michael York, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus

It is my profound pleasure to know that Macha is receiving this recognition today. She is one of the most admirable women I have ever known, and has certainly earned this degree.
Her book, “Crossing Over” (which later became the acclaimed “Pagan Book of Living and Dying”) never left my side as I tended to my dying mother, and since then, at the death services of many friends. Her other books, too, have informed and illuminated the lives of countless people, including myself.
But an award such as this today is not just for the value of her written words. I am most gratified that she is being recognized as the consummate Teacher (with a capital T), for her entire life has been one of modeling and transmitting the very highest principles of excellence and integrity that education aspires to instill. She is not only a brilliant, honored elder of our traditions, she is tirelessly devoted to weaving understanding, cooperation, and harmony among very diverse groups and points of view. She stands for the power of life-long curiosity, tolerance, and learning. As a teacher, priestess, and role model, she is the embodiment of the finest qualities of human endeavor to understand and live our divinity. With all my deepest good wishes, and thanks for our friendship, may this day be blessed for you, Macha. – Beth Owl’s Daughter, former CHS board member

From the far side of the Atlantic, it is clear that Macha is one of the leading figure in Californian Paganism, and has been for decades: and that California has been in those decades perhaps the most dynamic centre of Paganism on the planet. – Ronald Hutton, Ph.D., Bristol University, CHS Advisory Council

My first night at my first Merry Meet nearly turned out to be an exercise in hypothermia.
To say that I was an inexperienced camper would be an understatement. It didn’t help that that summer had been one of the driest on record, with fires accordingly banned. Sitting at a hearth-cold fire-pit in jeans and a tee-shirt, my teeth were literally rattling in my head.
Then, like some figure from legend, a hooded shadow stepped out of the night and opened the wing of her cloak.
“Come,” she said, and I went.
She wrapped me in that cloak then and held me until, at her fires, I was warmed through.
That’s how I met Macha Nightmare.
I’ve been warming at her fires ever since. We all have.
From that exemplary act of generosity and hospitality toward a total stranger has grown a friendship of nearly 40 years, that has enriched my life literally every day since.
For the ancestors, morality was defined by the virtues: hospitality, generosity, truth, justice, excellence, and love, to name only some.
Macha embodies them all.
In a community in which elders have all too often proved a disappointment, still there are some whose authenticity – not to mention integrity – never fails.
Macha, mentor, priestess: thank you for taking me, as so many others, under your wing.
Beneath the Dark Mother’s cloak, there is room for us all. – Steven Posch

Macha is adept with both the academic and practical aspects of Pagan practice. And, I believe, uniquely authentic in her relationship with her path. I have often described Pagans as a people of piety; being in right relationship with deity, world around us, community, and one self. Macha embodies all these and much more. She has provide our community with tangible means of creating more meaning and connection. Cherry Hill Seminary has greatly benefited from her wisdom, work, and support and it is only fitting that she should be recognized with this honorary Masters of Divinity. – William Blumberg, former CHS board chair

I have known Macha in person for only a few years now, though am well aware that her commitment to Pagan spirituality, human rights, and social justice goes back much earlier. Being a living legend within American (and indeed, global) Craft and feminist causes, her contributions have inspired countless people who need spiritual sustenance during challenging times. Macha has been a steadfast supporter of Cherry Hill Seminary’s educational mission and vision over the years, previously serving on our Board of Directors, and it is with great honor that we present this honorary degree for her many contributions to Pagan and Nature-Based spiritualities. – Jeffrey Keefer, Ph.D., current CHS board chair

I was at Starwood Festival in Upstate New York when I was introduced to the whirlwind known as Macha Nightmare (Aline O’Brien). She was looking for people who might make good Board material for Cherry Hill Seminary, and a friend had recommended that she speak to me.
Cherry Hill was not just something she wanted to promote, it was an important part of her life, and she did everything in her power to make it the success it is today. Without Macha we wouldn’t be here now. I can’t think of anyone who deserves this Honorary MDiv more than she does. She deserves the recognition of her peers and the whole Pagan Community for her amazing vision and energy. – Kirk Thomas, M.A., Former Archdruid of Ár nDríaocht Féin (ADF), former CHS board chair

While Cherry Hill Seminary is an organic creation which has emerged from the vision and work of a great many people, including our students, it is difficult to imagine where we would be without Macha. She has been phenomenal. – Holli Emore, CHS Executive Director

Michael York, Ph.D., has been awarded Professor Emeritus status by Cherry Hill Seminary in recognition of his long years of service to the Seminary, and to all in our Seminary family.  Following are comments shared by students and faculty:

Dr. Michael York is one of those rare academics in whom the spirit of Sophia burns so brightly that the spark of it is, for a student, both contagiously inspiring and formidably challenging.  I was fortunate to study Paganism as a World Religion with him at CHS, a course in which he was able to demonstrate not only the breadth of his knowledge of religion, but also to reveal tantalizing glimpses of insight into religion’s window on the human condition.  For me, the real jewel of an educational journey is to work with individuals such as Michael York, in whom a great mind is inspired by a great heart, and the encounter becomes a gift to both the student and the teacher. — Valerie Hahn

It is rare in life to encounter a teacher with the combination of outstanding qualities possessed by Professor Michael York. Participating in his class was like being led on a fantastic journey of intrigue and discovery. He brought his students to the subject matter with gentleness and care, and then allowed us interact with it, to explore its possibilities as a living body of knowledge. Rather than narrowing the field into a set of ‘correct’ answers, Michael challenged me to look deeper, to see beyond my own ideology, and to find my own answers and lines of inquiry. His commitment to interfaith dialogue instilled in me new ways to regard the colorful and cacophonous world of religion. This commitment was woven into the encyclopedic content of his exceptional writing, the reading of which was like a conversation with an old friend. Michael is an inspired teacher and writer, and as such has inspired new directions in my academic pursuits and self-discovery. — Strobus White

Michael’s work has made a major impact on the Academy. His was one of the first PhDs in the world to examine the phenomenon of Paganism through the academic lens of sociology of religion. Few academic successors fail to cite his book The Emerging Network. Through his teaching and research he has continued to make an important impact on the development of Pagan Studies as an academic discipline. Michael’s were some of the first academic conferences in Europe to focus on contemporary Paganism. This academic recognition proved an important step in integrating Paganism into the religious spectrum of Western societies. From our time together as members of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at King’s College, University of London, until now at Cherry Hill Seminary, Michael has been an esteemed colleague and a valued friend. — Vivianne Crowley

Michael is such an amazing person! Not only is he one of the most excellent professors I have ever had, but he also genuinely cares about his students. During his courses he always treated us as his colleagues in Paganism, guiding us to increase our knowledge around his subject matter expertise. I loved having Michael as a professor and continue as a friend and role model. — Jae Osenbach

Michael York was a core member of the group that brought Pagan studies into the academy, contributing to the ten-year process that led to the creation of the Contemporary Pagan Studies unit within the American Academy of Religion as well as supporting Pagan studies in the UK. His 2003 book Pagan Theology (New York University Press) was ground-breaking, and he continued to write and publish on ethics and mysticism as well, not to mention teaching students who have gone make an impression in these areas. — Chas Clifton

Michael’s book, Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion, was my first introduction into paganism. (I use the small “p” rather than the large “P” in tribute to Michael!) Truthfully I had never considered the idea of world religion as regards those traditions finding a place under paganism’s expansive umbrella. As a student, I deeply appreciate his wit and dry humor, especially when he shares the most amazing stories and experiences. These have a way of bringing home the humanity of our sometimes widely disparate cultural ideas. I thank you for being my teacher.”— Cynthia Cebuhar

“Studying with Michael finally gave me the opportunity to examine other religions in depth and compare them to Paganism. Not only do I better understand my own practice but I feel I’m better equipped to answer questions from others about Paganism. Whether as a future chaplain or just in my daily life, it’s important for me to more confidently engage with people as a Pagan, and Michael’s classes and scholarship have enabled me to do that.”—Wes Isley