2003 NOTE: Kemetic Orthodoxy is a living religion, and the definitions of some of these terms and their applications in our faith may have changed or evolved since this document's original writing in 1998. Please refer to more recent documents for clarification on any information that is unclear. This letter will be updated to reflect changes in our practice as soon as possible.

I promised in the first section of this Q&A to address the Kemetic priesthood in antiquity, as well as the Kemetic Orthodox priesthood of today, and to compare and contrast the two. Before dropping back into the Q&A format, I do need to make a bit of exposition.

As Kemet progressed, her priesthood expanded as a class until it became quite large and powerful, with thousands of men and women holding authority over large tracts of land, natural resources, and other people. The rise and subsequent degeneration of a priesthood caste in Kemet, which eventually reverted into a political tool rather than the dedicated service of Ma'at, contributed heavily to Kemet's downfall; but it was not because of the institution of priesthood that Kemet was destroyed. Rather, this came about by priests who had forgotten what it is to serve.

The simplest title for "priest" in Kemetic, as stated in part one of this essay (and the oldest, before the New Kingdom's six-line pomposities) was "Hem-Netjer" (feminine "Hemet-Netjer"), or "Servant of God." The laundry-stick hieroglyph, denoting physical, hard labor, is also used in the words for "household servant," "bond slave," and "foreign slave." (And it's even used in my own title, Hemet, but we digress. More on that in another Wehem, but remember — I am your servant, too.)

"Slavery" is a loaded word in Western culture, and "servitude" only slightly less so. Especially in the 20th Century United States, the idea of a person being a "slave" is considered repugnant, barbaric, and ethically wrong. In fact, the entire non-indigenous U.S. culture (ironically enough, as history would bear it out) was founded on the precept that no man should live in compulsory service to another. Why would any American then willingly want to be a "slave" to anyone or anything, even God?

As Kemetic Orthodox, we believe there is both a correct form of servitude and an incorrect one. The difference lies in whether or not the "master," as it were, respects the dignity of the "servant." In the early years of the U.S., for example, neither indentured servants nor African slaves were accorded rights under the Constitution: rights to property, representative government, or, in the case of the Africans, even the right to being considered fully human. Forms of servitude that suggest a servant is an object or possession, or can be compelled to serve against his will, are forbidden by Ma'at and we do not support them in any way.

However, when a person offers himself or herself willingly, without reservation, to serve Netjer, a paradox occurs. Instead of a sense of dread at being charged with new tasks, the would-be "slave of the divine" is filled with the awesome responsibility of attending to Netjer's creation; becoming a caretaker of Ma'at in the world.

A. Priesthood is a decision made at the direction of Netjer Itself in the form of the request of god(s) and/or goddess(es) the potential priest already serves as a Shemsu. While it is usually the case that the Shemsu in question feels a pull toward priestly vocation, this is not necessary and a Kemetic Orthodox Shemsu does not become a priest solely on their own feelings toward the position. If a vocation is suspected, a Shemsu communicates this to the Nisut (AUS), and then divinations and other work are carried out to learn Netjer's will. When and if the time is right for a person to undertake priestly vocation, and this is confirmed with divination before Netjer by the Nisut (AUS), training begins, according to a program already set out in ancient texts and directives. After a period of time taking as long as necessary — examples from antiquity point to anywhere from three years to four decades — the servant of God is ordained as a fully trained priest in a discipline declared jointly by the Nisut (AUS) and Netjer Itself.

A. Netjer chooses us, not the other way around. The type of priest a Shemsu is to become is decided by Netjer, not the aspiring priest. The process is ongoing, and because of its all-encompassing nature, can be made flexible enough that an aspirant can keep his or her daily job, etc., during training. Training is a lifelong process, continues long after ordination to any particular discipline, and one's "outside" learning is just as important as that learned in the temple. The actual makeup of the Kemetic Orthodox priesthood by discipline parallels an Old Kingdom model, with both men and women serving as full priests, whereas in later periods of Kemetic history women were excluded from certain disciplines and/or entire orders. Disciplines are revealed in different titles that entail specialized training emphasis and sometimes correspond to the Name(s) of Netjer a particular priest is called to serve. The basic disciplines include those of W'ab, Hem-Netjer, Sesh, and Setem. Advanced disciplines (taken after training to a basic discipline more often than not that of W'ab or Hem-Netjer) are those of the Kher-heb, Heri-sesheta, and Heri-tep.

A. Hem-Netjer, "servant of God," is a title given at an existing W'ab priest's Imakhu-level (legal clergy) ordination in the Kemetic Orthodox priesthood. Hem-Netjer are called to be servants of the Name(s) of Netjer they are dedicated to, such as Hem-Ptah or Hemet-Sekhmet. All Imakhu priests are Hem-Netjer priests. When a W'ab priest is accepted for Imakhu training, (s)he is referred to as an Imy-set'a, literally meaning "on the arm," and translating roughly as "assistant" or "priest in training."

A. W'ab means "pure one," and indicates a state of purity involved in acting as a lay (non-legal clergy) priest in the liturgies of Kemetic Orthodoxy, which W'abu are responsible for. The Our W'abu perform purification rites on all persons, places, and objects required for liturgical service and are the caretakers of ritual implements and clothing in the temple and in the shrines they maintain on behalf of the Kemetic Orthodox nation in their homes. W'ab priests are honorary hem-Ma'at and hem-Tayet (in Their roles as guardians of purification). All priests of any type in Kemetic Orthodoxy are trained in the W'ab priesthood and retain the ability to act as W'abu throughout their priestly careers, no matter which other disciplines they might eventually carry out. Most of our W'abu, all of whom are also Shemsu-Ankh level members in the faith, do not become Imakhu; serving the gods and goddesses as Their purity priests is their entire vocation. This role was considered in antiquity to be the central and most important role in the temple; many influential priests brag in their tomb writings not about their high administrative offices, but about the fact that they served as Pure Ones for particular festivals or Names. While W'ab priesthood may not carry the English title and privileges of "Reverend," it is a full and honored priesthood in our faith and W'abu are just as much priests as Imakhu; they just do not share the Imakhu's additional administrative and mentoring/ministry responsibilities.

A. Sesh is Kemetic for "scribe," and a Sesh priest is just that, a scribal authority and secretary of temple liturgies or administrative documents. A Sesh assists a Kher-heb in compiling liturgies and "takes notes" when a Saq or ritual oracular appearance of a god or goddess occurs. The role is perhaps more of an administrative role than a sacerdotal one, but as writing itself is medu Netjer, "words of God," it is nonetheless an important position.

A. It is not certain what the word setem derives from in Kemetic, but the role of the Setem priest is very defined: that of the funerary overseer. Most, if not all, Setem priests in antiquity were also servants of the god Yinepu; numerous ancient texts show Setem performing the ritual of Opening the Mouth on mummies while wearing a Yinepu mask.

A. From the phrase meaning "the one who is over the festival scroll," the Kher-heb is the cantor of Kemetic Orthodoxy, a priest trained in the liturgical canon who actually reads, chants or sings rites aloud and is responsible for their proper execution. This priest is also similar to the modern concept of a "magician" — a reciter of prayers and formulae sometimes mistakenly referred to as "spells," for the invocation of Netjer and the benefit of the faithful.

A. Heri-sesheta is a rather enigmatic position, as its name "who is over the secrets" implies. The "secrets" in this case are both physical (a Heri-sesheta serves as a counselor for both other priests and members as well as a divining priest and magician) and spiritual, as a Heri-sesheta generally employs divination or heka as forms of counseling and discernment for the persons (s)he counsels. Many Heri-sesheta also serve as Kher-heb or Sesh in that they have a hand in the heka around which the liturgies, prayers and invocations of Kemetic Orthodoxy are founded.

A. This title, meaning "who is at the head" or "the one in front," is the administrative title for any priest who "in charge" of the development or direction of other priests or of a temple itself. A Heri-tep is always both a W'ab and an Imakhu in Kemetic Orthodoxy, and (s)he can also serve in any other priestly discipline. In antiquity there were temples large enough to support several heri-tepu (often designated as first, second, and so on, and sometimes called "prophets" by the Greeks). The title implies seniority in service, both in experience and chronology. Kai-Imakhu Antybast (Rev. Craig Schaefer) serves as the Heri-Tep of the House of Netjer Kemetic Orthodox Temple, as its senior priest and co-founder.

In antiquity, while every temple and Name had a Heri-tep, each (and all priests in fact), answered to one more person: the ruler, alternately called Nisut-bity, "(S)he of the Sedge and Bee," or "The One of Good Character," or, in later periods, Per-a'a, "Great House" (later to become "Pharaoh" in Hebrew), and abbreviated as Nisut. A Nisut's responsibility is similar to that of the Roman Catholic Pontificate, in that the ruler acted as the spiritual authority of the religion and as vicar of Netjer. The Nisut was him- or herself considered to be a human being indwelt with a semi-divine spirit of kingship upon coronation, and was sometimes elevated to divine status upon his or her death. Today, Kemetic Orthodoxy also recognizes a Nisut-bity, in the form of Tamara Siuda, Nisut Hekatawy I.

A. Post any comments or questions you might have about these essays in the "Religion" board on the House Message Board system, and we'll be happy to field them.

A. See next week's Wehem for a discussion of the role of Shemsu in Kemetic Orthodoxy!