Wild Goose West Draws Progressive Christians to Intersection of Faith, Art and Justice

THE OREGONIAN
By Nancy Haught

OREGON---In the Bible and in many Christian circles, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as a dove, swooping down from heaven, bearing a message from God. But in Celtic Christianity and some progressive circles, the Holy Spirit is a wild goose, one worth chasing not only as it flies but when it struts and squawks, too. Organizers of the first Wild Goose Festival in the western United States hope to attract fans of the latter to the Benton County Fairgrounds Aug. 31-Sept. 2  for a weekend devoted to what they see as the unpredictable movement of the Holy Spirit. "Wild Goose is a festival at the intersection of justice, spirituality and art," says one of its organizers, Gareth Higgins.  "We're mostly trying to provide an alternative to some of the louder voices that sometimes claim ownership of religion and spirituality – especially Christianity." [live]