about the CES

Table of Contents

About the Church of the Eternal Source (or CES)

The CES follows the principles of Egyptian spirituality and religion including honoring all of the Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses and utilizing the Goddess Ma'at in finding a balance, harmony and order between one’s self, the world and the Gods and Goddesses. Rituals in ancient Egypt provided a mechanism to maintain the fabric and process of the universe.

We reconstruct the Ancient Egyptian Religions as it was practiced by the Egyptian temples and in personal worship in the context of the modern world and incorporate these beliefs into our daily lives. Our information is based on information gathered from studying scholarly sources in Egyptology, translations from ancient texts as well as personal revelation.

The CES is the oldest recognized nonprofit church dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian Religion in the world, established in 1971.

For Basic Precepts of the CES article click on here: https://sites.google.com/site/churcheternalsource/Home/basic-precepts-of-the-ces

For Frequently Asked Questions about the CES click here: https://sites.google.com/site/churcheternalsource/Home/faqs-about-the-ces

For information on the CES Priests and Priestesses click here: https://sites.google.com/site/churcheternalsource/current-priests-and-priestesses

For presentations on some of the Temples of the CES click here: https://sites.google.com/site/churcheternalsource/church-eternal-source-temples-and-festivals

Brief History:

Starting as a temple dedicated to the practice of the Ancient Egyptian Religion, the Church of the Eternal Source is the oldest nonprofit neo-Egyptian or “Kemetic” church in the world. The church was established in 1970, and granted nonprofit status in 1971. A board of directors and the College of Priests of the House of Life govern the CES.

What we are today:

The CES today is a federation of temples consisting of five temples in three western states and one traveling temple. There is no single priest or priestess presiding over the church as a whole. Each temple has its own priest or priestess to carry out its duties.

The CES follows the principals of Egyptian spirituality and religion honoring all of the Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses and utilizing the Goddesses Ma'at in finding a balance, harmony and order between one’s self, the world and the afterlife. We reconstruct the Ancient Egyptian Religions as they were practiced by the Egyptians temples or the personal worship of the Ancient Egyptians within the context of the modern world, and incorporate these beliefs into our daily lives. Our knowledge is based on information gathered from studying scholarly sources in Egyptology, translations from ancient texts as well as personal revelations.

Alterations in a ritual include changing the temple rituals from the priests representing the Pharoah for the people to the priests representing him or herself for the people (which the ancient Egyptian temple did during the periods of Pharaohic history when there wasn't a domestic pharaoh.)

What the CES offers:

We offer fellowship, counseling, celebration of public festivals and personal worship as well as online instruction. The CES tries to assist and encourage those who seek further illumination into the ancient Egyptian Traditions by working primarily within the framework of the traditional Ancient Egyptian system.

About Individual Temples within the CES

While each priest or priestess is dedicated to one or two gods or goddesses, we do celebrate most of the Ancient Egyptians Gods and Goddesses in ritual or in our personal life. Rituals in ancient Egypt provide a mechanism to maintain the fabric and process of the universe.

Each temple or Priest/ess in the CES is encouraged but not required to teach others who may have an interest in the Egyptian Traditions. For now our teaching is based on personal (one to one), or small group classes and an online series of classes.

The interests in each individual pries/ess in the CES are broad and each temple has their own approach. For example the Temple of Ptah in New Mexico is involved in public and private rituals as well as arts and crafts and is a teaching temple of students, both personal and online, and the High Priest has a Phd in Egytology.

The Temple of Rennutet in New Mexico makes incense and oils based on ancient Egyptian recipes as well as a form of Egyptian kitchen "witchery." Its Priestess studies Nutritional Archaeolgy and recreates ancient food. She also has a food blog dedicated to ancient foods called http:/www.wordpress.ancientfoods.com.

Other Temple Priest/esses are, or have been High Priestess of Wiccan covens, OTO temples, studied Astronomy, Astrology or a variety of other subjects.

Individual Members:

The CES members are not forbidden to use other magical traditions while being members of the CES. The CES is careful in the selection of prospective members of the priesthood (see website page on priesthood) The CES is interested only in facilitating quality Egyptian practice, not in recruiting vast quantities of priests and priestesses. A member’s progress in the CES should provide groundwork for those using the Ancient Egyptian Traditions.