Not all publications useful for teaching in theology and religion need the rigorous examination of peer review. Materials to supplement classroom (or personal) instruction, conference proceedings, interviews, reprints of classic sources, all merit distribution, but do not necessarily require searching scholarly examination. The Disseminary will publish these under the sign of the hoopoe.

The hoopoe figures in numerous legends, parables, and magical discourses from around the world. It’s easily recognizable for its prominent crest (with eyes on the crest’ feathers). And Linux already had taken penguins, and Penguin Books had pelicans, too; Bolchazy-Carducci had taken owls. So the hoopoe stood out as a distinctive and recognizable alternative, and if Idries Shah comes after us, we’ll call the series Epops (the Greek name for the hoopoe).