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Reconstructionism · Ethnocentrism Neotribalism · Neoshamanism Eclecticism · Technopaganism Witchcraft
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Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by historical pre-Christian European "pagan" religions. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world Psychologism is a generic type of position in Philosophy according to which Psychology plays a central role in grounding or explaining some other non-psychological Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals Nontheism is a term that covers a range of both religious and nonreligious attitudes characterized by the absence of&mdashor the rejection of&mdash Theism or any belief in a Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal This is a list of Neopagan movements and organizations Neopaganism is a wide ranging group including old Occult groups those that follow an eclectic/ New Age Celtic Neopaganism refers to Neopagan movements based on or loosely inspired by historical Celtic polytheism. Neo-druidism or neo-druidry (referred to simply as Druidry by some adherents is a form of modern Spirituality or Religion that promotes Dievturība is a Neopagan religious movement a modern revival of the Ethnic religion of the Latvians before Christianization in the Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism (also Hellenic Reconstructionism) refers to various reconstructionist movements that revive ancient Greek religious practices Finnish Neopaganism (suomenusko or fi suomenuskoinen pakanuus; also formerly fi ukonusko) is a Neopagan religious system that attempts to Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. is Ásatrú ( Icelandic for " Æsir faith" auːsatruː in Old Norse; Norwegian Åsatru, Swedish Theodism, or Þēodisc Gelēafa ( Old English: "tribal belief" is a North American variant of Germanic Neopaganism which seeks to Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism (also Hellenic Reconstructionism) refers to various reconstructionist movements that revive ancient Greek religious practices Jewitchery (from the terms Jew and witch, "shaman"/"sage" in its pure meaning or Jewish Neopaganism is a religious movement that Kemetism (from egy kmt, the native name of Ancient Egypt) is a term for Neopagan revivals of Ancient Egyptian religion which developed Rodnovery (from Russian Родноверие, Rodnoverie, a Compound word of rodno "native" and vera "faith" Nova Roma is an international Roman revivalist movement created in 1998 (or MMDCCLI a Romuva is a Baltic Pagan organization reviving the religious practices of the Lithuanian people before their Christianization. Stregheria is an archaic Italian word meaning " Witchcraft " that has been revived principally by Raven Grimassi, to refer to an Italian Feraferia is a Nevada City California -based Neopagan community practicing Hellenic -inspired Goddess worship. Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum Ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own Culture. This article concerns the social philosophy known as Neo-Tribalism and not the reemergence of ethnic identities that followed the end of the Cold War. Neoshamanism, or Neo-Shamanism, is a term applied to certain emergent shamanistic philosophies whether they are a revival of older shamanistic beliefs and traditions Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single Paradigm or set of assumptions but instead draws upon multiple theories styles or ideas to Technopaganism is an Umbrella term that characterizes several different beliefs and practices in Neopaganism (which includes faiths such as Wicca, Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers An umbrella term is a word that provides a Superset or grouping of related concepts also called a Hypernym. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world ^[1][2]

Neo-Pagan religious movements are extremely diverse, with beliefs that range widely from polytheism to animism, to pantheism and other paradigms. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All Many Neopagans practice a spirituality that is entirely modern in origin, while others attempt to accurately reconstruct or revive indigenous, ethnic religions as found in historical and folkloric sources. Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum ^[3] (see also List of Neopagan movements)

Neopaganism is particularly strong in the United States, Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland, Scandinavia, Ukraine and Russia. This is a list of Neopagan movements and organizations Neopaganism is a wide ranging group including old Occult groups those that follow an eclectic/ New Age Neopaganism in the United States is represented by widely different movements and organisations. An estimated 40000 (01% to 250000 Britons (04% adhere to various forms of Neopaganism (Heathenry Paganism including Neo-Druidism, Germanic neopaganism, Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The largest Neopagan movement is Wicca.

Contents 1 Terminology and definition 2 History 3 Historicity 4 Concepts of the divine 5 Worship and ritual 6 Main currents and denominations 6.1 Wicca 6.2 Neo-Druidism 6.3 New Age syncretism and nature worship 6.4 Occultism and ethnic mysticism 6.5 Reconstructionism 6.6 Folklorism 7 Demographics 7.1 North America 7.2 Britain 7.3 Scandinavia 7.4 Continental Europe 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links

Terminology and definition

The word "pagan" comes from the Latin paganus, originally meaning "rustic" or "from the country", and later also used for "civilian". The pejorative meaning, "uneducated non-Christian", emerges in Vulgar Latin from the 4th century. Words and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval or contempt Vulgar Latin (in Latin sermo vulgaris, "folk speech" is a Blanket term covering the popular Dialects and Sociolects of the Latin ^[4] Since Christianity first spread to the cities, the rural Europeans, were the last to convert to Christianty. The term neo-pagan was coined in the 19th century in reference to Renaissance and Romanticist Hellenophile classical revivalism. The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 14th Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Philhellenism ("the love of Greek culture" was the intellectual fashion at the turn of the 19th century that led Europeans like Lord Byron to lend their support for ^[5]

"Pagan" and "Neopagan", when capitalized, refer to religions, or members of a Pagan or Neopagan religion, "in the same way as one would describe a 'Christian' or a 'Jew'. "^[3] This usage has been common since the Neopagan revival in the 1970s, and is now used by academics and adherents alike to identify new religious movements that emphasize pantheism or nature-worship,^[6] or that revive or reconstruct aspects of historical polytheism. A new religious movement or NRM is a term used to refer to a religious faith or an ethical spiritual or philosophical movement of recent origin that is not part

The term "Neopagan" provides a means of distinguishing between historical Pagans of ancient cultures and the adherents of modern religious movements. The category of religions known as "Neopagan" includes syncretic or eclectic approaches like Wicca, Neo-druidism, and Neoshamanism at one end of the spectrum, as well as culturally specific traditions, such as the many varieties of polytheistic reconstructionism, at the other. Neo-druidism or neo-druidry (referred to simply as Druidry by some adherents is a form of modern Spirituality or Religion that promotes Neoshamanism, or Neo-Shamanism, is a term applied to certain emergent shamanistic philosophies whether they are a revival of older shamanistic beliefs and traditions Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum ^[7] Some Reconstructionists reject the term "Neopagan" because they wish to set their historically oriented approach apart from generic "Neopagan" eclecticism. ^[8][9]

"Pagan" as a self-designation of Neopagans appeared in 1964 and 1965, in the publications of the Witchcraft Research Association; at that time, the term was in use by "revivalist Witches" in the United States and the United Kingdom, but unconnected to the broader, counter-culture Neopagan movement. ^[10] The modern popularization of the terms "Pagan" and "Neopagan", as they are currently understood, is largely traced to Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, co-founder of "the 1st Neo-Pagan Church of All Worlds" who, beginning in 1967 with the early issues of Green Egg, used both terms for the growing movement. Oberon Zell-Ravenheart ( b Timothy Zell, also formerly known as Otter G'Zell) ( b The Church of All Worlds (CAW is a neopagan religious group whose stated mission is to evolve a network of information mythology and experience that provides a context and Green Egg is an Neopagan magazine published by the Church of All Worlds from 1967 through 1976 and 1988 through 2000 and restarted in 2007 ^[10]

Increasingly, however, scholarly writers prefer the term "contemporary Paganism" to cover all new polytheistic religious movements, a usage suggested by British scholar Graham Harvey, one of the founders of the Contemporary Pagan Studies Group within the American Academy of Religion. The term "contemporary Pagan" is also favored by The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies, the leading peer-reviewed journal in the field. Peer review (also known as refereeing) is the process of subjecting an author's scholarly work research or Ideas to the scrutiny of others who are An academic journal is a peer-reviewed Periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular Academic discipline is published

"Heathen", "Heathenism" or "Heathenry" as a self-designation of adherents of Germanic neopaganism (Theodism in particular) appears in the late 1990s. Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. Theodism, or Þēodisc Gelēafa ( Old English: "tribal belief" is a North American variant of Germanic Neopaganism which seeks to ^[11]

History

Origins

The roots of Neopaganism begin with the Renaissance, and the reintroduction of Classicism and the resurgence of interest in Graeco-Roman polytheism in the wake of works like the Theologia mythologica of 1532. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere For the works or study of works from classical antiquity see Classics Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to Hellenistic religion comprises any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of the peoples who lived under the influence of ancient Greek culture during the Hellenistic See Mythical theology for the theological concept Theologia mythologica is a 1532 book by Georg Pictorius.

The Romantic movement of the 18th century led to the re-discovery of Old Gaelic and Old Norse literature and poetry. Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Irish language, or rather the Goidelic languages, for which extensive written texts are possessed Old Norse literature refers to the vernacular literature of the Scandinavian peoples up to ca In prosody, alliterative verse is a form of verse that uses Alliteration as the principal structuring device to unify lines of poetry as opposed to Neo-druidism can be taken to have its origins as early as 1717 with the foundation of The Druid Order. Neo-druidism or neo-druidry (referred to simply as Druidry by some adherents is a form of modern Spirituality or Religion that promotes The Druid Order is the current name of a group started by John Toland the Irish Philosopher in 1917 The 19th century saw a surge of interest in Germanic paganism with the Viking revival in the British Isles and Scandinavia. Germanic paganism refers to the religious beliefs of the Germanic peoples preceding Christianization. Early modern publications dealing with Old Norse ( Viking Age) culture appeared in the 16th century e The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well In Germany the Völkisch movement was in full swing. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The völkisch movement is the German interpretation of the populist movement with a romantic focus on Folklore and the "organic" These Neopagan currents coincided with Romanticist interest in folklore and occultism, the widespread emergence of pagan themes in popular literature, and the rise of nationalism. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation ^[12]

Occultic Revival

During this resurgence in the United Kingdom, Neo-druidism and various Western occult groups emerged, such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Ordo Templi Orientis, who attempted to syncretize "exotic" elements like Egyptian cosmology and Kabbalah into their belief systems, although not necessarily for purely religious purposes. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Neo-druidism or neo-druidry (referred to simply as Druidry by some adherents is a form of modern Spirituality or Religion that promotes The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (or more commonly the Golden Dawn) was a magical order of the late 19th and early 20th centuries practicing a form of Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO ( Order of the Temple of the East, or the Order of Oriental Templars) is an international fraternal and Religious This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Influenced by the anthropologist Sir James George Frazer's The Golden Bough, several prominent writers and artists were involved in these organizations, including William Butler Yeats, Maud Gonne, Arthur Edward Waite, and Aleister Crowley. The Golden Bough A Study in Magic and Religion is a wide-ranging comparative study of Mythology and Religion, written by Scottish anthropologist Sir Maud Gonne MacBride (Maud Nic Ghoinn Bean Mhic Giolla Bhríde 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an English -born Arthur Edward Waite ( October 2, 1857 - May 19, 1942) was a scholarly Mystic who wrote extensively on Occult and Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley (ˈkroʊli (12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947 was a British Occultist Writer, mountaineer Along with these early occult organizations, there were other social phenomena such as the interest in mediumship, magic, and other supernatural beliefs which was at an all time high in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Mediumship is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Louisiana Voodoo, and Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and

Another important influence during this period was the Romantic aesthetic movement, which venerated the natural world and frequently made reference to the deities of antiquity. Romanticism is a complex artistic literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the The Romantic poets, essayists, artists and authors who employed these themes in their work were frequently associated with socially progressive attitudes towards sexuality, feminism, pacifism and similar issues. Generally speaking human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate

Witchcraft Revival

In the 1920s Margaret Murray theorized that a Witchcraft religion existed underground and in secret, and had survived through the witchcraft prosecutions that had been enacted by the ecclesiastical and secular courts. Margaret Alice Murray ( July 13 1863 &ndash November 13 1963) was a prominent British Anthropologist and Egyptologist Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers An ecclesiastical court (also called "Court Christian" or "Court Spiritual" is any of certain Courts having Jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or A court is a forum used by a power base to adjudicate disputes and dispense civil, labour administrative and criminal Justice under its Most historians now reject Murray's theory, as she based it partially upon the similarities of the accounts given by those accused of witchcraft; such similarity is now thought to actually derive from there having been a standard set of questions laid out in the witch-hunting manuals used by interrogators. "Witch trial" redirects here For the song by Rush, see Fear series. ^[13] Murray's ideas nevertheless exerted great influence on certain Neopagan currents; in the 1940s, Englishman Gerald Gardner claimed to have been initiated into a New Forest coven. Gerald Brousseau Gardner ( June 13 1884 - February 12 1964) was an English civil servant amateur anthropologist The New Forest coven was a supposed Witchcraft Coven, believed to have met in England's New Forest region Gardnerian Wicca is used to refer to the traditions of Neopaganism that adhere closely to Gardner's teachings, differentiating it from similar traditions, such as Alexandrian Wicca or more recent Wiccan offshoots. Gardnerian Wicca is a Wiccan tradition whose members can trace initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner Alexandrian Wicca is a tradition of the Neopagan Religion of Wicca, founded by Alex Sanders (also known as "King of the Witches"

Germanic Mysticism

In the meantime, Germanic mysticism in Germany and Switzerland had developed into baroque forms such as Guido von List's "Armanism", from the 1900s merging into antisemitic and national mysticist (völkisch) currents, notably with Lanz von Liebenfels' Guido von List Society and Ostara magazine, which with the rise of Nazism were partially absorbed into Nazi occultism. Armanism and Ariosophy are the names of ideological systems of an Esoteric nature pioneered by Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels Guido Karl Anton List, better known as Guido von List ( October 5, 1848, in Vienna, &ndash May 17, 1919, in Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility National mysticism (German Nationalmystik) is a form of Nationalism which raises the Nation to the status of Numen or Divinity. The völkisch movement is the German interpretation of the populist movement with a romantic focus on Folklore and the "organic" Adolf Josef Lanz (aka Jörg Lanz) who called himself Lanz von Liebenfels ( July 19 1874 - April 22, 1954) was an Austrian Guido Karl Anton List, better known as Guido von List ( October 5, 1848, in Vienna, &ndash May 17, 1919, in The magazine Ostara or Ostara Briefbücherei der Blonden und Mannesrechtler, (in English: Ostara newsletter of the blonde and Masculists Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German This article describes speculative theories about Nazism Semi-religious developments within post-1945 Nazism are discussed under the term Neo-völkisch movements. Other Germanic mysticist groups, such as the Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft of Ludwig Fahrenkrog were disendorsed by the Nazi regime. Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft ( Germanic Faith-Community) is a Germanic Neopagan organization based in Germany. Ludwig Fahrenkrog ( October 20, 1867 &ndash October 27, 1952) was a German writer playwright and artist Such distortions of Germanic mythology were denounced by J. R. R. Tolkien, e. g. in a 1941 letter where he speaks of Hitler's corruption of ". . . that noble northern spirit, a supreme contribution to Europe, which I have ever loved and tried to present in its true light. "^[14] Because of such connections with Nazism, interest in Neopaganism was virtually eclipsed for about two decades following World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Neopagan emergence

The 1960s and 1970s saw a resurgence in Neodruidism as well as the rise of Germanic Neopaganism and Ásatrú in the USA and in Iceland. Neo-druidism or neo-druidry (referred to simply as Druidry by some adherents is a form of modern Spirituality or Religion that promotes Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. is Ásatrú ( Icelandic for " Æsir faith" auːsatruː in Old Norse; Norwegian Åsatru, Swedish The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( In the 1970s, Wicca was notably influenced by feminism, leading to the creation of an eclectic, Goddess-worshipping movement known as Dianic Wicca. Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities Dianic Wicca, also known as Dianic Witchcraft and Dianic Feminist Witchcraft, is a Goddess-centered woman-centered witchcraft tradition founded by Zsuzsanna ^[15] The 1979 publication of Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon and Starhawk's The Spiral Dance opened a new chapter in public awareness of Neopaganism. Margot Adler (born 16 April 1946) is an author journalist lecturer Wiccan priestess and radio journalist and correspondent for National Public Radio Drawing Down the Moon Witches Druids Goddess-Worshippers and Other Pagans in America Today is a 1979 book by Margot Adler. Starhawk (born Miriam Simos) ( June 17, 1951) is an American Writer, Anarchist activist, and self-described For the dance see Spiral Dance. For the band see Spiral Dance (band. ^[16]

With the growth and spread of large, Neopagan gatherings and festivals in the 1980s, public varieties of Neo-Wicca continued to further diversify into additional, eclectic sub-denominations, often heavily influenced by the New Age and counter-culture movements. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature Counterculture (also " counter-culture " is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a Cultural group, or These open, loosely-structured or unstructured traditions contrast with British Traditional Wicca, which emphasizes secrecy and initiatory lineage. British Traditional Wicca (abbreviated BTW is a term used to describe some Wiccan traditions which have their origins in the New Forest region of England ^[17]

The 1980s and 1990s also saw an increasing interest in serious academic research and Reconstructionist Pagan traditions. Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum The establishment and growth of the Internet in the 1990s brought rapid growth to these, and other Neopagan movements. ^[17]

Historicity

Many Neopagans and Neopagan traditions attempt to incorporate elements of historical religions, cultures and mythologies into their beliefs and practices, often emphasizing the hoary age of their sources. Thus, Wicca in particular is sometimes referred to by its proponents as "The Old Religion", a term popularized by Margaret Murray in the 1920s, while Germanic Neopaganism is referred to in some of its varieties as Forn Sed "Old Custom". Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. Such emphasis on the antiquity of religious tradition is not exclusive to Neopaganism, and is found in many other religions. For example the terms Purana, Sanatana Dharma, and the emphasis on the antiquity of the Ancient Egyptian sources of the Hellenistic Mystery religions. For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. Mystery Religions, Sacred Mysteries or simply Mysteries, were "religious cults of the Graeco-Roman

Some claims of continuity between Neopaganism and older forms of Paganism have been shown to be spurious, or outright false, as in the case of Iolo Morganwg's Druid's Prayer. Iolo Morganwg (or Morgannwg in modern spelling ˈjolo morˈganːug was the Bardic name of Edward Williams ( March 10 1747 &ndash The Druid's Prayer ( Welsh: Gweddi'r Derwydd) or "Gorsedd Prayer" ( Gweddi'r Orsedd) is a Prayer composed by Iolo Morgannwg Wiccan beliefs of an ancient monotheistic Goddess were inspired by Marija Gimbutas's description of Neolithic Europe. A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities Marija Gimbutas ( Marija Gimbutienė) ( Vilnius, January 23, 1921 – Los Angeles, United States February 2 Neolithic Europe is the time between roughly from 7000 BC (the approximate time of the first farming societies in Greece) to ca The factual historical validity of her theories have been disputed by many scholars, including historian Ronald Hutton. Professor Ronald Hutton (born 1954 is a professor of History at the University of Bristol, author and occasional commentator on British Television

While most Neopagans draw from old religious traditions, they also adapt them. The mythologies of the ancient traditions are not generally considered to be literally factual by Neopagans, in the sense that the Bible and other Abrahamic texts are often thought of by their followers. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Eclectic Neopagans in particular are resistant to the concept of scripture or excessive structure, considering personal freedom to be one of the primary goals of their spirituality. ^[18] In contrast, some Reconstructionist sects, like those who practice Theodism, take a stricter religious approach, and only recognize certain historical texts and sources as being relevant to their belief system, intentionally focusing on one culture to the exclusion of others, and having a general disdain for the eclectic mentality. Theodism, or Þēodisc Gelēafa ( Old English: "tribal belief" is a North American variant of Germanic Neopaganism which seeks to

The mythological sources of the various Neopagan traditions are similarly varied, including Celtic, Norse, Greek, Roman, Sumerian, Egyptian and others. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" Celtic mythology is the Mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the Religion of the Iron Age Celts Like other Iron Age Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Roman mythology, or more appropriately Latin mythology, refers to the mythological beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian Akkadian Assyrian and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the various religious beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Egypt from the predynastic period until the adoption of Christianity Some groups focus solely on one cultural tradition, while others draw from several. For example, Doreen Valiente's text The Charge of the Goddess used materials from The Gospel of Aradia by Charles G. Doreen Edith Dominy Valiente (4 January 1922 Mitcham, South London, England – 1 September, 1999, Brighton, England The Charge of the Goddess is a traditional inspirational text sometimes used in Wicca. Leland (1899), as well as material from Aleister Crowley's writings.

Some Neopagans also draw inspiration from modern traditions, including Christianity, Buddhism and others, creating syncretisms like "Christian Witchcraft"^[19] or "Buddheo-Paganism". Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Since many Neopagan beliefs do not require exclusivity, some Neopagans practice other faiths in parallel.

Since eclectic Neopagans take a rather undogmatic religious stance,^[18] and sometimes see no one as having authority to deem a source "apocryphal", Neopaganism has been notably prone to fakelore, especially in recent years, as information and misinformation alike have been spread on the Internet and in print media. Fakelore is inauthentic manufactured Folklore presented as if it were genuinely Traditional. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view A number of Wiccan, Neopagan and even some "Traditionalist" or "Tribalist" groups have a history of spurious "Grandmother Stories" – usually involving initiation by a Grandmother, Grandfather, or other elderly relative who is said to have instructed them in the secret, millennia-old traditions of their ancestors. As this "secret wisdom" has almost always been traced to recent sources, or been quite obviously concocted even more recently, most proponents of these stories have eventually admitted they made them up. ^[3]

Concepts of the divine

Further information: hard and soft polytheism

Most Neopagan traditions are polytheistic, but interpretations of the nature of a deity may vary widely. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always In principle, there is the distinction of hard vs. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals soft (also, "strong" vs. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals "weak" or "radical" vs. "moderate") polytheism. Hard polytheism is the notion of the existence of gods and goddesses independent from the human mind and from one another. The mythology of antiquity reflects this kind of understanding of the gods' natures. Soft polytheism considers the plurality of gods as "aspects" of other notions of the divine, including Monism, Pantheism, Panentheism or Deism, Mysticism or Psychologism (Jungianism). Monism is the metaphysical and Theological view that all is one that all reality is subsumed under the most fundamental category of being or existence Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All Panentheism (from Greek (pân "all" (en "in" and (Theós "God" "all-in-God" is a belief system Deism is the belief that a supreme God exists and created the physical universe and that religious truths can be arrived at by the application of reason alone without dependence on revelation Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity Psychologism is a generic type of position in Philosophy according to which Psychology plays a central role in grounding or explaining some other non-psychological Analytical psychology (or Jungian psychology) refers to the school of Psychology originating from the ideas of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, and then advanced In practice, at best a small minority of Neopagans advocates hard polytheism.

Historically polytheistic religious traditions in the west were not solely concerned with religious belief in gods, but focussed on ritual, tradition (ethos) and notions of virtue (arete, pietas). Religious belief refers to a mental state in which trust ( Faith) is placed in a Creed related to the Supernatural, Sacred, or divine A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem acc of traditio which means "a giving up delivering up surrendering" and is used in a number of Ethos (ˈiːθɒs (grc ἦθος ἔθος plurals ethe (ἤθη ethea (ἤθεα is a Greek word originally meaning "accustomed Virtue ( Latin virtus; Greek) is moral Excellence. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual Arete (Greek; ˈærəteɪ in English in its basic sense means " Goodness " " Excellence " or " Virtue " of Pietas redirects here See Pietas (goddess for the divine personification of this virtue As Christianity became a rising force, Pagan thinkers such as Celsus and the Roman Emperor Julian wrote arguments against Christian ideas and in defense of the traditional religions, which give us insight into their contrasting beliefs. Celsus ( Greek:) was a 2nd century Greek philosopher and opponent of Christianity. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar Hutton states that the historical Pagans did not see "All Goddesses as one Goddess; all Gods as one God", but some types of modern Neopagans believe that there is but a single divinity or life force of the universe, which is immanent in the world. Divinity and divine (sometimes 'the Divinity' or 'the Divine' are broadly applied but loosely defined terms used variously within different faiths and belief systems — Immanence, derived from the Latin in manere "to remain within" refers to philosophical and metaphysical theories of the divine as existing and acting within the mind The various manifestations and archetypes of this divinity are not viewed as wholly separate, but as different aspects of the divine which are ineffable. An archetype ( pronounced: /ˈɑːkɪtaɪp/ (Brit or /ˈɑrkɪtaɪp/ (Amer

In Wicca, (especially Dianic Wicca) the concept of an Earth or Mother Goddess similar to the Greek Gaia is emphasized. Dianic Wicca, also known as Dianic Witchcraft and Dianic Feminist Witchcraft, is a Goddess-centered woman-centered witchcraft tradition founded by Zsuzsanna A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities Gaia (ˈgeɪə or /ˈgaɪə/ (" land " or " Earth " from the Ancient Greek Γαîα also Gæa or Gea Male counterparts are usually also evoked, such as the Green Man and the Horned God (who is loosely based on the Celtic Cernunnos. A Green Man is a Sculpture, Drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Horned gods, with Horns or Antlers appear in various cultures Cernunnos is a Celtic god whose representations were widespread in the ancient Celtic world ) These Duotheistic philosophies tend to emphasize the God and Goddess' (or Lord and Lady's) genders as being analogous to a concept similar to that of yin and yang in ancient Chinese philosophy; ie, two complementary opposites. Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two". In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin and yang ( is used to describe how seemingly opposing forces are bound together intertwined and interdependent in the Chinese philosophy is Philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought Many Oriental philosophies equate weakness with femininity and strength with masculinity; this is not the prevailing attitude in Neopaganism and Wicca. ^[20] Among many Neopagans, there is a strong desire to incorporate the female aspects of the divine in their worship and within their lives, which can partially explain the attitude which sometimes manifests as the veneration of women. The sacred feminine is the mythic representation of the Mother goddess symbolized through images and events connected with fertility and reproduction from the earliest ^[21] Other Neopagans reject the concept of binary gender roles. A gender role is defined as a set of perceived behavioural norms associated particularly with Males or Females in a given social group or system

Worship and ritual

Many Neopagan traditions include occult or "magical" elements in their beliefs and practices. The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Wicca in particular emphasises the role of witchcraft and ritual. Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers Other Neopagan traditions may include a belief in the supernatural, but place much less emphasis on the working of magic.

Most Neopagan religions celebrate the cycles and seasons of nature through a festival calendar that honours these changes. The timing of festivals, and the rites celebrated, may vary from climate to climate, and will also vary (sometimes widely) depending upon which particular Neopagan religion the adherent subscribes to.

Main currents and denominations

Further information: List of Neopagan movements

The term "Neopaganism" encompasses a very broad range of groups and beliefs. This is a list of Neopagan movements and organizations Neopaganism is a wide ranging group including old Occult groups those that follow an eclectic/ New Age Syncretic or eclectic approaches are often inspired by historical traditions, but not bound by any strict identification with a historical religion or culture. Syncretism consists of the attempt to reconcile disparate or contradictory beliefs often while melding practices of various schools of thought These are contrasted by a focus on historicity (reconstructionism), on folklore, or on occultist or national mysticist claims of continuity from racial memory. Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" National mysticism (German Nationalmystik) is a form of Nationalism which raises the Nation to the status of Numen or Divinity. Racial memory is a concept in Jungian psychology. Racial memories are posited memories feelings and ideas inherited from our ancestors as part of a " Collective unconscious

Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, British Traditional Wicca, and variations such as Dianic Wicca are examples of eclectic traditions, as are Neo-druid groups like Ár nDraíocht Féin. Gardnerian Wicca is a Wiccan tradition whose members can trace initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner Alexandrian Wicca is a tradition of the Neopagan Religion of Wicca, founded by Alex Sanders (also known as "King of the Witches" British Traditional Wicca (abbreviated BTW is a term used to describe some Wiccan traditions which have their origins in the New Forest region of England Dianic Wicca, also known as Dianic Witchcraft and Dianic Feminist Witchcraft, is a Goddess-centered woman-centered witchcraft tradition founded by Zsuzsanna Neo-druidism or neo-druidry (referred to simply as Druidry by some adherents is a form of modern Spirituality or Religion that promotes Ár nDraíocht Féin A Druid Fellowship Inc (otherwise known simply as ADF) is a non-profit religious organization dedicated to the study and further development of modern

Wicca

Main article: Wicca

Wicca is the largest Neopagan religion in the USA. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Wicca is a modern religion first publicized in 1954 by Gerald Gardner. Gerald Brousseau Gardner ( June 13 1884 - February 12 1964) was an English civil servant amateur anthropologist Gardner claimed that the religion was a modern survival of an old witch cult, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe and existing in secret for centuries. Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers Various forms of Wicca have since evolved or been adapted from Gardner's British Traditional Wicca or Gardnerian Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca. Gardnerian Wicca is a Wiccan tradition whose members can trace initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner Alexandrian Wicca is a tradition of the Neopagan Religion of Wicca, founded by Alex Sanders (also known as "King of the Witches" Other forms loosely based on Gardner's teachings are Faery Wicca, Kemetic Wicca, Judeo-Paganism or "jewitchery", Dianic Wicca or "Feminist Wicca" - which emphasizes the divine feminine, often creating women-only or lesbian-only groups. Faery Wicca (or "Fairy Wicca" is an umbrella term that refers to any tradition of modern Wicca that focuses on the Fae ( Gnomes elves Kemetism (from egy kmt, the native name of Ancient Egypt) is a term for Neopagan revivals of Ancient Egyptian religion which developed Jewitchery (from the terms Jew and witch, "shaman"/"sage" in its pure meaning or Jewish Neopaganism is a religious movement that Dianic Wicca, also known as Dianic Witchcraft and Dianic Feminist Witchcraft, is a Goddess-centered woman-centered witchcraft tradition founded by Zsuzsanna ^[22] The common denominator amongst all the variants of Wicca are a reverence for nature and active ecology, venerations of a Goddess and/or Horned God, elements of a variety of ancient mythologies, a belief in and practice of magic and sometimes the belief in reincarnation and karma. A goddess is a Female Deity. Many Cultures have goddesses Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities Horned gods, with Horns or Antlers appear in various cultures The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action"

Neo-Druidism

Main article: Neo-Druidism

Neo-Druidism forms the largest neopagan sub-denomination after Wicca, and like Wicca in turn shows significant heterogeneity. Neo-druidism or neo-druidry (referred to simply as Druidry by some adherents is a form of modern Spirituality or Religion that promotes It draws several beliefs and inspirations from the Druids, the priest caste of the ancient Pagan Celts. A druid was a member of the priestly and learned class in the ancient Celtic societies Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts With the first Druid Order founded as early as 1717, the history of Neo-Druidism reaches back to the earliest origins of Neopaganism. The Druid Order is the current name of a group started by John Toland the Irish Philosopher in 1917 The Ancient Order of Druids founded in 1781 had many aspects of freemasonry, and practiced rituals at Stonehenge since 1905. The Ancient Order of Druids (AOD was founded in England in 1781 as a Secret society, rather similar to the Freemasons The tradition in the Order Stonehenge is a Prehistoric Monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids was established in 1964 and the British Druid Order in 1979. The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids or OBOD is a Neo-Druidic order based in England. The British Druid Order is an international organisation once described by the Spectator magazine as "religion without the boring bits Neo-Druidism reached the United States together with Wicca, in the 1960s. The Reformed Druids of North America was established in 1963 and Ár nDraíocht Féin in 1983 by Isaac Bonewits. The Reformed Druids of North America, or RDNA, was formed at Carleton College, Northfield Minnesota, in 1963, and marked the start of the American Ár nDraíocht Féin A Druid Fellowship Inc (otherwise known simply as ADF) is a non-profit religious organization dedicated to the study and further development of modern Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits is an influential Neopagan leader and Author.

New Age syncretism and nature worship

Main article: Syncretism

Neopaganism emerged as part of the counter-culture, New Age and Hippie movements in the 1960s to 1970s. Syncretism consists of the attempt to reconcile disparate or contradictory beliefs often while melding practices of various schools of thought Counterculture (also " counter-culture " is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a Cultural group, or New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature The Hippie Subculture was originally a Youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world Reconstructionism rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s. The majority of Neopagans are not committed to a single defined tradition, but understand Paganism as encompassing a wide range of non-institutionalized spirituality, as promoted by the Church of All Worlds, the Feri Tradition and other movements. The Church of All Worlds (CAW is a neopagan religious group whose stated mission is to evolve a network of information mythology and experience that provides a context and The Feri Tradition (sometimes spelled Faery Faerie or referred to as Anderson Feri) is an oral initiatory tradition of modern Neopagan Witchcraft Notably, Wicca in the United States since the 1970s has largely moved away from its Gardnerian roots and diversified into eclectic variants. Gardnerian Wicca is a Wiccan tradition whose members can trace initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner

Neopaganism generally emphasizes the sanctity of the Earth and Nature. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 Neopagans often feel a duty to protect the Earth through activism, and support causes such as rainforest protection, organic farming, permaculture, animal rights and so on. Activism, in a general sense can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on Crop rotation, Green manure, Compost, Biological pest control, and mechanical Cultivation The word permaculture, coined by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren during the 1970s is a Portmanteau of perma nent agri' "Animal liberation" redirects here for other uses see Animal liberation (disambiguation. Some Neopagans are influenced by Animist traditions of the indigenous Native Americans and Africans and other indigenous or shamanic traditions. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Like other religions Native American belief systems include many sacred narratives See also Religion in Africa African traditional religions, also referred to as African indigenous religions or African

Eco-Paganism and Eco-magic, which are off-shoots of direct action environmental groups, have a strong emphasis on fairy imagery and a belief in the possibility of intercession by the fae (fairies, pixies, gnomes, elves, and other spirits of nature and the Otherworlds). A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new Organization or Entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a Television series based on a pre-existing Direct action is political action which happens outside normal political channels via indirect actions such as electing representatives. A fairy (also fay, fey, fae, faerie; collectively wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair Pixies (also Piskies and Pigsies as they are sometimes known in Cornwall) are mythical creatures of Folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated A gnome is a Mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle An elf is a creature of Norse mythology. The elves were originally imagined as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming ^[23]

Some Unitarian Universalists are eclectic Pagans. Unitarian Universalism ( UUism) is a theologically liberal Religion characterized by its support for a "free and responsible search for truth Unitarian Universalists look for spiritual inspiration in a wide variety of religious beliefs. The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, or CUUPs, encourages their member chapters to "use practices familiar to members who attend for worship services but not to follow only one tradition of Paganism. The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS is an association of Unitarian Universalists who define themselves as Pagans or Neopagans. "^[24]

Occultism and ethnic mysticism

Historically the earliest self-identified revivalist pagans were inspired by Renaissance occultism. Renaissance Humanism (15th and 16th century saw a resurgence in Hermeticism and Neo-Platonic varieties of Ceremonial magic Notably in early 20th century Germany with Germanic mysticism, which branched into Ariosophy and related currents of Nazi occultism. Armanism and Ariosophy are the names of ideological systems of an Esoteric nature pioneered by Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels Armanism and Ariosophy are the names of ideological systems of an Esoteric nature pioneered by Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels This article describes speculative theories about Nazism Semi-religious developments within post-1945 Nazism are discussed under the term Neo-völkisch movements. Outside Germany, occultist Neopaganism was inspired by Crowleyan Thelema and Left-Hand Paths, a recent example being the "Dark Paganism" of John J. Thelema is a philosophy of life based on the rule or law "Do what thou wilt The terms Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path refer to a Dichotomy between two opposing Belief systems whose meanings have varied Coughlin.

In the United States, ethnic mysticist approaches are advocated in the form of anti-racist Asatru Folk Assembly founder Stephen McNallen's "metagenetics" and by David Lane's openly white supremacist Wotanism. The Asatru Folk Assembly or AFA is a US -based Ásatrú organization founded by Stephen McNallen in 1994. Stephen A McNallen (born October 15, 1948) is an influential Germanic Neopagan leader and Writer. The Asatru Folk Assembly or AFA is a US -based Ásatrú organization founded by Stephen McNallen in 1994. White supremacy is a racist ideology based on the assertion that White people are superior to other racial groups. Wotanism is the name of a racial religion promulgated by David Lane.

Occultist currents persist in neo-fascist and national mysticist Neopaganism, since the 1990s revived in the European Nouvelle Droite in the context of the "Integral Traditionalism" of Julius Evola and others (Alain de Benoist, Werkgroep Traditie; see Neopaganism and the New Right). This page specifically pertains to fascism after World War II National mysticism (German Nationalmystik) is a form of Nationalism which raises the Nation to the status of Numen or Divinity. Nouvelle Droite ( New Right) is a school of political thought founded largely on the works of Alain de Benoist and GRECE (Research The Traditionalist School of thought also known as Integral Traditionalism (in the sense of Integralism) or Perennialism (in the sense of Perennial Julius Evola, also known as Baron Giulio Cesare Evola, ( May 19, 1898 &ndash June 11, 1974) was an Italian Philosopher Alain de Benoist (born 11 December 1943) is a French academic philosopher a founder of the Nouvelle Droite (New Right and head Koenraad Logghe (born 1963) is a Flemish Belgian proponent of the European New Right and a "high priest" of Folkish Neo- völkisch movements, as defined by the historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, cover a wide variety of mutually influencing groups of a radically Ethnocentric

Reconstructionism

Main article: Polytheistic reconstructionism

In contrast to the eclectic traditions, Reconstructionists are very culturally oriented and attempt to reconstruct historical forms of Paganism, in a modern context. Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum Thus, Hellenic, Roman, Kemetic, Celtic, Germanic, Baltic and Slavic Reconstructionists aim for the revival of historical practices and beliefs of Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, the Celts, the Germanic peoples, the Balts and the Slavs, respectively. Nova Roma is an international Roman revivalist movement created in 1998 (or MMDCCLI a Kemetism (from egy kmt, the native name of Ancient Egypt) is a term for Neopagan revivals of Ancient Egyptian religion which developed Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR is a polytheistic, animistic, religious and cultural movement Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. The Baltic countries were the last part of Europe to be Christianized, and vestiges of Paganism blend into a Neopaganism movement that is largely independent Rodnovery (from Russian Родноверие, Rodnoverie, a Compound word of rodno "native" and vera "faith" Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the various religious beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Egypt from the predynastic period until the adoption of Christianity Celtic polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices of ancient Celts, prior to the Christianization of the Celtic-speaking lands Germanic paganism refers to the religious beliefs of the Germanic peoples preceding Christianization. Slavic mythology is the Mythological aspect of the Religion that was practised by the ancient Slavs. ^[8]

Folklorism

In the early 2000s, a "Traditionalist" or "Folklorist" current of Neopaganism emerged in Scandinavian Neopaganism, advocated by Jon Julius Filipusson (of Foreningen Forn Sed, Norway), Paul Jenssen (Denmark) and Keeron Ögren (Samfälligheten för Nordisk Sed, Sweden), which rejects Reconstructionism and syncretism alike, advocating a strict focus on regional folklore and folk religion. Neopaganism in Scandinavia is dominated by revivals of Norse paganism ( Asatru, Forn Sed, Nordisk Sed, Folketro) Samfälligheten för Nordisk Sed is a religious organisation for Folktro in Sweden. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Folk religion consists of Beliefs Superstitions and Rituals transmitted from generation to generation in a specific Culture.

Demographics

Adherents.com estimates that there are roughly one million Neopagans worldwide (as of 2000), including "Wicca, Magick, Druidism, Asatru, neo-Native American religion and others". Adherentscom is a website that aims to collect and present information about Religion including "churches denominations religious bodies Faith groups ^[25]

High estimates by Neopagan authors may reach several times that number. ^[26] A precise number is impossible to establish, because of the largely uninstitutionalised nature of the religion and the secrecy observed by some traditions,^[27] - sometimes explained by fear of religious discrimination. Neopagans are a Religious minority in every country where they exist and have been subject to Religious discrimination.

North America

Further information: Neopaganism in the United States

In the United States, the ARIS 2001 study, based on a poll conducted by The Graduate Center at The City University of New York found that an estimated 140,000 people self-identified as Pagans; 134,000 self-identified as Wiccans; and 33,000 self-identified as Druids. Neopaganism in the United States is represented by widely different movements and organisations. The City University of New York (CUNY Acronym ˈkjuːni is the public University system of New York City. ^[28] This would bring the total of groups largely accepted under the modern popular western definition of Neopagan to 307,000. Other groups measured in the report, such as Native Americans, New Agers and a significant portion of Unitarian Universalists, could be categorized under this definition, but many of these adherents would not consider themselves Pagan nor would the mainstream Pagan communities accept them as such. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature Unitarian Universalism ( UUism) is a theologically liberal Religion characterized by its support for a "free and responsible search for truth

The Covenant of the Goddess, "an international organization of cooperating, autonomous Wiccan congregations and solitary practitioners,"^[29] conducted a poll of U. S. and Canadian "Wiccan/Pagan" respondents in 2005 and 2006. This poll was not scientific and represents a self selected subset of all Neopagans, but it does provide some interesting insights that confirm what many Neopagans have observed anecdotally:

• 39% of respondents were between 26 and 39 years of age
• 37% were between the ages of 40 and 49
• 94% were registered to vote, a figure much higher than the national average
• There were nearly three times as many women as men (74%)
• 6% have served in the Armed Forces^[30]

Britain

Main article: Neopaganism in the United Kingdom

A study by Ronald Hutton compared a number of different sources (including membership lists of major UK organizations, attendance at major events, subscriptions to magazines, etc. For the military meaning see Armed forces. For the Soviet sports society see Armed Forces (sports society Armed Forces An estimated 40000 (01% to 250000 Britons (04% adhere to various forms of Neopaganism (Heathenry Paganism including Neo-Druidism, Germanic neopaganism, Handfasting is today a Neopagan ceremony of (temporary or permanent Betrothal or Wedding. Avebury is the site of a large Henge and several Stone circles in the English county of Wiltshire surrounding the village of Avebury England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Professor Ronald Hutton (born 1954 is a professor of History at the University of Bristol, author and occasional commentator on British Television ) and used standard models for extrapolating likely numbers. This estimate accounted for multiple membership overlaps as well as the number of adherents represented by each attendee of a Neopagan gathering. Hutton estimated that there are 250,000 Neopagan adherents in the United Kingdom, roughly equivalent to the national Hindu community. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical ^[31]

A smaller number is suggested by the results of the 2001 Census, in which a question about religious affiliation was asked for the first time. A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 Respondents were able to write in an affiliation not covered by the checklist of common religions, and a total of 42,262 people from England, Scotland and Wales declared themselves to be Pagans by this method. These figures were not released as a matter of course by the Office of National Statistics, but were released after an application by the Pagan Federation of Scotland. The Office for National Statistics (ONS is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly The Pagan Federation is a voluntary organisation formed in 1971, which campaigns for the religious rights of Neo-Pagans and educates both civic bodies and the general ^[32] From a British population of 59 million this gives a rough proportion of 7 pagans per 100,000 population. This is more than many well known traditions such as Rastafarian, Bahá'í and Zoroastrian groups, but fewer than the 'Big Six' of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, New Testament The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices It is also fewer than the adherents of the so-called Jedi religion, whose campaign made them the largest of the religions after the Big Six. The Jedi census phenomenon is a Grassroots movement that was created in 2001 for citizens in a number of English-speaking countries to record their Religion . ^[33]

The UK Census figures do not allow an accurate breakdown of traditions within the Pagan heading, as a campaign by the Pagan Federation before the census encouraged Wiccans, Heathens, Druids and others all to use the same write-in term 'Pagan' in order to maximise the numbers reported.

Scandinavia

Main article: Neopaganism in Scandinavia

Neopaganism in Scandinavia is dominated by Ásatrú (Forn Sed, Folketro). Neopaganism in Scandinavia is dominated by revivals of Norse paganism ( Asatru, Forn Sed, Nordisk Sed, Folketro) is Ásatrú ( Icelandic for " Æsir faith" auːsatruː in Old Norse; Norwegian Åsatru, Swedish Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. Neopaganism in Scandinavia is dominated by revivals of Norse paganism ( Asatru, Forn Sed, Nordisk Sed, Folketro)

The Swedish AsatruSociety formed in 1994, and in Norway the Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost formed in 1996 and Foreningen Forn Sed formed in 1999. Neopaganism in Scandinavia is dominated by revivals of Norse paganism ( Asatru, Forn Sed, Nordisk Sed, Folketro) Neopaganism in Scandinavia is dominated by revivals of Norse paganism ( Asatru, Forn Sed, Nordisk Sed, Folketro) Neopaganism in Scandinavia is dominated by revivals of Norse paganism ( Asatru, Forn Sed, Nordisk Sed, Folketro) They have been recognized by the Norwegian government as a religious society, allowing them to perform "legally binding civil ceremonies" (i. e. marriages). In Denmark Forn Siðr also formed in 1999, recognized in 2003^[34] and in Sweden Nätverket Gimle formed in 2001, as an informal community for individual heathens. Germanic Neopaganism, Heathenism or Heathenry is the modern revival of historical Germanic paganism. Nätverket Forn Sed formed in 2004, and has a network consisting of local groups (blotlag) from all over the Sweden.

Continental Europe

Further information: Neopaganism in Germany and Austria

In German-speaking Europe, Germanic and Celtic neopaganism co-exist with Wicca and Neoshamanism. Neopaganism ( de Neuheidentum) in German-speaking Europe has since its beginnings in the 1970s diversified into a wide array of traditions particularly The German language (both as an official language and as a minority language is spoken in a number of countries and territories in West and Central Europe Neopaganism in Latin Europe (France, Italy, Spain) focusses on Neo-Druidism and Esotericism based on megalith culture besides some Germanic neopagan groups in areas historically affected by Germanic migrations (Lombardy). Lombardy (Lombardia Latin: Langobardia, Western Lombard: Lumbardìa, Eastern Lombard: Lombardia) is one of the Neopaganism in Eastern Europe is dominated by Baltic and Slavic movements, rising to visibility after the fall of the Soviet Union. Rodnovery (from Russian Родноверие, Rodnoverie, a Compound word of rodno "native" and vera "faith" The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985 Since the 1990s, there have been organized Hellenic groups practising in Greece. Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism (also Hellenic Reconstructionism) refers to various reconstructionist movements that revive ancient Greek religious practices

See also

• Paganism
• Polytheism
• Hermeticism
• Animism
• Pantheism
• List of new religious movements
• Romanticism
• New Age
• Spiritualism

References

Further reading

• Bonewits, Isaac (2003). Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits is an influential Neopagan leader and Author. Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach. ISBN 1-59405-501-7.  
• Bonewits, Isaac (2006) Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. New York, Kensington Publishing Group ISBN 0-8065-2710-2.
• Ronald, Hutton (2001). The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. ISBN 0-19-285449-6.  
• Strmiska, Michael F. (2005). Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.  
• Seznec, Jean (1953). The Survival of the Pagan Gods: The Mythological Tradition and Its Place in Renaissance Humanism and Art. ISBN 0-691-02988-1.  
• York, Michael (2003). Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0814797020.  
• Douglas E. Cowan, Cyberhenge: Modern Pagans on the Internet, Routledge (2004), ISBN 0415969115.

External links

• CUUPS - Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans
• The Kith of Yggdrasil - UK-based Heathen website
• Mything Links - A meta page about myths and mythology around the world
• Neopagan.net - Neopagan author Isaac Bonewits's thoughts on the development of Neopaganism, modern druidry and public perceptions
• Pagan Federation A UK-based organization promoting awareness and acceptance of Paganism in Europe and the world. Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits is an influential Neopagan leader and Author.
• Pagan Association UK Promoting paganism in the Community.
• PFSA The Pagan Federation of South Africa
• PaganWiki - "Striving to be the most complete pagan resource"
• WikiPagan A free content wiki-based website for Neopagans

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