Neopaganism by Arianrhod Wolfchild

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Concepts of the divine

Most Neopagan traditions are polytheistic, but interpretations of the nature of a deity may vary widely. In principle, there is the distinction of hard vs. soft (also, "strong"
vs. "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, or as distinct
entities but however part of a greater unity, such as The One of Neoplatonism
and Panentheism. 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, Psychologism (Jungianism).

Historically polytheistic religious traditions in the west were not solely concerned with religious belief in gods, but focused on ritual, tradition (ethos) and notions of virtue (arete, pietas).
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.[citation needed] 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. The various manifestations and
archetypes of this divinity are not viewed as wholly separate, but as different
aspects of the divine which are ineffable.

In Wicca, (especially Dianic Wicca) the concept of an Earth or Mother Goddess similar to the Greek Gaia is emphasized. Male counterparts are usually also evoked, such as the Green Man
and the Horned God (who is loosely based on the Celtic Cernunnos.) 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. Many Oriental
philosophies equate weakness with femininity and strength with masculinity;
this is not the prevailing attitude in Neopaganism and Wicca. 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. Other Neopagans
reject the concept of binary gender roles.

Worship and ritual

Many Neopagan traditions include occult or "magical" elements in their beliefs and practices. Wicca in particular emphasises the role of witchcraft and ritual. 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 (see wheel of the
year.)

Main currents and denominations

The term "Neopaganism" encompasses a very broad range of groups and beliefs. Syncretic or eclectic approaches are often inspired by historical traditions, but not bound by any
strict identification with a historical religion or culture. These are
contrasted by a focus on historicity (reconstructionism), on folklore, or on
occultist or national mysticist claims of continuity from racial memory.

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.

Wicca

Wicca is the largest Neopagan religion in the United States. It was first publicized in 1954 by Gerald Gardner. 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.

Various forms of Wicca have since evolved or been adapted from Gardner's British Traditional Wicca or Gardnerian Wicca such as Alexandrian Wicca. 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. The common denominator amongst all the variants of Wicca are a
reverence for nature and active ecology, venerations of a Goddess with or
without a consort, such as the Horned God, elements of a variety of ancient
mythologies, a belief in and practice of magic and sometimes the belief in
reincarnation and karma.

Neo-Druidism

Neo-Druidism forms the largest neopagan sub-denomination after Wicca, and like Wicca in turn shows significant heterogeneity. It draws several beliefs and inspirations from the Druids, the
priest caste of the ancient Pagan 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 Ancient Order of Druids founded in 1781 had many aspects of
freemasonry, and practised rituals at Stonehenge since 1905. The Order of
Bards, Ovates and Druids was established in 1964 and the British Druid Order in
1979. 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.

New Age syncretism and nature worship

Neopaganism emerged as part of the counter-culture, New Age and Hippie movements in the 1960s to 1970s. 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.
Notably, Wicca in the United States since the 1970s has largely moved away from
its Gardnerian roots and diversified into eclectic variants.

Neopaganism generally emphasizes the sanctity of the Earth and Nature. 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. Some Neopagans are
influenced by Animist traditions of the indigenous Native Americans and
Africans and other indigenous or shamanic traditions.

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).

Some Unitarian Universalists are eclectic Pagans. 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."

Occultism and ethnic mysticism

Historically the earliest self-identified revivalist pagans were inspired by Renaissance occultism. Notably in early 20th century Germany with Germanic mysticism, which branched into Ariosophy and
related currents of Nazi occultism. Outside Germany, occultist Neopaganism was
inspired by Crowleyan Thelema and Left-Hand Paths, a recent example being the
"Dark Paganism" of John J. Coughlin.

In the United States, ethnic mysticist approaches are advocated in the form of anti-racist Asatru Folk Assembly founder Stephen McNallen'smetagenetics" and by David Lane's
openly white supremacist Wotanism. "

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).

Reconstructionism

In contrast to the eclectic traditions, Reconstructionists are very culturally oriented and attempt to reconstruct historical forms of Paganism, in a modern context. 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.

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.

Excerpt from Wikipedia article on Neopaganism.