Neopagan Religions
The Goddess is alive and magic is afoot.” Thus proclaimed an I-694 billboard in a Minneapolis suburb a few years ago, sponsored by the Goddess Committee, Northern Dawn Council, Covenant of the Goddess. The growth of Neopagan religions in North America and Europe has been one of the most significant expressions of new religious movements since 1950.
Many today use the word pagan to refer to nonreligious people or those whose behavior is considered unacceptable, but Pagan actually is an umbrella term for the ancient religions of pre-Christian Europe. These did not cease to exist after most Europeans converted, at least nominally, to Christianity, but they did go underground and were often viewed with suspicion, as they frequently are today. Neopagan religions are a revival and repackaging of these belief systems with some contemporary additions.
Wicca is the best known of this large family of contemporary religious movements, though there are many different groups. Druidism, Celtic religions, Asatru, the Green Circle, and the Circle of Awen are a handful of the many examples. The variety makes generalizing difficult, but a few themes do characterize most. Neopagan religions view themselves as distinct from New Age religions, and outside observers typically agree. Neopagan religions are most closely related to the huge animistic family of belief systems; New Age religions usually draw their core beliefs from the Hindu worldview. But Neopagan religions typically express polytheistic beliefs rather than the deism of other animistic faiths.
Neopagan belief systems are usually described as “nature religions.” Mother Earth or an earth Goddess is often the central deity or highest spiritual entity. Environmental issues are often highly important, as caring for the earth is a direct or indirect form of worship. And feminine centrality, while not intended to exclude men from religious participation, can be deliberately emphasized in opposition to male dominance in formal religions.
As Neopagan religions have grown in popularity, their followers have made an effort to distinguish and distance themselves from Satan worship. When Wiccans, for example, speak of witchcraft, they are thinking in terms of rituals that derive power from nature or spiritual forces in nature, not from Satan; think Harry Potter rather than The Exorcist. In fact, many Neopagan practitioners don’t even believe in Satan’s existence. This is a particularly sensitive area for many Neopagans, who view the witch trials of past centuries as misguided persecution of the Pagan nature religions. It is common for them to view themselves as survivors of a movement that predates Christianity and was nearly wiped out in the past.
In common with animistic religions, Neopagan religions make frequent use of rituals and symbols; pentagrams, circles, and objects in threes are common. As with other animistic belief systems, rituals are about developing or using spiritual power. As a result, they are pragmatic, seeking what works. Wicca, for example, constantly develops new rituals as practitioners experiment with various methods.
Many Neopaganist forms make use of magick, intentionally spelled in the archaic form to distinguish it from modern illusionists, who use sleight of hand, visual distraction, and mechanical devices to produce “tricks.” Magick is the use of rituals to produce physical outcomes through spiritual power. Telekinesis is a basic illustration. Use of magick to put curses on people is rare, as it’s believed that whatever you do to others comes back to you thrice over. Wiccans follow an ethical principle that says, “And if it harm none, do what thou wilt.” Nevertheless, it is recognized that a few witches do practice so-called “black magic,” which is worked to bring harm to others.
In the dualism of most Neopagan religions, bad things are not “evil” but simply the necessary dark side of a good counterpoint. Star Wars popularized this idea with the two sides of The Force. This dualism does not mean, though, that there are no ethics in Neopaganism. It’s just that the ethics are based on the “three times” retribution principle rather than on a revealed or absolute moral code.
Neopagan religions have little formal organization or central leadership; groups are generally local and fairly small. Covens of witches in Wicca are an example, although each belief system has a different name for its local groups. They also tend to be egalitarian in regard to leadership. Priests and priestesses have more skills but not necessarily more authority. Due to this characteristic, few Neopagan groups have formal belief statements. While there is a basic worldview behind the rituals, specific beliefs often are left to the individual.
Although many Neopagan rituals and practices are passed along orally, there is a growing number of written information sources. Aleister Crowley, a British writer, published several books that formed the basis for much of today’s Neopagan beliefs and activities. Alexander Gardner’s Book of Shadows has become a textbook of sorts for the Wiccan movement. Many other authors have produced fiction and nonfiction promoting Neopaganism.
Beliefs on life after death vary among Neopagan religions. Reincarnation is common but not universal, because of the cyclical aspect of nature. None believe in a final divine judgment or a permanent heaven and hell.
An Extra Minute
Because of Neopaganism’s close connection with nature, many rituals and holidays are connected to cyclical natural events like solstices and equinoxes. Rituals typically begin in a “sacred space,” invoke the four Guardians (earth, air, fire, and water), and follow with chanted liturgies and prayers.
Morgan, G.R. (2012) Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, pp. 162–165.
