Paganism as Resistance (original) (raw)
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Paganism, like every religion, is a complex mixture of concepts that can be used to either rationalize environmental neglect or encourage ecological harmony. Rather than characterizing Paganism, or any other religion, as “green” or “not green,” we might rather speak about the “greening of religions,” an ongoing, never-to-be-complete process. In this way, we can understand the history of contemporary Paganism as a “greening,” one that is still going on, and A Pagan Community Statement on the Environment, as one small but valuable part of that process.
The Greening of Paganism (Revisited)
2022
Many Pagans and scholars of Paganism presume that Paganism is and always has been an earth-centered religion. But this claim needs to be interrogated closely by academics and participants alike to determine whether and to what extent Pagan beliefs and practices are actually earth-centered.
Conference: The American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, 2006
Debate continues about how to define Paganism, but it is generally agreed that it is a 'nature religion'. Unsurprisingly, Pagans are widely supposed to be environmentally active, and the Dictionary of Contemporary Religion in the Western World goes so far as to say, "Paganism is an ecological faith tradition, a nature-centric spirituality that seeks to break down hierarchies." (Partridge, (ed.), 2002; 326). However, most ethnographic research shows that in practice, Pagans are not especially ecological, and only a minority of eclectic 'Eco-Pagans' are involved in direct action (Adler, 1986, pp. 399-415). Smith Obler concluded that although Pagans' language and beliefs speak of a love for nature, their behaviour is no more environmental than anyone else's (2004), and Adler found that "quite a few" Pagans were actually against environmental activism (1986; 400). We focus on this apparent paradox at the heart of the movement: If Paganism is a 'nature religion', why are so few practitioners environmentalists? The obvious answer is that belief does not always translate into practice, but we offer a more useful hypothesis based on existing research and recent ethnographic work. We make sense of this apparent inconsistency by tracing the genealogy of Paganism, which reveals diverse currents of influence. While Contemporary Paganism originated from esoteric magical traditions, we trace how an ‘earth-based’ Paganism emerged from folk Romanticism and the Free Festival movement. These currents are not isolated but nevertheless carry distinct ideological characteristics and attract different socio-political groups. Although our argument focuses on UK Paganism, the fundamental cross-cultural influences between the US and the UK mean that our analysis is relevant to both countries.
PAGAN LITERATURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
Journal of Higher Education & Resarch Society, 2020
Before the rise of civilization, life amidst nature was a constant struggle for survival. With the passage of time, people learned to survive in harmony with nature, taking only what was essential. Everything in nature was significant and estimable and was exalted by these Pagans in the form of folktales and folk songs. Worshipping forests, grooves, animals and streams not only created a bond between these men and their environment leading to their spiritual evolution, but also resulted in environmental conservation. It was the divine forms of nature which protected their family, farms, livestock and villages from harm and presided over their humble activities.The significance of literature can be traced back ever since Plato banished poets from his imaginary Republic for encouraging effeminacy through their poems. Since literature plays a pivotal role in shaping reality, this paper is an attempt to show how various forms of Pagan Literature contributed in increasing the levels of sensitivity and respect amongst people for their environment. It also examines the rise of Neo-Pagan cults and explores the possibility of a different world, had Paganism been practised as a way of life today by the majority of world population.
Raising the Dragon: Folklore and the Development of Contemporary British Eco-Paganism
This article traces how a motif from folklore, that of the marauding dragon, became reinterpreted by UK Pagans and Earth Mystics—for whom it symbolised a mysterious 'dragon energy' circulating harmoniously through the landscape—and by a radically motivated branch of Paganism, namely Eco-Paganism. Eco-Paganism, which emerged during the environmental anti-road protests of the 1990s, advocated a blend of direct and magical action in the form of 'dragon-raising' rituals for the protection of threatened pieces of land. The history of this idea of the dragon is presented, with examples of political and dragon-raising rituals, with particular reference to those performed by the Dragon Environmental Group.
Introduction: Paganism and its others
Religio: revue pro religionistiku
Miroslav vrZal-scott siMpson-Matouš vencálek Growing from roots including 19 th century Romanticism, Romantic Nationalism, and the occult revival, Modern Paganism is a highly diverse movement manifesting in a dazzling range of shapes and forms. Modern Pagans seek to build a valid continuation of ancient traditions and belief systems in the contemporary world, but they do so in various ways. The source material employed by any individual or community can range from meticulous readings in carefully-curated history and archaeology, to inspirations from science fiction and fantasy. Their ultimate goals can be just as varied, with some seeking liberation for their nation and others seeking liberation for their gender or sexuality. Quite often, when faced with such a broad and diverse field, academic questions arise about where the borders of this field should lie. What is properly within the borders of "Modern Paganism" and what should be demarcated as "other" fields? Furthermore, as this diverse, vital, and continually-evolving movement has grown over the past decades, it has found itself entering into interaction with an increasing array of other "others". Every expansion into new territory brings new actors, institutions, and ideas onto its horizon. These "others" may at times be political parties or governments, or they may be entrenched religious organisations that do not welcome competition. And as Modern Paganism becomes more visible to the public eye, we also see representatives of Modern Paganism thrust into new public roles as they react to climate change or war. Sometimes, the "other" may also be academia peeking in to see what Modern Paganism is up to. In 2016, the desire to explore these interactions led to an international conference entitled Paganism and Politics held at the Department for the Study of Religions at Masaryk University in Brno in the Czech Republic. The conference, organised by Matouš Vencálek and Miroslav Vrzal in collaboration with Michael Strmiska, one of the leading contemporary scholars in the field of Pagan Studies, was itself a continuation of a series of conferences Neo
Nature and Ethnicity In East European Paganism: An Environmental Ethic of the Religious Right?
Religion, 2002
Paganism is frequently cast by Anglo-American scholars as a form of “nature religion.” Some have also identified its political leanings as left rather than right. This article tests these preconceptions against the evidence provided by East European, especially Ukrainian, Paganism or “Native Faith.” The author examines Native Faith notions of nature as land, as “blood,” and as “tradition,” and argues that these are underpinned by a concept of “territorialized ethnicity”—the belief that ethnic communities are natural and biological entities rooted in specific geographical territories. The article traces this idea to its precursors in European and Soviet thought, and suggests that it may be more commonly found around the world than Western theorists presume. In light of such a different understanding of nature, the concept of “nature religion” may need to be rethought.