pagan

Pagan is a broad term used for religious traditions that are polytheistic, nature-based, or otherwise non-Abrahamic, particularly those practiced in the Greco-Roman world and in other pre-Christian cultures. The word derives from Latin paganus, originally meaning "villager" or "country dweller," and was later used by Christian writers to describe adherents of traditional polytheistic religions. In modern usage, Pagan or Neopagan refers to a diverse range of movements that seek to revive, reconstruct, or imagine polytheistic and nature-centered paths.

Contemporary Paganism includes reconstructed traditions such as Hellenism (Greco-Roman), Heathenry (Germanic and Norse), Slavic and Baltic Paganism, and Kemetism (Egyptian). It also encompasses Druidry and a variety of Witchcraft traditions, notably Wicca. The landscape is highly decentralized, with no single authority and many independent groups, covens, or circles. Practices often focus on the veneration of deities or spirits, reverence for nature, seasonal rituals, and rituals for personal or communal needs.

Beliefs and approaches vary: some practitioners are polytheistic; others are pantheistic or animistic; some emphasize ethical frameworks. Rituals may involve offerings, sacred tools, and the use of cycles such as solstices, equinoxes, and monthly esbats. Magical practices exist in some paths, though not all Pagans practice magic. The movement emphasizes personal experience, pluralism, and cultural sensitivity, while scholarship tends to stress diversity, reconstruction, and interpretation of historical sources.

Historically peripheral to the major world religions, Pagan movements expanded in the 20th and 21st centuries and are recognized as religions in many jurisdictions. They have contributed to broader discussions of spirituality, nature, and religious freedom, but also face challenges related to cultural appropriation, misrepresentation, and internal diversity.