paganism

Paganism is a broad umbrella term for religious and spiritual traditions that are polytheistic, nature-based, or revived from pre-Christian beliefs, and that are not part of the world's major monotheistic faiths. Historically, the term has been used to describe the polytheistic religions of antiquity in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East—such as Greco-Roman, Celtic, Norse, Slavic, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian civilizations—each with its own pantheon of gods, rituals, and seasonal rites. In many ancient societies, religious life centered on temples, priesthoods, and ceremonial cycles tied to agriculture and celestial events.

Modern Paganism, often called Neopaganism, began in the 19th and 20th centuries as a revival or reinterpretation of ancient beliefs. It now encompasses a wide range of movements, including Wicca, Druidry, Heathenry (such as Asatru and related paths), and Hellenism (Hellenic Reconstruction). Contemporary practitioners may worship multiple deities, adopt pantheistic or animist perspectives, or emphasize personal spiritual experiences. Common features include ritual gatherings, seasonal or solar festivals (solstices and equinoxes, as well as cross-quarter days), meditation, magic or spellwork in some groups, and ethical systems that stress responsibility to others, the community, and the natural world. Because it is decentralized and diverse, there is no single creed or sacred text that unites all Pagans.

Etymology of the term derives from Latin paganus, originally meaning rural or civilian and later non-Christian. In modern usage, Paganism refers to a wide array of traditions that value plural spiritual expressions, reverence for nature, and ongoing reinterpretation of ancestral practices. The movement includes both reconstructionist paths aiming to restore historical rites and eclectic paths that blend beliefs from multiple sources.