Secular Paganism
By Ralph Perrier
CONTENTS
1 Definitions
2 Cosmology
3 Core Beliefs
4 Practices and Rituals
5 Footnotes
1 Definitions
“Pagan” (Latin: pāgānus, ‘rural’) was supposed to be a slur that was invented by the catholic church to apply to every non-xtian religion but has since been reappropriated as a general term. Specific ethnic “Pagan” polytheistic religions are: Heathenry is Germanic Paganism (“Asatru” is one of the religions that fall under the Heathenry category). Fyrnsidu is Brittonic Paganism. Druidry is Celtic Paganism. Hellenism is Greek Paganism. Religio Romana is Roman Paganism. Rodnovery is Slavic Paganism. Romuva is Baltic Paganism, etc.
2 Cosmology
In general, most polytheistic religious followers fall into two categories: 1)they see the polytheistic deities as sentient personal gods, or 2)they see the polytheistic deities as allegorical personifications/emanations/symbolic representations of natural forces (numen/animism).
But secular paganism is a new movement that is growing rapidly. Atheists join Pagan groups for a sense of community, social network, shared culture, and connection to their ancestry. These Pagans don’t worship a particular thing, they just appreciate the unity of existence, or seek to understand the ultimate nature of reality. Ancestor veneration is the only worship they do.
Many modern secular polytheistic Pagans (1) are inspired by Carl Jung who combined psychoanalysis with Heathenry. The polytheistic deities = ‘archetypes (2) of the collective unconscious (3)’ to these Pagans.
3 Core Beliefs
In Pagan religions, beliefs revolve around ancestor veneration, animism, and the belief in spirits inhabiting natural elements are common themes.
4 Practices and Rituals
In polytheistic religions, rituals are centered around the worship of multiple deities, each often associated with specific aspects of nature, human experience, and societal functions. To secular Pagans who are inspired by Carl Jung, rituals are ways of inducing ‘active imagination’ (4) or a part of the process of ‘individuation’ (5).
5 Footnotes
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_paganism [link]
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungian_archetypes [link]
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_unconscious [link]
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_imagination#Carl_Gustav_Jung [link]
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individuation#Carl_Jung [link] \
Read more
https://ecer-org.eu [link]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Modern_pagan_organizations_by_country [link]
https://archive.org/details/carl-jung-on-wotan_20230629 [link]
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