What is the defining feature of pagan religions?

Question

The term 'pagan' seems to encompass a wide variety of religions ranging from graeco-roman to 'witchcraft' and probably many other forms.

I wonder what all these religions have in common or are they all put under that title arbitrarly?

Answer 1

You are absolutely correct. This term covers a wide variety of religions, some of which have little to do with each other.

In ancient times, a "Pagan" was simply a country dweller; a somewhat pejorative one, as in "country bumpkin". When Christianity took over the Roman empire, only the "country bumpkins" held the polytheistic beliefs of their ancestors and were not Christian... or Jewish, because they were already a different and pre-defined group. Because of this, "Pagan" took on the meaning of "not Christian or Jewish."

Modern Pagans (Neo-Pagans) have reclaimed the term and turned it into a term of pride, much like the GLBT community has done with the word "Queer."

People have attempted to find commonalities between different forms of modern Paganism in a few different ways. A study called The Emerging Network by Michael York is one that I found helpful and which has influenced my own definition.

I would say that Pagans in general:
1. Look to ancient polytheistic traditions in order to experience immanent Divine presence.
2. Tend to be (though are not always) earth-based in their spirituality and ethics.
3. Often (though not always) embrace the existence of magic, even if they do not practice it themselves.
4. Regard personal spiritual experiences to be important in their faith system. (As opposed to, say, believing what's written in a book.) This doesn't mean that books aren't important to Pagans, only that they are regarded differently than how Christians usually regard the Bible.

For the record, I would NOT consider Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, or people of indigenous faith traditions (i.e. "real" Native Americans) to be "Neo-Pagans."

When most people on here describe themselves as "Pagans," they're talking about Neo-Paganism.

Answer 2

It does seem arbitrary, doesn't it?

It basically encompasses anything outside of the "Abrahamic" religions - Christianity, Islam, Judaism, but more specifically refers to the spirituality systems that reigned before the taking over by the aforementioned 3.

That's why, depending on who you ask, Buddhism and Hindu may or may not count.

Many pagan religions are polytheistic (many individual gods) or monolatric (many gods within one - similar to the 3-in-1 in Christianity). Wicca, a 20th century system which is based mainly on Celtic/Anglo-Saxon traditions (wheel of the year, the word Wicca itself), is dualistic - one all encompassing god and goddess (which is why Wicca often refers to itself as eclectic - those god/goddess can come from any pantheon).

Par example - I'm a Kemetic Pagan, which means I worship the many deities (Netjeru) of Ancient Egypt, but am monolatric, so all the deities can be simultaneously called upon as one benevolent force.

hope that helps :)

Answer 3

Pagan was originally a term applied to people who lived in the countryside, where older religious traditions held on longer when Christianity was spreading. I doubt that there was ever a time when people all held the same religious beliefs, so there was and is a lot of variety.
Today the term pagan is commonly applied to non-Abrahamic religions -- that is, any beliefs which are not Christian, Jewish, or Islamic.

Answer 4

Originally, it was a Christian term to refer to religions other than Christianity and Judaism. Now it seems to have evolved to mean either a religion that contains more than one deity (polytheistic) or one that worships nature or the feminine.

Answer 5

Anything that does not state and keep to the two Protestant tenets of sola fide (faith in the completed atoning sacrifice of Christ) and sola Scriptura (the 66 books of the Bible as final arbiter of faith and practice) is pagan.
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Answer 6

I'm not sure "officially" what is meant but in my opinion, it is any religion that worships false gods, the earth, nature, etc.

It is not anything "non-Christian" because Christian's do not beleive the Jewish faith to be pagan. So, that blows that theory.

Answer 7

Its a Christian term for religions that are non-Christian or non-Jewish.

Answer 8

Pagan is like a blanket term to cover anything other then christianity....in essence.

Answer 9

Witchcraft is what they all have in common, astrology, mediums, tarot cards, palm readers, seer's, crystal balls, worship of the earth, planets, sun, moon and stars new age its all related to witchcraft.

Answer 10

The deification of self . The "I am" scenario. You look out for it and you will see it's true. Any where you see that you will see a pagan religion.