| Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term | | | | The term "Neopagan" is used by academics and |
| used to identify a wide variety of new religious | | | | adherents alike to identify Pagan traditions which |
| movements, particularly those influenced by | | | | are largely modern in origin, or which are |
| ancient and pre-Abrahamic Pagan religions. | | | | conceived as reconstructions, continuations or |
| These movements are extremely diverse. The | | | | revivals of ancient practices. While "pagan" |
| beliefs of adherents of Neopaganism range widely | | | | (lowercase) is still used by many to denote an |
| from duotheism to polytheism, and even | | | | irreligious person, adherents of modern Pagan and |
| monotheistic and other paradigms. See List of | | | | Neopagan religions capitalize these words because, |
| Pagan Traditions. | | | | in these cases, the words are being used to |
| Many Neopagans practice a spirituality that is | | | | describe a religion, or members of a religion, "in |
| entirely modern in origin, while others attempt to | | | | the same way as one would describe a 'Christian' |
| reconstruct or revive culturally historic Pagan and | | | | or a 'Jew'." |
| indigenous belief systems. | | | | The term "Neopagan" provides a means of |
| Etymology | | | | distinguishing between historical Pagans of ancient |
| The word Pagan comes from the Latin (paganus, | | | | cultures and the adherents of modern religious |
| literally country dweller), originally meaning rustic or | | | | movements. The category of religions known as |
| from the country. As the cities converted to | | | | "Neopagan" includes Wicca, Non-Wiccan Religious |
| Christianity, the rural folk held onto their old beliefs | | | | Witchcraft, Neodruid faiths, and many others. |
| longer. Always pejorative, pagan was applied to | | | | "Reconstructionists" - those who practice modern |
| polytheistic religions to indicate they were nothing | | | | forms of culturally-specific historical Pagan religions |
| more than the rural superstitions of the | | | | - sometimes self-identify as Pagan and Neopagan, |
| uneducated farmers. Neopaganism may be | | | | depending on their respective personal or group |
| defined as a "post-Christian" new religious | | | | belief. Generally, most Reconstructionists avoid |
| movement, and is pronouncedly a modern | | | | usage of the term "Neopagan" and even "Pagan", |
| phenomenon with its roots in early 19th century | | | | instead preferring terms like "polytheist", or |
| Romanticism. Other Neopagans stress a | | | | traditional terms from the languages of their |
| connectedness or lineage with older forms of | | | | specific cultures. Some Reconstructionists do not |
| Paganism in terms of an alleged "underground" | | | | identify as part of the Neopagan community, |
| continuity or tradition but such claims often display | | | | although in a purely technical & semantic sense, |
| fakelore as opposed to outright reconstruction or | | | | their traditions are "Neopagan" since even the |
| cultural continuation. | | | | most historically accurate reconstructions are now |
| Modern usage of the terms "Pagan" and | | | | being practiced by modern people in a |
| "Neopagan" | | | | contemporary context. |