The Pagans described in this section refer to contemporary, living religious practices in Western culture. These are however inspired by ancient forms of European faith such as those found in ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt and Celtic or Germanic countries, or other ‘indigenous’ or ‘primary’ traditions. Contemporary Paganism (sometimes called ‘Neo-Paganism’, especially in the USA) is a general label for a variety of traditions and individual personal religion, united by the concept of the sacredness of nature. Pagans may be pantheist, polytheist, duotheist, or animist but are rarely monotheist in the sense found in the Abrahamic religions.
The resources contained in the list of subjects below are a basic introduction to the traditions of contemporary Paganism. They are a window into the world of Paganism and by following the websites and bibliographies, an enquirer may discover more about this family of religions.
The information can be found under the six headings below which are based on the Areas of Enquiry found in the non-statutory frameworks for Religious Education (2004, 2013). It provides not only a guide to the factual and belief structures of Paganism but also addresses the issues that Paganism encounters as it engages today’s world.