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Religions shaped by historical paganism / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism[1] and neopaganism,[2] is a collective term for religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Africa and the Near East. Although they share similarities, contemporary Pagan movements are diverse, and do not share a single set of beliefs, practices, or texts.[3] Scholars of religion characterise these traditions as new religious movements. Most academics who study the phenomenon treat it as a movement that is divided into different religions; others characterize it as a single religion of which different Pagan faiths are denominations.
Prominent modern Pagan religions include Wicca, Druidry, Heathenry, Rodnovery and the Goddess movement. Adherents rely on pre-Christian, folkloric, and ethnographic sources to a variety of degrees; many follow a spirituality that they accept as entirely modern, while others claim prehistoric beliefs, or else attempt to revive indigenous, ethnic religions as accurately as possible.[4] Academic research has placed the Pagan movement along a spectrum, with eclecticism on one end and polytheistic reconstructionism on the other. Polytheism, animism, and pantheism are common features of Pagan theology.
Contemporary Paganism has sometimes been associated with the New Age movement, with scholars highlighting both their similarities and differences.[5] The academic field of Pagan studies began to coalesce in the 1990s, emerging from disparate scholarship in the preceding two decades.