1. Neo-paganism/Paganism
Often drawing on ancient traditions or
primal religions
Ecologically-minded
Mixed inspiration
Not Satanists!

2. Mid-1600s Scholars taking interest in
ancient religions
1717 John Toland (d. 1722) becomes first
Chosen Chief of the Ancient Druid Order
(British Circle of the Universal Bond)
1875 Helena Blavatsky (d. 1891) founds
Theosophical Society
Interest grows in northern Europe (Norse and
Saxon), Lithuania

3. 1951 Last anti-witch laws repealed
Gerald Brousseau Gardner (d. 1964)
publishes Book of Shadows
Wicca

4. 1960s and 1970s
Paganism becoming influenced by
Hinduism and Taoism
Growing interest in First Nations and
Afro-American traditions in
N. America, e.g. shamanism, vodoun
Links to feminism and eco-awareness
Diversification of the tradition

5. Today
Very widespread, esp. among educated
“middle class”
Over half female; also very high
proportion of gay/lesbian/bisexual
adherents
Influence of technology
Political activism

6. Today
Questions of organisation
Do as you wish, provided you harm
no-one
Threefold Law: Whatever you do will
be visited back upon you threefold

7. Reverence for nature
Divine manifested through nature
Celebrating natural cycle

8. Forms of the divine
Polytheism (many deities)
Pantheism (divine in everything)
Monism (unity of all reality;
sacred in various forms)
Duotheism (two deities)

9. The value of experience
Myths as inspiration only
Avoidance of dogmatic positions
Personal relationship with the divine

10. Wheel of the Year. Source: Wikipedia: <http://en. wikipedia