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Paganism is a group of religions in which practitioners worship a deity, or deities, usually based on the earth or nature, and not [[Christian]], [[Muslim]], or [[Jewish]].  Paganism, from Latin paganus, literally means (as a noun) "country dweller." Alternatively, pagan is used as a pejorative to describe anyone not of a certain faith, similar to the pejorative '[[heathen]]'.

'''Paganism''' is a group of religions in which practitioners worship a deity, or deities, usually based on the earth or nature, and not [[Christian]], [[Muslim]], or [[Jewish]].  Paganism, from Latin paganus, literally means (as a noun) "country dweller." Alternatively, pagan is used as a pejorative to describe anyone not of a certain faith, similar to the pejorative '[[heathen]]'.

==Subdivisions==

==Subdivisions==

Pagan subdivisions coined by Isaac Bonewits:

Pagan subdivisions coined by Isaac Bonewits:

*Paleo-Paganism: coined to contrast with "neopaganism",  denoting a  pagan culture that has not been disrupted by other cultures. The term applies to [[Hinduism]], [[Shinto]], pre-Migration period Germanic paganism as described by [[Tacitus]], Celtic Polytheism as described by [[Julius Caesar]], the Ancient Greek religion and religion in ancient Rome.

*'''Paleo-Paganism''': coined to contrast with "neopaganism",  denoting a  pagan culture that has not been disrupted by other cultures. The term applies to [[Hinduism]], [[Shinto]], pre-Migration period Germanic paganism as described by [[Tacitus]], Celtic Polytheism as described by [[Julius Caesar]], the Ancient Greek religion and religion in ancient Rome.

*Meso-Paganism: A group, which is, or has been, significantly influenced by monotheistic, dualistic, or nontheistic worldviews, but has been able to maintain an independence of religious practices. This group includes Native Americans and Australian Aborigine Bushmen, Viking Age Norse paganism.  Influences include: [[Freemasonry]], [[Rosicrucianism]], [[Theosophy]], [[Spiritualism]], as well as [[Sikhism]], and the many Afro-Diasporic faiths like Haitian Vodou and Santería.

 

*[[Neo-Paganism]]: An attempt by modern people to reconnect with nature, pre-Christian religions, or other nature-based spiritual paths. This definition may include anything on a sliding scale from reconstructionist to [[New Age]] and non-reconstructionist groups such as [[Asatru]] and [[Wicca]].

*'''Meso-Paganism''': A group, which is, or has been, significantly influenced by monotheistic, dualistic, or nontheistic worldviews, but has been able to maintain an independence of religious practices. This group includes Native Americans and Australian Aborigine Bushmen, Viking Age Norse paganism.  Influences include: [[Freemasonry]], [[Rosicrucianism]], [[Theosophy]], [[Spiritualism]], as well as [[Sikhism]], and the many Afro-Diasporic faiths like Haitian Vodou and Santería.

 

*'''[[Neo-Paganism]]''': An attempt by modern people to reconnect with nature, pre-Christian religions, or other nature-based spiritual paths. This definition may include anything on a sliding scale from reconstructionist to [[New Age]] and non-reconstructionist groups such as [[Asatru]] and [[Wicca]].

[[category:religion]]

[[category:religion]]