Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
5. What is the Relationship between Ancient and Contemporary Paganism?
Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
Caroline Jane Tully [+]
University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Caroline Tully focuses on Late Bronze Age cultic traditions in the ancient Aegean, eastern Mediterranean and Egypt. Caroline also has a strong interest in Reception Studies, particularly as regards the uses of ancient Minoan and Egyptian religions, deriving from her longtime study of contemporary Paganism, Witchcraft, and Ceremonial Magick.
Description
This chapter explores the differences and similarities between ancient and contemporary Paganism. Ancient Paganism was characterised by practices such as animal sacrifice and mystery religions. Contemporary Paganism includes Pagan Reconstructionism and Neo-Paganism, which is influenced by Wicca and British ceremonial magic. Neo-Paganism is a modern reinterpretation of ancient practices, focused on duotheistic conceptions of divinity with nature-based rituals.