Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
8. What is a Pagan Worldview?
Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
Graham Harvey [+]
Open University
Graham Harvey is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at the Open University, UK. His research is concerned with the performance and rhetoric of identities among Jews, Pagans and indigenous peoples. He is particularly interested in the 'new animism', embracing relational and material approaches to interactions between humans and the larger than human world. His recent publications include The Handbook of Contemporary Animism(2013) and Food, Sex and Strangers: Understanding Religion as Everyday Life (2013).
Description
Paganism is a diverse and individualised belief system beyond official religious doctrines. Pagans celebrate a deep connection with nature, view the world as "enchanted," and embrace a belief in magic and wonder. At the heart of this worldview is an ethical respect for the Earth. The shared appreciation of the Earth unifies the variety of traditions within Paganism.