What is Paganism today?
Paganism is, quite simply, Nature worship. It is also called “The Old Religion,” “Ancient Ways,” “Earth-Centered Spirituality,” “Natural Religion,” and “Nature-Based Religion.” The early Christians, most of whom lived in cities, adopted the Roman word “Pagan” to refer to persons living in outlying areas who had not converted to Christianity. Paganism was pre-Christian. Over time the term came to be used to describe any non-Judeo-Christian religious minority, often in a negative way. Today, the word “Pagan,” in its broadest sense, refers to persons following alternative spiritual paths, and who probably do not strictly adhere to the tenets of the worlds largest religions, such as Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. Most modern Pagans feel a close connection to nature and the seasons, and may look to early “Pagan” or indigenous cultures for guidance in strengthening this connection. Modern Paganism (sometimes referred to as “Neo-Paganism” to distinguish it from original
