Paganism is a term originally used by early Christians in the Roman Empire to describe people who practiced polytheism or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. The word "pagan" comes from the Latin pāgānus , meaning "rural" or "civilian," reflecting that many pagans were from rural areas as opposed to the Christian urban population
. Historically, paganism referred broadly to any non-Christian religion, often implying belief in multiple gods or "false gods" from a Christian perspective. However, not all pagans were strictly polytheistic; some believed in a supreme deity alongside other subordinate gods or spirits
. Paganism was not originally a single organized religion but rather a collection of diverse beliefs and practices centered on nature worship, multiple deities, and rituals such as sacrifice
. In modern contexts, "paganism" often refers to a variety of contemporary religious movements inspired by the ancient pre-Christian religions of Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. These modern pagan traditions, sometimes called Neo-Paganism, emphasize nature veneration, polytheism or pantheism, and personal spiritual experience. Examples include Wicca, Druidry, and Heathenry. Modern paganism is diverse and lacks a single theology or set of practices but commonly shares a reverence for nature and multiple deities or divine principles
. In summary:
- Paganism originally described non-Christian polytheistic or ethnic religions in the Roman Empire
- It broadly means religions outside the Abrahamic faiths, often involving worship of many gods or nature spirits
- Modern paganism is a collection of revived or newly inspired religious movements emphasizing nature worship, polytheism, and personal spirituality
- Paganism is not dogmatic and includes a wide range of beliefs, from polytheism to henotheism (belief in a supreme deity alongside others)
Thus, a pagan is generally someone who follows a religion or spiritual path outside the major monotheistic religions, often with a focus on nature and multiple deities.
