modern "pagan" religions are not the same as the pagan religions which were practiced prior to Christianity. even the reconstructionist religions understand (or should) that our religions speak to the modern mind, and don't precisely resemble the faiths of antiquity.
so, no. paganism, at least the sorts of paganism you are talking about here, is not older than Christianity. if you want that, you can look to several other religions, some of which are considered, loosely, "paganism" by some commentators - there's Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese polytheism, Shinto, and what scholars call "tribal" religions. the "pagan" religions (Wicca and other forms of witchcraft, the Reconstructionist religions, the Mason-like Druids, and so on) all date, at earliest, to the 18th century, or perhaps as early as the late 17th century.
"Paganism" is an appropriate term for preChristian religions, imo. The correct term to describe the new movement we see today would be Neopaganism. Note that niether of these terms applies to Eastern religions like Buddhism, or to Native American religion. I have also heard debate over whether Reconstructed religions would be appropriately labeled as Neopagan. For example, Asatruar call themselves "Heathens", not "Pagans".
Do you consider paganism to be a new modern religion or a old world tradition religion?
Mostly new, with the illusion and romanticism of being old, or based on something old, though I think most of that is more likely just wishful thinking.
Not sure I buy the authors reasons, but I come to the same conclusion.
No one really knows what existed before christianity because they basically weren't literate cultures. Certainly ritual existed long before even judaism. And we know many cultures have been polytheistic. Most of the rest is really just conjecture. It might be popular conjecture, but it's still just a guess.
The popular conjecture is that animism preceeds polytheism preceeds monotheism. Personally, I don't think that necessarily follows. And I think we need to include "science" as a form of religion because really, it's just another method for forming beliefs, complete with it's own clergy, adherents, and doubters
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What most "pagan" religions currently practiced are is actually more correctly called "neo-paganism". That is because most, barring reconstructionists, pagan or neo-pagan religions take newer, new age ideas and combind them with older ideas. Pre-christian religions are indeed pagan, but they are not the same as what is practiced today. When someone says paganism today it generally is shortened from "neo-paganism", which causes a lot of confusion, especially when one isn't aware of this or familiar with the pagan community.
As far as paganism in general goes, i wouldn't classify it as a religion. to do so would be the same as classifying judeo-christianity as a religion. Paganism is a broad term used to classify a number of very diverse belief systems and religions under one term. To classify it as one religion, to my mind would be an over generalization.
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so, no. paganism, at least the sorts of paganism you are talking about here, is not older than Christianity. if you want that, you can look to several other religions, some of which are considered, loosely, "paganism" by some commentators - there's Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese polytheism, Shinto, and what scholars call "tribal" religions. the "pagan" religions (Wicca and other forms of witchcraft, the Reconstructionist religions, the Mason-like Druids, and so on) all date, at earliest, to the 18th century, or perhaps as early as the late 17th century.
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Mostly new, with the illusion and romanticism of being old, or based on something old, though I think most of that is more likely just wishful thinking.
Not sure I buy the authors reasons, but I come to the same conclusion.
No one really knows what existed before christianity because they basically weren't literate cultures. Certainly ritual existed long before even judaism. And we know many cultures have been polytheistic. Most of the rest is really just conjecture. It might be popular conjecture, but it's still just a guess.
The popular conjecture is that animism preceeds polytheism preceeds monotheism. Personally, I don't think that necessarily follows. And I think we need to include "science" as a form of religion because really, it's just another method for forming beliefs, complete with it's own clergy, adherents, and doubters ( ... )
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As far as paganism in general goes, i wouldn't classify it as a religion. to do so would be the same as classifying judeo-christianity as a religion. Paganism is a broad term used to classify a number of very diverse belief systems and religions under one term. To classify it as one religion, to my mind would be an over generalization.
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