There is much debate within the Pagan community about how to define Paganism. This is, in part, due to the fact that Paganism has at least three “centers” or sacred foci. Each of these centers defines Pagan identity and authenticity differently. Each group has a unique way of relating to and defining that “something” which is greater than ourselves. This makes defining Paganism in terms of a single set of principles impossible. Rather than one Pagan Umbrella, it is more helpful to think of the Pagan community as three overlapping umbrellas.
Earth-Centered Paganism
Earth-centered Paganism includes forms of Paganism primarily concerned with nature and ecology, local traditions, and many forms of neo-animism that view humans as part of an interconnected, more-than-human community of living beings. The identity of Earth-centered Pagans as “Pagan” is defined by their relationship with the natural environment. Authenticity for this group is determined by their ability to connect with the more-than-human world.
For Earth-centered Pagans, the Earth or nature is that “something” which transcends the individual. Earth-centered Pagans seek an intentional relationship with the natural world, and a sense of wonder and connection is what primarily characterizes that relationship. An experience of interconnectedness with the non-human world is a core virtue of Earth-centered Paganism. This sense of interconnectedness is sometimes called “re-enchantment,” referring to an expanded awareness of the interconnected nature of reality and our participation in the natural world.
Neo-Paganism exists in the overlap between Earth-centered Paganism and Self-centric Paganism.
Self-Centric Paganism
“Self-centric” is not meant in the pejorative sense of ego-centrism. The “Self” (which should always be capitalized) refers to a larger sense of Self that extends beyond the boundaries of the individual ego — the wholeness that gives rise to, but is more encompassing than, the normal conscious identity we commonly call our “self.” This expanded identity is sometimes called the “Deep Self” or the “Larger Self.” Jungian psychoanalyst Edward Whitmont refers to it as “the non-I in the depth within.” Self-centric Paganism includes many Jungian Neo-Pagans, “soft” polytheists, and feminist Witches.
The identity of Self-centric Pagans as “Pagans” is defined by spiritual practices that aim to develop the individual, whether spiritually or psychologically. Paganism is, for some Self-centric Pagans, a form of therapy or self-help. Authenticity for this group is determined by one’s relationship with one’s Self. In other words, Pagan authenticity for this group is measured by personal growth, whether that growth leads to psychological wholeness or ecstatic union with the divine.
For Self-centric Pagans, the Self is that “something” which transcends the individual. Self-centric Pagans seek to enter into a relationship with the Self by disassociating from the ego-self and identifying with the larger Self. Insight is a core virtue for Self-centric Pagans because it enables us to distinguish the ego from the Self.
Self-centric Paganism stands in some tension with more deity-centered forms of Paganism.
Deity-Centered Paganism
The term “deity-centered” is borrowed from Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone’s Progressive Witchcraft (2004). Deity-centered Paganism includes many forms of devotional polytheism, “hard” polytheism, and many reconstructionist forms of Paganism.
The Pagan identity of deity-centered Pagans is defined by a dedication to one or more deities. Authenticity for this group is determined by one’s relationship with those deities. In some ways, deity-centered Paganism resembles other theisms, including charismatic forms of Christianity and the bhakti traditions of Hinduism.
For deity-centered Pagans, the gods are that “something” which transcends the individual. Deity-centered Pagans seek to enter into a relationship with the gods, where devotion is the primary characteristic of that relationship. Faith and devotion are core virtues for deity-centered Pagans.
Interaction Among the Centers
These categories are not mutually exclusive. They share overlapping areas. There is often tension between these three centers in Paganism. Neo-Paganism overlaps with both Earth-centered and Self-centric Paganism. Individuals who gravitate toward different centers may have widely different understandings of concepts like “god,” “spirit,” “magic,” “worship,” etc.
Some people who might otherwise fall into one or more of these categories have rejected the label “Pagan” because they perceive it as being co-opted by one of the other “centers” with which they do not identify. For example, some polytheistic deity-centered practitioners may eschew the Pagan label because, for them, it is associated with Self-centric or Earth-centered forms of Paganism. Regardless of the terminology individual practitioners prefer, these terms remain useful for understanding the commonalities and differences among Pagans today.
Three Classical Paganisms
The three centers of contemporary Paganism correspond to the different ways in which the term “pagan” has been used by scholars of classical paganism. When Earth-centered practitioners identify with the Pagan label, it is often the ancient pagans of the countryside they imagine — the people who worshiped the gods and spirits of the local landscapes where they lived (many of whose names are now forgotten).
In contrast, when deity-centered practitioners identify with the Pagan label, it is often the worshipers of the more well-known gods and goddesses of the poets and the state (polis) religions with which they identify. This is due to the practical matter that, in order to reconstruct an ancient pagan religion, one must have sources. Folk religions leave little trace, whereas state religions are better documented in writing and in monuments.
Finally, when Self-centric practitioners identify with the Pagan label, it is often the participants in the ancient pagan mysteries, like the Eleusinian Mysteries, with which they identify. Many Self-centric Pagans, like Vivianne Crowley, attempt to draw historical and conceptual links between the classical Mysteries and present-day Pagan rituals.
Three Pagan Reactions to Abrahamic Monotheism
The term “pagan” has also been historically used to mean “non-Christian.” To a certain extent, contemporary Paganism is a reaction to Christianity — or, more accurately, to Abrahamic monotheism. Each of the three centers of Paganism represents a different reaction to Abrahamic monotheism.
Earth-centered Pagans reject the otherworldly focus of Abrahamic eschatology and the dualistic separation of matter and spirit. They reject the conception of divinity as transcendent, the notion that nature is fallen, and the anthropocentrism of the Abrahamic narrative. Self-centric Pagans, on the other hand, reject the Abrahamic condemnation of the body, sexuality, and the feminine. They seek to reclaim all aspects of the Self that have been repressed by Abrahamic morality. Finally, deity-centered Pagans, who value pluralism, reject monotheism and all it implies, including the notion that there is only one path to the divine.
A Fourth Center?
Some people have discerned a fourth center in Paganism: community. This may be due to the influence of Heathenry on Paganism.
Community-centered Pagans define their Pagan identity by belonging to the group that calls itself “Pagan.” Authenticity for this group is defined in terms of conformity to communal norms and participation in group rituals. For community-centered Pagans, the community (or “tribe”) is that “something” which transcends the individual. The relationship between community-centered Pagans and the community is ideally characterized by mutual fidelity.
