As part of an interesting trend in the modern resurrection of Paganism, the first Pagan chaplain has been appointed at New York's Syracuse University. What's also intriguing is that this chaplain is a woman, Mary Hudson, whose appointment is heralded as part of an effort to be "more inclusive of all religions on campus."
It appears that there is a virtual Renaissance of pre-Christian culture, including religion and mythology, in various parts of the Free World. This situation can be found not only in the United States but also in New Zealand, for example, where "paganism is so hot right now." Those were the remarks of an organizer for a recent "Pagan Invasion" conference in Morrisville:
"We have school teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, police officers," says organiser Tracey Royce.
In fact, in the last census there were over 1800 wiccans, spiritualists and druids resident in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, back at Syracuse - which "may be only the second university in the nation to have a pagan chaplain" - perhaps the very small Pagan student body will increase with this encouraging development.
While I personally cannot say what these or any other individuals define as "Paganism" in this modern era, as a scholar of comparative religion and mythology, I can attest that the ancient pre-Christian worship revolved significantly around the sun, moon, stars, constellations, planets, Earth, wind, rain, water, etc. It was, in other words, essentially nature worship or, as concerns the cosmic part in particular, what we are currently calling "astrotheology." In this regard, any shift towards Paganism is a welcome change from the woman-oppressing, Abrahamic desert-warrior cults that led to the destruction of native European culture, to which much Pagan mythos and ritual is attributed.
Sources & Further Reading
First Pagan Chaplain Appointed at Syracuse University
Morrinsville prepares for pagan invasion
-
|2010-02-16 12:52:09 Amy - PaganismI hope paganism and nature worship have a full on recovery! I don't know how much more this war god dominated culture can take.
-
|2010-02-16 21:40:21 Acharya SWho is "he?" The chaplain is a woman, as the article clearly states. You didn't even read it, obviously, and are just going around my sites spewing mindless Jew-hatred.
-
|2010-02-16 23:02:28 BrentonExcellent piece Acharya. Definitely highlights the multi-angled culture shift we seem to be experiencing.
-
|2010-02-19 10:17:00 tarish kaushik - pagan is derived from bhagwanThe original sanskrit term for supreme being is bhagwan from which the distorted word pagan is pirated, as usual by the christian cult. Bhagwa also stands for the saffron colour which was symbolic of renunciation (sainthood), as well as the warrior class: in effect the combination of faith and arms.
We see this in the orange colour used by the sanyasis who renounce the world, we see this in the history of the indian rajput kings who wore saffron clothes prior to defending the western parts of present day India against the arab and muslim marauders and invaders, we even see this in the orange robes worn by certain defenders of the "faith" in the history of Britain.
-
|2010-02-19 20:38:06 JH Chrestos - Wicca...love their furnitureNice article. I suppose if one has to worship something I'd rather it be the beauty and wonder of nature rather than the oppressive, hateful, doctrine of fictional messiahs and delusional prophets.
-
|2010-03-04 15:42:38 RightofRush - Wondrous Paganism?Any of those professing endorsement of Paganism willing to volunteer to be a "wicker-man"? It's getting close to Spring.
-
|2010-02-20 18:33:24 Dr. O. P. Sudrania - Paganism and Religion"While I personally cannot say what these or any other individuals define as "Paganism" in this modern era, as a scholar of comparative religion and mythology, I can attest that the ancient pre-Christian worship revolved significantly around the sun, moon, stars, constellations, planets, Earth, wind, rain, water, etc."
I agree that the Western scholars have a completely confused concept about these words of "Paganism", "Wiccacs", "Hedonism" and so on. This is like trying to define - "Life or Death". It hardly matters, what names or qualifications do we ascribe to these, but the truth remains that these are there. We call or do not call; believe or not believe, is hardly material.
This is where the difference lie in "Vedic" philosophy and the rest of the religious cults prevailing in the world corrently. If you truely want to learn the meaning of a "Religion", you can not afford to miss the learnings of "Vedas". It is not my intention to sale or defile any particular brand or faith. I am just raising a point for those who are keenly interested in knowing a "Religion". A "Sword" can not teach you a "Faith" as opposed to a "Fear" and the "Religion" should teach one to be "Fearless". It is like - "God Loving and Sin Fearing".
Dr. O. P. Sudrania
