Abstract
This study investigates modern Paganism, or 'Neo-paganism' as it is often termed, in context of postmodern religion and the emergence of new social movements. Such movements can be seen as a reaction to the modern world, as well as a product of it, which this study will explore. I would argue that Neo-paganism is part of an emerging trend of Western postmodern religions that are a direct result of modern processes. While secularisation has become a dominant force in the contemporary western world, many individuals are expressing their perceived religious needs or 'spirituality' in multifarious ways more in keeping with modern ideas, perceptions and attitudes. Neo-paganism can be seen as a paradoxical synthesis of the modern and the 'traditional'. This gives it a unique status as something novel, ever changing, the evolution of a spirituality more suited to the present and beyond.
This study also highlights the way in which a group of people may appropriate a set of meanings and mould them into individual experiences that are authenticated by interpersonal narratives and ritual experiences that form the basis for a personal ethos and belief system. While this study does not claim that Neo-paganism inhabits a large place in the modern world, it does argue that contemporary Paganism is part of a significant movement in society which is searching for meaning in a concrete, 'unmagical' Western world. This modern spirituality seeks to answer the ultimate
questions of existence using language that is modern, rational, sometimes 'scientific', but also irrational, something based in personal experience and faith.
This study was conducted using participant observation, formal and informal interviews and a wide variety of relevant theoretical and non-theoretical books and articles.