Did Paganism Come Before Christianity?
Paganism, which has its roots in nature-worship and animistic beliefs, can be traced back to ancient civilizations, predating Christianity. Analyzing the history of religious practices helps to develop a better understanding of how paganism and Christianity co-exist, often with divide opinions between scholars.
“Paganism is a broad range of spiritual beliefs that can be traced back to pre-Christian, pre-Islamic and pre-Judaic cultures,” according to Professor Lauren O’ Neil of the University of Cambridge. “It is deeply linked with the reverence of nature and natural cycles, as well as deities and ancient heroes that have existed in various regions around the world.”
Similar to contemporary paganism — where pantheism and animism blend — ancient paganism embraced a wide range of belief structures, evolving into different expressions throughout time according to the geographical area, tribes and cultural context.
“In ancient civilisations, paganism was highly-complex and took shape from multiple sources. Interestingly, some pieces of paganism and traditions were adopted by other religions, including Christianity,” says Professor O’ Neil.
From a historical and archaeological point of view, Christianity did not appear to have a dominant presence until the 4th century. As a result, paganism had already become an engrained part of the culture, which was difficult to shift.
Jonathan Draper, an expert in historical studies Based at the University of Melbourne, argues that Christianity was borne out of paganism. While Christianity adopted similar practices and rituals from paganism, there were also flashes of hostility from Christianity.
“Going back to the 3rd century, Christianity was the minority religion, outnumbered by paganism. When Christianity finally became the dominant religion, it began a campaign of demonisation against paganism,” says Mr Draper.
Yet, some argue that linking paganism and Christianity as separate traditions is a misconception, as some elements of paganism were adopted into Christianity. For example, some believe that Christmas and Easter traditions, such as decorating a Christmas tree, can be traced back to ancient pagan cultures.
Christmas Celebrations
Christmas has been celebrated for over two thousand years, with roots in the ancient pagan midwinter festivals. Scholars agree that early Christmas festivities included the traditional solstice elements such as tree decorations, burning fires, illuminating homes with candles, as well as feasting, giving and receiving of presents, and partying late into the night.
Although the celebration of Christmas is associated with Christianity, some of its traditions and symbols come from Greco-Roman and other pagan cultures. The Christmas tree, for example, likely originates from pre-Christian pagan traditions.
Research into ancient European traditions shows there were many other customs and ceremonies that involved decorating living trees and gathering greens such as evergreens, holly, and mistletoe. This was a custom of the Germanic tribes and many other cultures during the winter solstice.
Evidence of Nordic and Germanic traditions in northern Europe, such as Denmark and Germany, suggest ancient pagans celebrated winter solstice outdoors. This involved bringing evergreens and greenery indoors to help decorate the home.
The traditional use of the Yule log comes from Nordic culture and suggests that it was believed that fire had magical healing and cleansing properties. Whilst the Yule log is no longer burned, the tradition of the yule log in form of ceremonial desserts is still observed in some parts of Europe.
Easter Celebrations
Easter is thought to have derived from the Pagan celebration of Eostre. Germanic peoples celebrated a holiday related to fertility, which was called ‘Ostara’. The festival takes its name from the Goddess ‘Eostre’ and falls at the same time of year as Christians celebrate Easter.
Similarly, the Easter Bunny is a symbol of Easter, originating from the symbolism of the hare, who according to ancient populations was associated with fertility and prosperity. The eggs that are so often associated with Easter are also said to connect to fertility and rebirth of Pagan beliefs.
Eostre was celebrated with the tradition of decorating eggs of livestocks, which is seen in the Christianity in decorating of chicken eggs. This symbol of rebirth was thought to represent the renewal of life bringing with it the hope of new life and a bountiful harvest through the springtime.
The Germanic peoples also celebrated the feast at the time of the spring equinox, a time of renewal and fertility, by giving offerings to their gods and goddesses, which is again seen in Christianity with the observance of Easter.
In eighth-century England, a man named Venerable Bede made a reference to the month of April being named after Eostre, in his book ‘The Reckoning of Time’ . This is one of the earliest references to the pagan goddess of fertility and spring, and many historians believe this was the origin of the word Easter.
Wicca and the Neo-Pagan Movement
Wicca is a modern day Pagan religion that began in the mid-twentieth century, and is based on a reverence for nature and the worship of gods and goddesses from ancient Pagan mythology.
The Wiccan religion is polytheistic and animistic, meaning that it worships many gods and goddesses, as well as believing that the natural world, such as rocks, plants and animals all have a spiritual component
The Wiccan religion has a strong ethical component, based on reverence for nature and all living creatures. This is reflected in the Wiccan Rede, which is the creed of Wiccans, where the main tenet is, ‘An’ it harm none, do what you will.’ The maxim means that a person who practices Wicca can freely choose their actions as long as those actions do not harm themselves, others, or the environment.
The Wiccan Rede, borrowed from ancient paganism, is also reflected in the three-fold law, which states that whatever energy a person puts out, positive or negative, returns to them three-fold. This states that when Wiccans do something positive, it will be rewarded threefold and likewise, when they do something harmful, it will be returned to them threefold.
The modern Wiccan movement has adopted many of the ancient Pagan religious practices, including the honoring of nature, seasonal rituals and the worship of a god and a goddess. Wicca is an open and diverse religion, with hundreds of different covens and traditions throughout the world.
Neopaganism
Neopaganism is a modern form of Paganism that has its roots in ancient Pagan customs, mythology and practices. It is based on the principle of revering nature, animism, worship of gods and goddesses from Pagan mythology, and the use of rituals and celebrations.
Neopaganism is a broad category, designed to encompass all Pagan religions, including Wicca, Celtic Druidism, Asatru and many others. Neopagans view their religion as a form of religion that honors and celebrates the earth, its cycles, and its deities. It can be seen as a reaction against the traditional western monotheistic faiths, which tended to discourage an appreciation of nature.
Neopaganism encourages its members to become closer to nature and the rhythms of the natural world. This includes incorporating nature into their daily lives, by counting cycles and dedicating special days to certain religious events or rituals.
Neopagans also celebrate the eight major pagan holidays, known as Sabbats. These days involve rituals such as burning incense, dancing, and feasting in honor of the gods and goddesses that are worshipped. Neopagans also practice divination, magick, and honour their ancestors.
The Influence of Paganism on Christianity
Though the two religions may have adopted some of the same customs and symbols, the extent to which Christianity has been influenced by Paganism has often been disputed by academics. It has been suggested that elements, practices and beliefs of Paganism were co-opted by Christianity due to Christianity’s need to assimilate popular religions in order to survive politically and to make acquiring converts easier.
For example, it has been suggested that the Christian use of crosses came from pagan worship of the sun-god, or even from the ancient Egyptian ankh. It has been argued that similar symbols have been widespread in Pagan cultures and used to represent fertility or life-force or a connection between the human and divine realms. In some cultures, the cross was a form of the swastika – a commonly used symbol in ancient religions.
The Easter egg is also thought to reflect Pagan worship. The egg was believed to be a symbol of new life, resurrection, and rebirth in Pagan religions, and it is believed that in Christianity it reflects the resurrection of Christ.
Finally, it has been proposed that the Roman Catholic celebration of Christmas was in response to the Pagan festival of Yule, which was celebrated during the same period. It is thought that the church sought to replace this festival with the celebration of Jesus’s birth.
The Argument Between Scholars
The relationship between Christianity and Paganism has been the subject of vigorous debate among scholars, who have argued that Christianity has been both deeply influenced and in opposition to Paganism. Some have argued that Christianity was founded in Paganism, while others have argued that it was merely a form of assimilation of Pagan beliefs and customs. There are others, however, who have argued that Christianity is fundamentally opposed to Paganism and that it is merely a coincidence that the two originate from similar ancient religious traditions.
The relationship between Christianity and Paganism is not a simple one and, many have argued, it is difficult to draw a conclusion without further research into the matter. For some, the relationship between Christianity and Paganism is of great significance and its history is worthy of study.
Whatever the true nature of this relationship, it is important to remember that pagan traditions are still present today. The reverence of nature, ancestor worship and seasonal festivals are still practiced by many religious and spiritual traditions around the world.
