What is modern paganism: a Ronald Hutton lecture
The ritual year and modern Paganism
Hello friends. Today I wanted to share a recent lecture by Ronald Hutton, for Gresham College. Ronald Hutton is a leading historian of British folklore, the ritual year and Paganism. I have shared a post about The Wheel of the Year here, which also links to individual posts with journal prompts and reflections for each of the celebration days, but I also wanted to share something that is rooted in the anthropological understanding of Paganism. I firmly believe in having an embodied, here-and-now connection to earth based spirituality and practices so that we can find our own meaning, however it’s also really important to have an understanding of the history of these practices and how we have come to connect with them as Pagans in the modern world.
Many spiritual practices native to the British Isles have been lost over time due to centuries of cultural suppression, the rise of Christianity and the erosion of oral traditions. Indigenous belief systems, once deeply connected to the land and seasonal cycles, were gradually displaced or absorbed by institutional religious and colonial ideologies. In modern times, there has been a revival of interest in pre-Christian spirituality but much of what is practiced today, such as the Pagan Wheel of the Year, has roots not in ancient tradition, but in modern reinterpretations.
British Isles have been lost over time due to centuries of cultural suppression
The Wheel, popularised in the 1970s by figures like Gerald Gardner and the Wiccan movement, blends solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days drawn from various Celtic and Germanic sources, creating a pan-European framework that wouldn’t have historically existed in that form. Many of the symbols and festivals now associated with English paganism, like Imbolc, Beltane, and Samhain are appropriated from Celtic nations such as Ireland and Scotland, where oral traditions and cultural memory survived longer. This blending and reimagining, while offering meaningful spiritual pathways, also risks overshadowing the distinct identities and histories of the Celtic peoples from whom many of these traditions were borrowed.
You can learn more about modern paganism and earth based spirituality practices in the video lecture below. The lecture explores the following perspectives:
Modern Paganism is a group of religions that are inspired by pre-Christian European and Eastern beliefs. The UK Pagan Federation identifies three main features in modern paganism, which include honouring the Goddess or the divine feminine, honouring nature as divinity and honouring the autonomy through self-realisation and non-harm to others
Paganism can also include a focus on our individual spiritual development through ritual, ceremony, devotional practices, magical practices and collaborative relationships with deities
Rituals are central for many Pagans
Paganism is eclectic and many Pagans are influenced by diverse spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and modern feminist spirituality
Modern Paganism has three main forms: Wicca, Druidry, and shamanism
Paganism is, for the most part, a tolerant, diverse system that coexists peacefully with other beliefs
What is modern paganism? A lecture by Ronald Hutton.
You can watch the full video below. If you are looking to explore your experience through the lens of Paganism, I offer nature based therapy near Birmingham, as well as seasonal sound baths where we explore the energy of the wheel of the year through reflection, meditation and journalling. You can also sign up to my mailing list where I share upcoming offerings, as well as reflections about where we are in the year.
