Native American "Indian" tribes usually did not choose the names we know them by, but were named by rival tribes, and those names were often derogatory. Likewise, pagan is not a name that we chose for ourselves, and it was not meant as a compliment. [1] In the contemporary Hellenic community, the word triggers varying reactions depending on who uses it (and who receives it). Many Hellenic polytheists refuse to identify with it for several reasons. It is usually in relationship to people outside the tradition that the objections arise. The word conjures images of "devil" worship and magic. Some Hellenic practitioners would prefer to refrain from using the word so as to distinguish themselves from other non-Christian groups such as Wicca, Neo-Druidism, Heathens, New Age practitioners, or even atheists, who are sometimes referred to as pagans.
In the West, we have these various words: pagan, Christian, and atheist. In the eyes of some Christians, all who do not worship their God are pagans. This is an indication of the weight that Christians give to the refusal to believe their doctrine. An interesting fact is that the term 'atheist' was first used by 'pagans' to describe Christians. Because adherents of the old religion were very pious, if someone refused to make even a tiny offering to the Gods and to, further, deny their existence, they were called atheists. [2]
One thing is quite certain. The first use of the word pagan in antiquity referred to worshipers of the ancient Gods, the Hellenic Gods in particular, of the Roman Empire. Jonathan Kirsch in his book God Against The Gods says " 'Pagan' is a word invented by early Christians to describe anyone who refused to recognize the Only True God, and no self-respecting pagan ever described himself as one." [3] Therefore, our tradition has more "claim" to this term than any religion or sect, whether desirable or not. According to Robin Lane Fox in Pagans and Christians, it was the Christians who first used the term to refer to the adherents of the old tradition: "Pagani were civilians who had not enlisted through baptism as soldiers (Latin: milites) of Christ against the powers of Satan." [4]
The word pagan comes from the Latin paganus. [1] According to Pierre Chuvin "A paganus is the inhabitant of a pagus, a country district, a man whose roots, unlike a soldier's, are where he lives." [5] Further, Chuvin goes on to say that pagans are those who "preserved their local customs, whereas the alieni, the 'people from elsewhere,' were increasingly Christian." [6] So, from Chuvin's idea, we see another dimension, not unlike the idea of ethnic, rather than a condescending concept. Yet he states that the use of the term is consistently pejorative. [1]
After Hellenismos was crushed by Christian oppression and laws, the term pagan began to take on the meaning of "peasant," not unlike the modern slang-word "hillbilly." This is due to the fact that in the final years the vast majority of practitioners of the ancient traditions were increasingly confined to rural areas, areas much more difficult for state and religious authority to control. In fact, the majority of 'pagans' at this time were indeed peasants, the intellectuals in the cities having been forced to convert or lose their property or even their lives. [7] This definition of pagan is particularly annoying to Hellenic worshipers, given that Hellenismos is a sophisticated tradition with considerable intellectual achievements, this definition seems quite off the point. As a matter of fact, the most prominent "pagans" were originally the intellectuals of ancient times, yielding doctors, poets, philosophers, mathematicians - in fact all of the vast wisdom of the ancient world was wrapped up in the tradition, but in late antiquity, the old beliefs were driven into pockets in the countryside.
In the contemporary world, the word presents problems. Some people like it while many do not. The definition "preserving one's customs" is very appealing, even though pagan may have had a more ethnic meaning originally. Accepting the term has some implication of honoring those who came before who suffered under it, but what of the fear it creates in the minds of people who have no idea of the high ethical standards of our tradition. If you call yourself pagan, the assumption is that you promote "evil" and believe in magic and superstition.
Another word from antiquity is Hellene. The word actually means, simply, "Greek" but during the Christian era, it came to have the same definition as pagan (also meaning "not-Roman"), with all the negative connotations and personal detriment that came with it. [8] During the period of the Crusades, the Byzantines suffered much at the hands of western countries, eventually losing Constantinople (regaining it later etc.). On account of this abuse, Greek-speaking peoples again began to adopt the term Hellene, with no connotation of belief in the ancient Gods, as a matter of pride. This tradition continues to this day in that Hellene simply means "Greek."
Other words and phrases have problems also. Some prefer the term Hellenist, but to the majority of people, a Hellenist is a classical scholar with no connotation of anything about worship or philosophy at all. Some use the term Hellene, but, as discussed above, after the Crusades, this means simply Greek, however, it does have precedent that some would appreciate: its use was encouraged by the emperor Julian. [9] Hellenic polytheist is a bit technical and is flawed merely for it's length. Some are using Hellenic Gentile to describe themselves. Gentile comes from the Latin gentilis, a clan or tribe. Although the word has come to mean "not Jewish," this was not it's original meaning (Wikipedia: Gentile). This author prefers OLYMPIAN. It commands strength and, at least for the meanwhile, inspires curiosity rather than a whole set of negatives.
On this website, the reader will frequently find the word pagan; this is for convenience more than anything else; it does not indicate approval or disapproval of the word.
NOTES:
[1] "...paganus, the root of 'pagan' as well as 'peasant,' is consistently pejorative.." (A Chronicle of the Last Pagans by Pierre Chuvin, 1990, Harvard University Press, p.7)
[2] "In the early Christian period, atheism, in our sense, was not an option. 'Atheists' were either Epicureans who denied the Gods' providence, but not their existence, or Jews and Christians who worshipped their own God, while denying everyone else's." (Pagans and Christians by Robin Lane Fox, 1986/1987, Knopf, p.30)
[3] God Against the Gods by Jonathan Kirsch, 2004, Viking Compass, p.14
[4] Pagans and Christians by Robin Lane Fox, 1986/1987, Knopf, pp.30-31
[5] A Chronicle of the Last Pagans by Pierre Chuvin, 1990, Harvard University Press, p.8 last paragraph
[6] Chuvin, p.9
[7] "Theod. xvi. ro . 4, 6), forbidding all sacrifices on pain of death, and still more by the statutes of Theodosius (Cod . Theod. xvi . 10 . 12) enacted in 392, in which sacrifice and divination were declared treasonable and punish-able with death; the use of lights, incense, garlands and libations was to involve the forfeiture of house and land where they were used; and all who entered heathen temples were to be fined ." (Classic Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition)
[8] " 'Hellene' in the sense of 'pagan' was as widely used by 'upholders of the ancient religion' as by their adversaries, with the occasional qualification of 'in matters of faith.' This term is deceptive, for in the mouths of Christians it seems to include in the same censure both paganism and Greco-Roman culture, whereas long before the fifth century both Christians and pagan admired and studied the same classical texts. As a matter of fact, the term Hellene had primarily negative implications: pagans were no longer 'Romans,' the legitimate heirs of the Empire." Chuvin, p.7
[9] The term Hellene was used by the emperor Julian, who tried to revive the ancient tradition: "He (ed. Julian) encouraged the Hellenes, the term he uses to describe what Christians called 'pagans,' to follow the Christian example in both chastity and philanthropy...." (God Against the Gods by Jonathan Kirsch, 2004, Viking Compass, p.255)
PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.
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