The most often asked question in the Neopagan and magickal communities is "what is Paganism?" "Paganism" does not belong to any one alternative religion or standard of beliefs. There are many different pagan religions that people follow and practice today. Although the term "Pagan" seems to be owned by specific religious facets of the modern movement, in reality paganism is much more complex and diverse. Modern forms of paganism and pagan religions have different facets of belief and practice.
The definition of Paganism from Yahoo! American Heritage Dictionary is:
NOUN: 1. One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion.
2. One who has no religion.
3. A non-Christian.
4. A hedonist.
5. A Neo-Pagan.
ADJECTIVE: 1. Not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish.
2. Professing no religion; heathen.
3. Neo-Pagan.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, from Late Latin pgnus, from Latin, country-dweller, civilian, from pgus, country, rural district.
While many will read into it what they will, basically a "Pagan" and "Paganism" covers polytheism, atheism, someone with no religion spiritual or not, and a neopagan. And, someone who is not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. This leaves a lot to be explained as far as spiritual and religious beliefs, however, "pagan" was not a term that was meant to be used to describe one religion. It was a term that was meant to umbrella all other practices and beliefs besides Abrahamic religions.
This from Yahoo! American Heritage Dictionary: Any of various religious movements arising chiefly in the United Kingdom and the United States in the late 20th century that combine worship of pagan nature deities, particularly of the earth, with benign witchcraft.
Neopagan religions usually have various cores for religious expression, the two most common are - Reconstructionism of the actual beliefs of the pre-Christian cultures being adopted for religious beliefs; and Ritualistic Neopaganism, where celebrants include deities from many pre-Christian cultures to represent abstract ideas and principles of belief. Ritualist Neopaganism is common known as Wicca, but not all Ritualistic Neopagans are specifically Wiccan in religion.
The reason for the term "ritualistic" comes from the core focus on ritual, which serves as a base for religious expression. This type of ritual includes, but is not limited to calling the Watchtowers or quarters, working with Elemental energies and intelligences, and the Eight Sabbats known as the Wheel of the Year. Ritualistic Neopaganism often includes "deity types" into this basic foundation of spirituality. Reconstructionists study only one particular pre-Christian culture and tradition with the focus on history, quality of knowledge, and documented knowledge of beliefs; where Ritualistic Neopagans study a broader range of pre-Christian cultures, beliefs, and deities that fit into the abstract formulae of Wiccan-influenced religious belief. Many Ritualistic Neopagans are Wiccan, and many Ritualistic Neopagans are not Wiccan, but have a Wiccan ritual base and formulae of religion and holiday worship. Ritualistic Neopagans whom are not Wiccan usually refer to themselves as "Pagan," instead of Wiccan or Neopagan.
Many Ritualistic Neopagans also include aspects of Reconstructionism in their personal persuit of knowledge and understanding of their chosen spirituality. Historical knowledge of deities, culture, and cultural practices are valued.Most types of Neopagan religions are influenced by pre-Christian European cultural beliefs. Most Neopagans are caucasian and adherants are usually a part of the religion that relates the most to their ancestral lineage and bloodline.
Popular Types of Neopagan Religions:
Celtic Neopaganism - Religious beliefs of deities and customs that are included in modern ritualistic neopaganism, or reconstruction of the pre-Christian Celtic culture and beliefs.
Norse/Scandinavian Neopaganism - Religious beliefs of deities and customs that are included in modern ritualistic neopaganism, or reconstruction of the pre-Christian Norse culture and beliefs.
Greek Neopaganism - Religious beliefs of deities and customs that are included in modern ritualistic neopaganism, or reconstruction of the pre-Christian Greek and Hellenic culture and beliefs.
Slavic Neopaganism - Religious beliefs of deities and customs that are included in modern ritualistic neopaganism, or reconstruction of the pre-Christian Greek and Hellenic culture and beliefs.
Neopagan beliefs are commonly used in the practice of modern Wiccan-influenced ritualistic witchcraft. However, not all witchcraft used by Neopagans is Wiccan-influenced. Many witches are influenced in practice by Reconstructing actual magick and spells used in their culture of religious study. Not all Pagans are witches, and not all witches are Pagans. If you'd like to learn more specifically about witchcraft traditions, check out Witchvox Trad Pages for further information of witchcraft traditions.
The term mesopaganism comes from a combination between the word "meso-" (Yahoo! American Heritage Dictionary) which means "in the middle, or intermediary" and pagan, which we already know of as religious beliefs that are not Abrahamic. Mesopaganism exists today, although it's much less heard about in the magickal communities due to the politics of Neopagan viewpoints towards Abrahamic religions. Mesopagans are the kind of modern American pagans that mix both Abrahamic beliefs with Pagan beliefs, practice, and religions. Mesopagans are not to be confused with Christian witches or Jewish witches. While some Christian witches do combine their beliefs with Pagan spirituality, other Christian witches may not. Mesopagan directly relates to a mixture specifically of Abrahamic and pagan religious beliefs, not the practice of witchcraft itself.
Popular Types of Mesopaganism:
Judeopaganism - A mixture of Jewish religious beliefs and religio-cultural beliefs of pre-Jewish Arabic, Sumerian, or Cannanite paganism. Jewish mysticism, such as the Kaballa, is also included by some Judeopagans.
Christo-paganism - A mixture of Christian beliefs and religio-cultural beliefs of pre-Catholic and early Catholic spirituality related to Hellenistic deities, Celtic deities, and historical basis of Saints and Christ. Elements of cermonial magick and folk magick is also included by some Christopagans.
Christian Wicca - A mixture between Christian deity beliefs and Wiccan religious formulae and religion.
Classical New Age - A mixture between Spiritualist beliefs and Eastern philosophies, otherwise known as Theosophy. Theosophy embraces both Abrahamic deistic beliefs with pagan beliefs. However, other classical New Agers are also Spiritualists.
Left-hand Path Paganism is a type of religious standard which believes in Humanistic-type philosophies, expression of the self, individuality, and self-development. Left-Hand Path paganism usually includes facing one's fears, deprogramming from Abrahamic cultural ideals, and questioning authority and thinking for oneself. Also known as "Dark Paganism," Left-hand Path paganism embraces religious beliefs of both Neopagan and Satanism.
Dark Neopaganism - the religious study and worship of dark deities, or the darker aspects of certain deities from pre-Christian cultural beliefs.
Left-Hand Path - a personal spirituality or religious viewpoint that centers primarily around the self, sacred sexuality and Tantra, and the energies of the Feminine known as Vama Marga.
Dark Gnosticism - a religion or philosophy that focuses on the Gnostic beliefs of Jesus and Lucifer.
Yezidic Satanic Paganism - a modernized, Left-hand Path form of neopagan and Satanic elements that focus on the beliefs of the Yezidic peoples. Yezidic religious beliefs, however, are viewed as a form of deism.
Luciferianism - An aspect of Satanic religions that focuses on Lucifer as the "light bringer," encouraging free thinking, freedom, and enlightement.
Satanism - a religion or philosophy that focuses on the figure of Satan, and sometimes Lilith. You can find my personal overview of Satanic religions here.
Chaos pagan religions include modern pagan religions that cannot be classified in any of the above categories. They are neither right-hand path, or left-hand path. They are neither mesopagan nor neopagan. Chaos pagan religions, are without a doubt the most interesting - their beliefs question ALL the status quos, and the need for any religious structure to engage in spirituality.
Eris - Eris, the Goddess of Discord that is the founding basis of Discordianism and Erisian religions.
Discordian Religion - parody/chaotic religion aschewing structure and "Truth."
Chaos Magick - the practice of magick without a specific set of beliefs, focusing on practice and technique of one's magickal abilities.
Order ov ChAos - "This sublime paradox is at the crux of the Order of Chaos, an organization/disorganization of magicians, artists and musicians who acknowledge this duality and sometimes even manage to transcend it!".
Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth - "exists to promote a system ov functional, demystified magick, utilising both pagan and modern techniques.".