paganism
Pagan politics are not as uniform (or liberal) as you think
By Heather Greene — May 26, 2021
(RNS) — One of the few formal surveys of this understudied religious population found pagans' political leanings to be hard to pin down.
Folk healers create modern techniques from their ancestors’ lost lore
By Isaiah Murtaugh — May 13, 2021
(RNS) — A collective of healers and practitioners is revisiting ancestral practices to become ‘ancestors for the future.’
Pagan ‘metaphysical’ shops navigate threats from Christian critics
By Heather Greene — May 7, 2021
(RNS) — Selling herbs, crystals and spiritual guides, metaphysical shops are often perceived, especially by conservative Christians, as exotic, devoted to the so-called dark arts and, often, a threat. It's frequently those Christians who threaten them.
Pagan sues Panera Bread Company alleging religious discrimination
By Heather Greene — March 27, 2021
(RNS) — A former baker for the chain said she was told that she 'needed to find God,' according to a court filing.
End-of-pandemic hopes rise, just in time for pagan holiday Ostara
By Antonio Pagliarulo — March 19, 2021
(RNS) — Buzz on social media is forecasting a more robust celebration this year for Ostara, the pagan holiday adapted as Easter by Christians.
Convictions upheld for British pagans who trespassed at Stonehenge
By Emily McFarlan Miller — March 11, 2021
(RNS) — Lawyers for Lisa Mead, Maryam Halcrow and Angel Grace argued the trio had a ‘reasonable excuse’ to enter a restricted area at the prehistoric monument, based on their religious beliefs.
Imbolc’s celebration of hearth and home resonates with Pagans in a pandemic year
By Emily McFarlan Miller — February 1, 2021
(RNS) — Many Imbolc traditions revolve around the Celtic goddess Brigid, who shares the sabbat's associations with transformation, inspiration, wisdom, fertility and the hearth fire, among other things.
Heathens condemn storming of Capitol after Norse religious symbols appear amid mob
By Emily McFarlan Miller — January 8, 2021
(RNS) — Lea Svendsen, a heathen author, said it was 'heartbreaking' to see her articles of faith at the center of the violence.
Taylor Swift’s ‘witchy’ new album fuels speculation about her interest in the craft
By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 22, 2020
(RNS) — It’s unclear if Swift’s most recent references to witchcraft are simply part of the ‘cottagecore’ aesthetic of her 2020 twin albums or more personal commentary on her spirituality.
Yule traditions new and old wish good riddance to 2020 at the winter solstice
By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 19, 2020
(RNS) — The symbolism of the solstice resonates at the end of a dark, difficult year punctuated by a pandemic, political protests and a presidential election.
Author Kristen J. Sollée takes a journey to the ‘witchy history places’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 30, 2020
(RNS) — Kristen J. Sollée's book 'Witch Hunt' is part travelogue, part memoir, with a dash of historical fiction, and it comes at a time when, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, readers aren't able to travel.
Celtic spirituality draws pagans and Christians alike
By Eric Berger — August 17, 2018
(RNS) — 'It’s a big-tent spirituality,' said book editor Brandenburgh, 'so it’s something that not only Roman Catholics and mainline Protestants feel comfortable with, but it’s also something that is of interest to the neo-pagans of the world, many of the New Age types.'
Is Tumblr witchcraft feminism – or cultural appropriation?
By Aysha Khan — October 27, 2017
(RNS) — A perfect storm of Instagram-era online branding combined with leftist political posturing has made witchcraft the latest victim of cultural appropriation.
Signs and wonder: How people of different faiths view the total solar eclipse
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 18, 2017
(RNS) — On Monday, a solar eclipse will darken skies across the United States, crossing from coast to coast for the first time since 1918. Some people of faith see it as a sign warning of God's judgment on America; others, as cause to wonder at the glory of God in creation.
Satanism 101: The ‘faith’ behind the headlines
By Cathy Lynn Grossman — May 13, 2014
They're devil worshippers. No, they're atheists. They're witches. Well, maybe, but not Wiccan. A quick look at Satanists, who currently worship controversial headlines.
