Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

MESO-PAGANISM

A general term for a variety of movements both organized and non-organized, started as attempts to recreate, revive or continue what their founders thought were the best aspects of the Paleo-Pagan ways of their ancestors (or predecessors), but which were heavily influenced (accidentally, deliberately and/or involuntarily) by concepts and practices from the mono-theistic, dualistic, or non-theistic worldviews of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or early Buddhism.

Examples of Meso-Pagan belief systems would include Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, Spiritualism, etc., as well as those forms of Druidry influenced by those movements, the many Afro-Diasporatic faiths (such as Voudoun, Santeria, Candomble, etc.), Sikhism, several sects of Hinduism that have been influenced by Islam and Christianity, Mahayana Buddhism, Aleister Crowley's religion/philosophy of Thelema, Asatru (Norse Paganism), most "Family Traditions" of Witchcraft (those that aren't completely fake), and most orthodox (aka "British Traditionalist") Traditions of Wicca.

Also included as Meso-Pagans would be the so-called "Christo-Pagans," those who call themselves "Mono-theist Pagans," and perhaps Setians, though this a mater of debate even within the Neo-Pagan community.

Some Meso-Pagan belief systems may be racist, sexist, homophobic, etc though this is certainly not always the case.

see also: PALEO-PAGANISM, NEO-PAGANISM.

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc