Paganism

A religion other than one of the main world religions, specifically a non-Christian or pre-Christian religion.

History

Contemporary knowledge of old pagan religions and beliefs comes from several sources, including anthropological field research records, the evidence of archaeological artifacts, and the historical accounts of ancient writers regarding cultures known to Classical antiquity. Most modern pagan religions existing today express a worldview that is pantheistic, panentheistic, polytheistic, or animistic, but some are monotheistic.
In the time of the Roman empire, individuals fell into the "Pagan class" either because they were increasingly rural and provincial relative to the Christian population, or because they weren't soldiers of Christ. In the 14th century, the practice of witchcraft became defined as a crime of heresy, punishable by death. The rubric of witchcraft included a wide range of practices, including the folk healing and herbalism used by midwives.

Divine Origins

Gatherings of polytheistic believers go back as far as the Neolithic era, beginning around 10,000 BCE. 
Nature-based Pagans look back to prehistoric and historical agricultural societies for myths and rituals to enhance their relationship with the land. After Christianity came to power in the Roman Empire in the 4th century CE, non-Christian religions were gradually outlawed in empire-controlled lands. However, Christianity seems to have coexisted with indigenous polytheistic religion in the villages and the countryside for many centuries. Pagan practices were syncretized, or combined, with Christian ones. Popular indigenous festivals and holy days were adapted to Christianity, and some goddesses and gods were gradually incorporated into the world of Christian saints.

Tenets of Faith

Rites of birth and death, planting, harvest, and thanksgiving are among the most ancient known human religious expressions and often involve singing, dancing and feasting. Their practices connected to the cycle of life and the seasons of the year preceded Christianity by 10 millennia.

Please Remember:
Age of Clay is a fictional timeline.
Most of this information was adapted from historical records to match the plotline.

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Type

Religious, Coven

Notable Members

• Tonya Dimitriov