The first comprehensive study of its kind, this fully illustrated book establishes Paganism as a persistent force in European history with a profound influence on modern thinking.
From the serpent goddesses of ancient Crete to modern nature-worship and the restoration of the indigenous religions of eastern Europe, this wide-ranging book offers a rewarding new perspective of European history.
In this definitive study, Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick draw together the fragmented sources of Europe's native religions and establish the coherence and continuity of the Pagan world vision. Exploring Paganism as it developed from the ancient world through the Celtic and Germanic periods, the authors finally appraise modern Paganism and its apparent causes as well as addressing feminist spirituality, the heritage movement, nature-worship and `deep' ecology
This innovative and comprehensive history of European Paganism will provide a stimulating, reliable guide to this popular dimension of religious culture for the academic and the general reader alike.
`This a timely book. ... It synthesizes recent scholarship; it gives fresh insights in many areas and it includes a good bibliography to guide further reading.' - Jane Shaw Theology`Destined to become a sourcebook and a central text in the `ancient or modern' debate about Paganism ... If you only buy one book this year, buy this one. Stunning!` - Pagan Voice`This book provides a wide-ranging overview of a fascinating aspect of Europe's history ... a must for anyone interested in the history of ideas and religious systems.' - Miranda Green, University of Wales, Cardiff
