#revivalist

[sillysybilsden]

Ehilà, viaggiatore

Hey there, traveller

Dedicated to my twin Lares.

Foreword

Hello there! It's me, the Silly Sybil (fka Clever Crow). I've been wanting to do this post for months, but life got in the way and I eventually forgot about it. But hey: better late than never, right?

Now, to the post.

In this foreword, I do want to address the nature of my resources. In fact, I am not writing all of this off of articles or academic works, but off of a questionnaire I had published back in July 2023. The answers given by fellow pagans are the main resources for this blog, whose objective is that of determining the main characteristics of two different approaches to lost practices: reconstructionism and revivalism.

Why choose such a peculiar approach to resources? Reconstructionism and revivalism are part of a spectrum, which can be intended and defined differently by different practitioners. Every pagan will have a slightly different idea of these terms. That means that these labels do not have a universal meaning - there is no institution recognised worldwide that gives us the requirements to be a revivalist or a reconstructionist: it is up to the practitioner and their understanding of the term. This is the reason why I've decided to opt for a form rather than articles as a resource. After all, who, better than a pagan who lives and practices paganism daily, can instruct us about paganism-related terms?

One last important thing I want to do is introduce you to our “cast”* - the wonderful pagans who took the time to compile the form, that is:

➳ anonymous contibutor (revivalist)

➳ Dead (revivalist)

➳ Guenevere (reconstructionist)

➳ Magpie (reconstructionist)

I do feel like thanking the people above is the least I can do. For this reason, I thank all of those who participated from the bottom of my heart: this post wouldn't exist without you.

*The "cast" is formed by aquaintances from a closed Amino community.

On paganism

In order to understand the definition of paganism-related labels, we must first define paganism. My personal research led me to two definitions I will provide you with:

An umbrella-term that indicates non-Abrahamic religions*;

An umbrella-term that indicates religions that are not main world religions**.

The options above might seem similar - if not identical. However, the subtle difference between them is extremely important.

According to Dr. Angela Puca¹, pagan beliefs/religions show the following characteristics:

A polytheistic and animistic approach to spirituality;

A direct relationship with the divine - which sometimes translates with little interest to scriptures and interactions in a non-institutionalised way;

The belief of immanence - the belief that the divine is everywhere and, thus, is not external to the natural world but within the same;

As a consequence of (3.), the reverence for everything as everything holds divine power.

For the reasons above, pagans are very likely to believe in magick - if not practice it. Quoting Dr. Puca, one could say that some of the most popular beliefs that fall under paganism are “Wicca/Witchcraft, Druidry, Heathernry, Asatrù, Goddess worship, ethnic reconstructions and other animist earth-based traditions”.

Now that we have defined, very broadly, what paganism is, let us get to reconstructionism and revivalism.

*Abrahamic religions include Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

**Main world religions include, among the others, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.

On reconstructionism

“Reconstructionism is about recreating an ancient or dead religion as closely as possible to the original source. This means learning about, understanding, and incorporating historical traditions. Being a Reconstructionist involves a lot of time and research.” - Magpie

“A reconstructionist seeks to find the historic pieces of practice and remain true to that as best they can.” - Guevevere

As the two members of the cast above already said ever-so-clearly, reconstructionism puts a lot of emphasis on historical accuracy - which revivalism also does but to a lesser extent, as we will see later on. The key characteristic of this approach to pagan traditions is the will to practice a dead religion as it was by ancient peoples.

For example: a modern Hellenic polytheist who considers themselves a reconstructionist will do a ritual as a 3rd century BCE Hellenic polytheist would have - if that is indeed the era they mean to reconstruct: the same pagan religion can show different characteristics depending on the century.

The modern reconstructionist practitioner will not alter the rituals and, sometimes, nor will they attempt to fill the gaps with their own UPG*². For this reason, many reconstructionists affirm that it takes a lot of time and research for them to add new practices to their own, as they must research thoroughly the subject and reconstruct it exclusively thanks to historical accounts - for this reason, they rely on academical and primary resources**. Sometimes, if gaps make it impossible to reconstruct a, say, ritual, reconstructionists might decide not to include it in its entirety - in place of, as said before, use any UPG to fill said gaps.

*Unverified Personal Gnosis: a belief that is not backed up by mythos and is exclusively theorized/recognised by the single practitioner.

**Primary resources: texts that were written in the historical period that one is researching. Eg: Saint Augustine of Hippo's texts are a primary resource to those who are researching 4th/5th century Christianity.

On revivalism

“Revivalism is a sort of subcategory of Reconstruction. It has the same goals and also has an emphasis on historical accuracy but tends to be on the less strict side and not as culturally focused*. While Recon. as a whole would include people that expect near-total adherence to historically or culturally attested practices, Revivalism is more theologically focused and has more room for adaptation to one's existing culture and environment. *cultural context is still important, revivalism just doesn't expect participation/membership to a specific culture.” - Dead

“Revivalists keep a sense of tradition within their practice but still allow room for UPG/SPG* and modern practices while still keeping it within the religion.” - anonymous contributor

As we anticipated before, revivalism, too, heavily focuses on historical accuracy. However, there is more room to add one's personal beliefs and/or alter some parts of the practice. This is the very big - and very important - difference between the two approaches: while reconstructionism hardly accepts UPG or SPG to fill the gaps - and, so, adjust part of a practice to one's needs/beliefs -, revivalism is much more flexible on that bit.

For example: a modern Gaulish polytheist who considers themselves a revivalist might decide to fill the gaps given by the little - and biased - resources on their practice by adding their own UPG to what is already historically attested.

Just because revivalism accepts UPG and SPG, it doesn't mean that it is a less-demanding approach than reconstructionism. In fact, it does require the same amount of research and of digging into academic and primary texts. Revivalism is about *adapting* an historical practice; it is not about eradicating it from its original historical and/or cultural context, which has to be researched nonetheless. One could say that revivalists want to reconstruct ancient practices as if they were never destroyed in the first place, taking into account the evolutions such practices would have gone through in the contemporary world. Thus, using one of the examples above, if I am a revivalist I am not practicing Hellenic polytheism as a 3rd century BCE polytheist would have, but I am practicing it as a potential 2024 Hellenic polytheist would have after all of the probable changes religion could have gone through.

To better explain the difference between reconstructionism and revivalism: Roman deities used to be offered incense and wine. If I were to use a reconstructionist approach, I might want to stick to these offerings as they are two of the few offerings that are historically attested. If I were to use a revivalist approach, I might prefer using incense or wine, but I could opt for a strawberry beverage from time to time.

*Shared Personal Gnosis: a belief that is not backed up by mythos and is exclusively theorized/recognised by a group of practitioners.

Conclusion

I personally, to this day, do not know whether to consider myself a reconstructionist or a revivalist. That is because, depending on the pagan community you're interacting with, the "requirements" to label yourself as reconstructionist or revivalist might change - and this is something I already mentioned in the foreword. What I - and the other contributors - tried to do is give you some very broad guidelines in order to let you establish whether you fall under one or the other category.

If you do not find any of these two approaches fitting for you, there is no need to worry: as I stated in the foreword, we are talking about a spectrum. Some people lean towards one of the two extremes of this spectrum and there might be people who find themselves outside of it, which is valid nonetheless.

This being said, I thank you all for reading this blog. Let me know in the comments whether you describe yourself as a reconstructionist, a revivalist or something else entirely!

Wish you a pleasant day/evening/night.

The Silly Sybil

Resources

Informative

¹ Dr. Angela Puca's video on paganism

² Dead's post on UPG and SPG

Paintings

¹ "Priestess of Delphi" by John Collier

² "Magic Circle" by John William Waterhouse

³ "Roman Woman Lighing a Lamp at the Home Altar" by Stephan Wladilawowitsch Bakalowicz

[byfaithmedia]

[tmarshconnors]

"Since the Bible is God's Word, we shouldn't be surprised if Satan tries to convince us otherwise."

William Franklin Graham Jr. was an American evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister and civil rights advocate whose broadcasts and world tours featuring live sermons became well known in the mid- to late 20th century.

Born: 7 November 1918, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Died: 21 February 2018 (age 99 years), Montreat, North Carolina, United States

Renowned Evangelist: Billy Graham was one of the most influential Christian evangelists of the 20th century. He preached to over 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories, spreading his message of Christianity and salvation through large-scale revival meetings and crusades.

Advisor to Presidents: Graham served as a spiritual advisor to several U.S. presidents, from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. He was often called "America's Pastor" and provided counsel to leaders during times of crisis, including offering prayers at presidential inaugurations and national events.

Television and Radio Pioneer: Graham was a pioneer in using media to spread his message. His radio program, "Hour of Decision," began in 1950 and reached millions of listeners weekly. He also launched a television ministry that brought his crusades into homes across the United States and around the world.

Founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA): In 1950, Graham founded the BGEA, which became a major force in global evangelism. The organization produced numerous films, publications, and television programs aimed at spreading the Christian gospel.

Author and Writer: Billy Graham authored 33 books, many of which became bestsellers. His writings covered a range of topics, from spiritual growth to personal testimonies and reflections on his life and ministry. Notable works include "Just As I Am," his autobiography, and "Peace with God."

[just-a-simple-wanderer]

I feel like I’m a neopaganist leaning revivalist. I prefer having some sources to my spirituality, know what epithets and favored offerings belong to which deity, but I’m not super internally motivated. I like having people around to ask questions and connect with.

Neopagans, reconstructionists, and revivalists, oh my!

As we’ve discussed before, “pagan” is an umbrella term that actually encompasses a wide range of traditions. Not all pagans believe the same things, worship the same gods, or conceptualize those gods the same way.

Within the bigger pagan umbrella, there are three smaller umbrellas that can be useful for classifying pagan worship: neopagan, reconstructionist, and revivalist. These labels describe different approaches to ancient pagan religion and different ways of incorporating paganism into daily life. It’s important to remember that words like “neopagan” or “reconstructionist” refer to someone’s practice and not necessarily to their beliefs.

A neopagan is someone who takes inspiration from ancient pagan religions, but does not try to recreate those religions in their practice. For example, a neopagan might feel a strong connection to the Roman gods, but they don’t necessarily observe all the intricacies of Roman ritual (and believe me, there’s a lot — Roman polytheism is where Catholicism gets a lot of its formal structure) in their practice. They’re comfortable making things up as they go along, combining concepts from different historical sources, and practicing a thoroughly modern type of paganism. You could say that neopagans strive to capture the spirit of ancient paganism, but do so in a very 21st-century way.

Neopagans are more likely to be monists than hard polytheists, and may even use pagan-style ritual as a means to connect to a single divine Source rather than a specific deity. Neopagan groups often place a great emphasis on reverence for nature and strive to live in harmony with the natural world. Neopagans are sometimes described as practicing “Earth-centered religion.”

The most famous neopagan faith is Wicca. Rather than being a recreation of an ancient religion, Wicca combines concepts from these religions (particularly Celtic and Germanic paganism) with elements of ceremonial magic and Western occultism. Wiccans worship the God and Goddess, personifications of the masculine and feminine sides of the divine Source, and many covens have their own unique mythology to describe the interactions between the God and Goddess through the cycle of the seasons. Wiccans tend to play fast and loose with historical sources, or may not include any historical elements in their practice at all. This is a good example of what a neopagan practice might look like.

On the exact opposite end of the spectrum are reconstructionists, who strive to recreate or “reconstruct” ancient religion. If you can’t do anything without reading three books about it first, you might be a reconstructionist. Jokes aside, reconstructionists seek to emulate a historical religion as closely as possible. Reconstructive practice is very research-heavy, and revolves around recreations of ancient rituals based on historical sources. There is a great emphasis on connecting to and honoring the ancient culture being reconstructed. Some reconstructionists may even learn ancient languages for use in ritual.

Reconstructionists may be monists, hard polytheists, or somewhere in between depending on the religion they are reconstructing. Their values, beliefs, and practices also depend on the culture being reconstructed. A Hellenic reconstructionist will have very different beliefs and practices from an Irish reconstructionist, for example.

Nova Roma is an example of a reconstructionist faith. According to their website, “Founded 2,750 years after the Eternal City itself, Nova Roma seeks to bring back those golden times, not through the sword and the legions, however, but through the spread of knowledge and through our own virtuous example… The modern practice of the Roman religion, the Cultus Deorum Romanorum is our attempt to reconstruct the religion of the ancient Romans as closely as possible.” Members of Nova Roma choose a Roman name for use in ritual — and those rituals are as close as possible to the rites of Imperial Rome. They even have communal religious spaces built to resemble Roman temples!

One important note about reconstruction: it’s impossible to do it perfectly. No matter which historical culture you’re reconstructing, there will likely be some gaps (possibly very large gaps) in our knowledge of their religion. No matter how much research you do, you will sometimes have to use your best guess.

While reconstruction seeks to recreate ancient religion, it is not all about looking backwards. No matter how closely you recreate Egyptian religion, you can never have the same thoughts, experiences, or worldview as an ancient Egyptian peasant. Even the most hardcore reconstructionist has to adapt their religion to fit a modern lifestyle. As author Morgan Daimler points out, “reconstruction is understanding the old pagan religion so that we can envision what it would have been like if it had never been interrupted by foreign influences and had continued to exist until today.”

I like to think of revivalists as the halfway point between neopagans and reconstructionists. Revivalists seek to recreate the spirit of a specific ancient religion, but they may not necessarily reconstruct all of the practices associated with that religion. Revivalists are much more concerned with theology and upholding ancient cultural/religious values than they are with dogma or practice.

Like reconstructionists, revivalists’ beliefs depend on the ancient culture they are seeking to revive. Also like reconstructionists, revivalists do a lot of research — however, their research acts more as inspiration or general guidelines than as something that has to be followed to the letter. Like neopagans, revivalists are very much practicing a modern religion.

Going back to our example of Roman paganism, a Roman revivalist will strive to uphold Roman values in their daily life, like xenia (roughly translated as “hospitality,” though that is an oversimplification). They likely worship the Roman gods, but may do so in a more informal way than Nova Roma or other reconstructionists. They may include some historic elements in their rituals, like wearing a head covering and making burnt offerings — but the ritual will likely be performed in their native language. Revivalists are all about taking the big ideas of ancient religion and adapting them for modern life.

The line between revival and reconstruction is not always clearly defined. Many revivalists use reconstruction in some areas of their faith, and every reconstructionist is a revivalist when they have to fill in gaps in historical knowledge of their religion. The distinction really lies in how closely you want to follow ancient traditions.

Each of these approaches to paganism has its benefits and its drawbacks. Different approaches work better for different people — a lot of it comes down to personality and preference. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the obvious pros and cons of each approach.

PROS of neopaganism:

Because this is by far the most widely practiced type of paganism, there is an abundance of beginner-friendly literature available for new neopagans.

Because of its popularity and flexibility, it’s usually fairly easy to find a neopagan group to worship with, either in person or online.

Neopaganism allows for a lot of experimentation and personal exploration. You are free to incorporate whatever elements work for you.

CONS of neopaganism

Ironically, an abundance of literature also means there are a lot of bad neopagan resources floating around. Newcomers should take care in choosing the books they read on the subject.

Some people become frustrated with the lack of structure in many neopagan traditions.

It can sometimes feel like there are no “real” right answers, since neopaganism relies heavily on personal truth.

PROS of reconstruction

Reconstructing an ancient religion provides a sense of structure.

Choosing to focus on a specific religion/culture can lead to a deep feeling of connection to that culture. This can be especially powerful for pagans who feel disconnected from their cultural heritage.

Because reconstruction seeks to recreate ancient religion, it’s easy to find other people who practice the same way you do, at least online.

CONS of reconstruction

Reconstruction is largely based on primary sources, so reconstructionists will likely have to read dense, academic, and/or archaic literature at some point.

Unless you live in a big city, it may be hard to find an in-person community that shares your beliefs and practices.

Focus on a single culture means there is less room for experimentation. You can still incorporate elements from other traditions, but only if they don’t contradict your existing beliefs.

PROS of revival

Revival allows pagans to feel a close connection to an ancient culture, while also allowing them freedom to customize their path.

Allows practitioners to be their own priest/priestess and make their own decisions regarding their practice.

Provides a middle ground between the fluidity of neopaganism and the stricture of reconstruction.

CONS of revival

Because every revivalist practices differently, it can be very hard to find a group to worship with, online or in person, without having to make compromises.

Like reconstructionists, revivalists will occasionally have to do some difficult reading.

Because this path is so often solitary, it can be hard to stick with it if you aren’t good at keeping yourself motivated.

If you are considering becoming pagan, take a moment to think about which of these approaches appeals most to you. Are you most attracted to neopaganism, reconstruction, or revival?

Don’t just think about which approach sounds the best, but think about which one is most practical for you. Do you need the external motivation of a group to keep you on the right track, or are you very internally motivated? Do you like following instructions, or do you prefer to make things up as you go? Do you feel a strong connection to a specific ancient culture, or do you feel more connected to nature itself? All of these questions can help guide you towards the right approach for your practice.

Resources:

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham

Nova Roma’s website, novaroma.org

Irish Paganism: Reconstructing Irish Polytheism by Morgan Daimler

The Way of Fire and Ice by Ryan Smith

[olympianbutch]

Tending the dining room altar. :)

[leenfiend]

you single handedly revived klance

omg hahahaha THANK YOU i definitely can't in good conscious take all the credit but if u say so......

[highropoios]

How do I explain that while—yes—Greeks do exist, the vast majority (and of course I’m including the diaspora) either (a) don’t care about, or (b) even know modern Hellenic polytheism is practiced today.

I agree with the base sentiment that “when engaging with Greek culture (ancient or modern), it is good to be aware of + respectful towards Greek people.” That’s awesome! 👍🏻 It's so awesome that I encourage applying this same sentiment to all other cultures you’re able / invited to engage with! :)

That same base sentiment can be and has been twisted into a pretzel and salted with straight-up ethnonationalism, though.

Be aware of + respectful towards Greeks when engaging with Greek culture. But also be aware of the fact that there are ethnonationalists running in Hellenic polytheist spaces.

They will twist seemingly innocuous ideas in order to declare indigeneity and primacy over Greek culture. They will deny Greeks their ethnicity because—according to them—“true Greeks can’t be Christian/Muslim/Jewish/mixed/etc.” And they will deny non-Greeks the opportunity to engage with the culture, especially if it’s in a way that even slightly diverges from their very sad idea of ““““true”””” Hellenism.

Being aware and informed goes hand-in-hand with being respectful.

[shiranaia]

is okami tumblr a thing. i’m grasping at straws here

[oinonsana]

"religion has done this to me and i think religion is good for these things and bad for other things" *is specifically talking about christianity*

[snackugaki]

tmnt au doodlz

[morselmint]

Leto - Divine Mother of Twins

Dark-veiled Leto, revered goddess,

mother of twins,

great-souled daughter of Koios,

queen to whom many pray,

to your lot fell the birth pains

for Zeus’ fair children,

you bore Phoibos

and arrow-pouring Artemis,

her on Ortygia,

him on rocky Delos.

Hear, lady goddess,

come with favor in your heart

to bring a sweet end

to this all-holy rite.

Orphic Hymn - To Leto

[byfaithmedia]

This 🙌🏻 Read More: https://byfaith.org/product/rees-howells-life-of-faith-intercession- 

[tmarshconnors]

"There are a lot of Christians who are halfway fellows. They stand in the door, holding on to the Church with one hand while they play with the toys of the world with the other. They are in the doorway and we can't bring sinners in."

Mordecai Fowler Ham Jr., was an American Independent Baptist evangelist and temperance movement leader.

Born: 2 April 1877, Allen County, Kentucky, United States

Died: 1 November 1961, Louisville, Kentucky, United States

1)Revival Meetings: Mordecai Ham conducted numerous revival meetings throughout the United States, particularly in the Southern states, during the first half of the 20th century. These meetings were characterized by fervent preaching, emotional worship, and a focus on personal salvation.

2) Famous Convert: Billy Graham: One of the most notable aspects of Mordecai Ham's legacy is his influence on a young Billy Graham. In 1934, Billy Graham attended one of Ham's revival meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina, and made a commitment to Christianity during that event. This encounter played a pivotal role in shaping Graham's future as one of the most well-known Christian evangelists in the world.

3) Controversial Methods: Ham was known for using strong and controversial language during his sermons. His preaching style was passionate and sometimes fiery, which led to both acclaim and criticism. Despite the controversy, his charismatic approach drew large crowds to his revival meetings.

4) Educational Background: Mordecai Ham attended Wake Forest College (now Wake Forest University) in North Carolina. He initially aspired to become a lawyer but later felt a calling to Christian ministry, leading to his decision to become an evangelist.

5) Later Years: After several decades of active evangelism, Ham continued to be involved in ministry and preaching into his later years. He passed away in 1961. While he may not be as widely known as some other evangelists, his impact on individuals like Billy Graham and his contributions to the evangelical movement have left a lasting legacy.

[songsofbloodandwater]

Witches, I'm going to need you all to learn to discern the type of source you're getting your information from, and what kind of biases are associated with it. Don't just gobble it up because it's a "historical source" or from some sort of anthropological source either.

Historical sources are great. But if the person you're taking as an authority to learn from, is someone originally from a different country and culture to the one you intend to learn, someone that talks about it in third person all the time, practically reading word for word from a christian missionary's manuscript about pre-christian traditions and beliefs, and a translation at that? because they admit that don't even speak the native language of that tradition or culture...?

They may be very well researched, on english sources at least. But I still wouldn't take them as a proper authority on the matter. They're speaking from what they've read from very biased sources. That's practically hearsay. They're not first hand experiences. Not even second-hand, because it's what an outsider to that culture saw, and very likely misinterpreted, because of their own cultural differences as an outsider, and then may even have altered some more because of their goal as a missionary. An here you come, modern reader, to try to interpret these older texts with your modern eyes, maybe even from a completely different culture to the first two involved aswell, making it a double or triple conundrum of time, culture and sociohistorical context, yet again. That is, without taking into account your own individual biases towards the text you're reading and what you expect to find, or do, for your own personal goals. Multiply all that for the amount of people standing between you, and that original first-hand account. You see the problem?

The least the author can do in such cases (because sometimes, that third-hand account really is all we have access to in the present) is 1) acknowledge how the sources they're using are biased, and 2) beware the reader on how those biases may have affected the material you're reading, to somehow be able to infer what the original would've looked like without that effect. You may want to take it a step further and consider your own sociocultural position, and how it could affect your personal interpretation upon reading it. If the author(s) don't even mention biases...? and even try to pass it all off as "certainty"...? 🚩🚩🚩

Take everything from that author with a mountain of salt. Consider it entertainment, maybe inspiration, anything except treating it as "professional" or "expert work"... as I see some people doing.

And always prioritize first-hand sources. Always. Prioritize. First. Hand. Sources. Talk to a native from that area, learn the language of the culture or tradition you're interested in, really immerse yourself in it, and you'll have an easier time spotting bullshit.

[taste-in-music]

some songs for late summer