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Modern paganism and New Age
Contributed by: Chadwick
  • 1. What is the common term used to describe the modern revival of ancient pagan beliefs and practices?
A) Monotheism
B) Polytheism
C) Neopaganism
D) Atheism
  • 2. What is the term used to describe the practice of using crystals for healing and spiritual purposes in New Age beliefs?
A) Gemstone Rituals
B) Crystal Healing
C) Mineral Therapy
D) Stone Magic
  • 3. What is the term used to describe the spiritual journey of self-discovery and personal growth in New Age spirituality?
A) Rebirth
B) Awakening
C) Revival
D) Renewal
  • 4. Which historical figure is often credited with popularizing modern paganism in the 20th century?
A) Gerald Gardner
B) Socrates
C) Plato
D) Isaac Newton
  • 5. What is the name of the modern pagan holiday that celebrates the spring equinox?
A) Ostara
B) Imbolc
C) Litha
D) Samhain
  • 6. What is the practice of using the alignment of celestial bodies to gain insight or guidance in New Age beliefs called?
A) Alchemy
B) Cosmology
C) Astronomy
D) Astrology
  • 7. Which of the following is a common ritual in modern paganism?
A) Baptism
B) Communion
C) Casting a Circle
D) Burning Incense
  • 8. Which of the following symbols is commonly associated with modern paganism?
A) Star of David
B) Crescent Moon
C) Pentacle
D) Cross
  • 9. When did New Age teachings primarily emerge?
A) After World War I
B) During the Renaissance
C) In the 18th and 19th centuries
D) In the second half of the 20th century
  • 10. What is a common characteristic of New Age teachings?
A) Emphasis on material concerns
B) Revival of historical pagan beliefs
C) Focus on community ceremonies
D) Millenarian ideas about spiritual advancement
  • 11. What do modern pagans commonly attribute wisdom to?
A) Scientific discoveries
B) Modern technology
C) Past cultures
D) Future human consciousness
  • 12. How do New Age proponents view the physical existence?
A) They ignore it entirely
B) They seek to connect it to the divine
C) They focus on its material concerns
D) They favour transcendence of it
  • 13. What is a typical focus of modern pagan practices?
A) Millenarian ideas
B) Personal growth of the individual
C) Commercialisation of spirituality
D) Ceremonial and community-focused activities
  • 14. Which movement is associated with Wicca in popular culture since the 1990s?
A) Scientific materialism
B) Christianity
C) Modern paganism
D) New Age
  • 15. How do some scholars classify modern paganism in relation to New Age?
A) As entirely separate from New Age
B) As identical to New Age
C) As a precursor to New Age
D) Under the umbrella of New Age, though this classification is contested by modern pagan scholars
  • 16. What has contributed to the creation of individualistic and commercialised hybrid forms focused on witchcraft?
A) The rise of New Age movements
B) The influence of Eastern religions
C) The decline of modern paganism
D) The presence of Wicca in popular culture since the 1990s
  • 17. From which Latin word does 'pagan' originate?
A) ethnikós
B) paganus
C) heathen
D) Augustine
  • 18. Who advocates for viewing paganism as a generic religious category?
A) Augustine of Hippo
B) Tertullian
C) Jerome
D) Michael York
  • 19. How do modern pagans and New Agers differ in their views of the natural world?
A) Both reject any connection to spirituality
B) Both view it as entirely separate from spirituality
C) Modern pagan theology is immanent, connecting nature to the divine; New Age proponents favour transcendence
D) Both see it as central to material success
  • 20. What is a characteristic of modern pagan movements?
A) They often have roots in 18th- and 19th-century cultural movements
B) They reject historical influences entirely
C) They are based on scientific principles
D) They emerged solely in the 20th century
  • 21. What is a major difference in the goals of practitioners between modern paganism and New Age?
A) Both reject any form of spiritual advancement
B) Both prioritize material success
C) Modern pagans focus on community, while New Agers emphasize personal growth
D) Both focus equally on community and personal growth
  • 22. How do modern pagans typically view New Age identity?
A) They fully embrace it without reservation
B) They often seek to distance themselves from it and may use the term as an insult
C) They are indifferent to it
D) They see it as identical to their own beliefs
  • 23. What term does Ezzy use to describe a version of Wicca influenced by New Age?
A) Traditional Witchcraft
B) Celtic Witchcraft
C) Popularised Witchcraft
D) Egalitarian Witchcraft
  • 24. What is an example of overlap between modern paganism and New Age movements?
A) Celtic-themed pagan music
B) The annual Starwood Festival
C) The Gaia hypothesis
D) Wicca-inspired lifestyle books
  • 25. In which region is the ethnic dimension of modern paganism less prevalent?
A) Europe
B) The United States
C) United Kingdom
D) Australia
  • 26. What is a commonality in the relationship between academic study and practice for both movements?
A) They reject academic study entirely
B) They focus solely on practical applications without study
C) They prioritize academic study over practice
D) They have similar relationships between academic study and practice
  • 27. Which technique is commonly used by New Age adherents?
A) Skepticism
B) Scientific experimentation
C) Political activism
D) Visualization
  • 28. How do New Agers commonly view modern pagans?
A) They see them as spiritual leaders
B) They criticise them for their emphasis on material concerns
C) They consider them identical to themselves
D) They ignore them entirely
  • 29. Which scholar made a distinction between older versions of modern paganism and a 'New Age variety'?
A) Hanegraaff
B) Antoine Faivre
C) York
D) Heelas
  • 30. Which movement first used the term 'New Age'?
A) Christian Science
B) Swedenborgianism
C) Theosophical literature
D) Transcendentalism
  • 31. What is a significant social movement that modern pagan and New Age communities are often connected to?
A) Traditional religious institutions
B) Corporate commercialism
C) The post-war American environmental movement
D) Nationalism
  • 32. What is a common interest among New Agers and several of their precursors?
A) Modern art
B) Western philosophy
C) Eastern religions
D) Classical music
  • 33. What sometimes creates friction between modern paganism and New Age movements?
A) Unified central dogma
B) Similarity in their goals
C) Differing views of the natural world and spirituality
D) Lack of interest in European culture
  • 34. What is a commonality between modern pagan and New Age movements?
A) Central dogma
B) Interest in aspects of European culture and history that were marginalised before the 20th century
C) Rejection of older scholarship
D) Focus on scientific validation
  • 35. What is a hybrid form of modern paganism and New Age teachings described in a 2001 book review?
A) Emphasis on ethnic pride
B) Focus on celestial events
C) Goddess worship combined with self-love teachings
D) Strict adherence to traditional rituals
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