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