Godless Paganism: Voices of Non-Theistic Pagans

A great resource for pagans of the non-theistic path. This book is written by various people of how they view paganism, divinity, and the natural world. Those who think you need to be theistic to be a pagan often ignore books like this because it doesn't fit into there preconceived notions of what paganism is. This book also gives a history of non-theistic paganism that starts in ancient Greece up to the modern time. It also demonstrated how many of the early pioneers of the neo-pagan movement viewed the gods as archetypes. Definitely a good read for anyone curious about a different type of paganism.

I love the variety of voices in this work. As a Pantheist and Pagan it is rare to hear our voices heard over the Polytheists in the community. I have the utmost respect for those who have a literal belief in deity, but I wanted something that spoke to my path. I feel very encouraged and valued in the community after reading this book. It is a very long read, but I enjoyed that the excerpts were small. I bought the kindle version of the book and read it over a series of many months in between other books.

This book is a compendium of diverse perspectives, rather than a unified philosophy. Paganism seems to be full of superstition and LARPing, and there's less emphasis on philosophy overall. Inside you will find essays on the philosophical concepts that inspired modern thinkers such as Christopher Hitchens, along with others who bridge the gap between Paganism and Buddhism, for example. There is also a mission statement which was further expounded upon and codified into its own system called Atheopaganism. While I think it's nice that such a thing exists, it's ultimately not my cup of tea. Satanism was not mentioned anywhere in the book, which is quite surprising as there are some similarities worth mentioning. The Satanic Temple is an organization that places emphasis on secular humanism and political activism, which is similar to humanistic pagans championing environmental causes and the rights of indigenous peoples.All that aside, I do find that there were some perspectives that were a bit on the woo side. Animism is a very tricky concept, but it is reasonable to say that all of the living things on this Earth have the same basic components as humans, minus the fact that we have the ability to use our mental faculties to a much greater degree. While magic(k) wasn't really explored in depth, the notion of conducting rituals praising deities without literally believing in their existence is a bit redundant, I think. If one is draw upon Mythology and Gods, perhaps one should take a cue from Satanism and refer to those figures as symbolic archetypes. Then again, that's just my opinion.If you find yourself at a crossroads between Paganism and Atheism, then I would recommend giving this a read.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book - well-written and an enjoyable read. It was set up as individual writings by assorted authors who viewed themselves as atheists, non-theists, animists, pantheists, secularist's, humanists, etc. and Pagans. Essentially, those who don't worship a literal deity but do view the earth as sacred and meant to be cherished. There are many reasons for each person's paths, and the book shows this with the assorted articles. It varied from actually commentary on how the individual felt to some lovely poetry, and non-deity based rituals making this book a pleasure to read (and re-read in the future). I truly hope there will be more books along this line for those of us who don't believe in a deity, but do enjoy the community and openness of the pagan paths.

This is an incredible book. Beautifully written, thoughtful, mind-blowing essays, bringing in both the ancient past and the future. So much to think about for theists (those who believe in God, godds and goddesses) and non-theists (who do not believe in supernatural beings.) Spoke to me as no other book has and I've been studying religion, spirituality, Christianity and other-than-Christianity for over 50 years. I highly recommend this book for anyone, especially those who think they are pagan and those who study religious practices from all areas and eras of the planet.

The book arrived on time and in perfect condition. It's bigger than I expected which is fine. I have just started reading it. Will update once I've read a bit more. Over all I'm very happy with this purchase. Would recommend to any pagan who feels worshipping God(s) does not resonate with them or just wants a more well rounded view of paganism.

First book I read on Paganism, so perhaps I am not the one to judge. I found all the differing essays a little confusing although I suspect the point was to show that there are many descriptions of Paganism. None really resonated with me, so in that regard it was a disappointment. Yet, I will not stop looking for a version that expresses myself.

This is a fascinating collection of essays. I really appreciated the different perspectives. I feel like I have a better understanding of my own beliefs (and that I'm not as non-theistic as I previously thought), but also have a deeper appreciation for both non-theistic, polytheistic and, yes, monotheistic views of existence. The is the sort of collection of essays where you can go in with the assumption that you wont agree with everyone's take on things, but you came away with a deeper respect for them nonetheless.

Great book for all kind of people. You actually need to read the whole book, because the diffrent parts of the book are sometimes really diffrent views.

Great to actually find other people who are godless Pagans. Insightful book, only negative is that it too academic in the way its written. But, that is my personal view. That aside, I'm glad I got the book.