What is a Christopagan?

When you think of the word Christopagan you usually associate the word with Christians and Pagans. For centuries people have been asking how these two religions can work side-by-side. Many, even to this day, still can't understand how these two religions would be able to work together. When you start to do a little research on each of these religions you can start to see that we are more similar than we are different. What is Christianity? What is paganism? How can these two religions work together to create one cohesive religion that still keeps the beliefs of each religion alive? "A true fact about Christianity that sometimes surprises people is that Christianity is Jewish. Jesus demonstrated that He was (and is) the Messiah foretold in the Jewish Scriptures. Christianity is the culmination of Judaism (Crain, 2013)". From a simple reading of the Bible we can see that Jesus was a Jew and was raised up with Jewish ways. He even spent his time reading from the Torah and in Luke 2:41-52 we can see that he stayed behind in the temple to preach to anyone who was willing to listen. This is just the first time that we see him preaching and in later books of the Bible we can see him continuing this type of work. How did Christianity break off from being Jewish? When Jesus was crucified this was the start of the breaking up of Jews and Christians. Let me explain. "In the earliest Gospel texts, which picture Jesus as debating issues of Jewish laws with the Pharisees, no hostility is observed (Schiffman, n.d.)". From simple readings of the Bible we can see that Jesus was crucified by the Romans. Christians at this time started debating with the Romans over if Jesus really was the person who was talked about in the Torah. This is where the divide started to happen and Christians started their battle with the Jews over their views (Schiffman, n.d.). Due to the Jews neither denying or accepting that Jesus was the Messiah this led the Christians to break away from Jews and blame them for being the reason for the split and also the reason for the denial of Jesus (Schiffman, n.d.). How does all of this relate to Paganism? The word Pagan is Latin for country dweller (MPhil, n.d.). However, it today's society pagan means heathen, follower of polytheistic religion, has to do with ancient religious beliefs or lack thereof, or one who takes pleasure in material goods (MPhil, n.d.). Philologist and archaeologist Franz Cumont believes that Christianity took symbols from the Pagans and used them in their iconography themes and paintings (MPhil, n.d.). The two main characteristics of being a Pagan are that the religion centers around religious and spiritual practices that are devoted to the earth and secondly, a belief in spiritual beings like gods, goddesses, and natural beings such as fairies, elves, and gnomes (Who Are Pagans? The History and Beliefs of Paganism, 2019). These types of Pagans didn't come around officially until 1960 (Who Are Pagans? The History and Beliefs of Paganism, 2019). We originally see the first types of Pagans in the time when Jesus was alive. This can be shown through several verses in the Bible: Deuteronomy 18:9-12, Exodus 20:1-6, Acts 8:9-13, and several others (Who Are Pagans? The History and Beliefs of Paganism, 2019). "Only in about the last 10 years have Christo-Pagans really started branching out with their teachings recorded in the written form (Rich, 2016)". When the Christian church started rising during Medieval Times this is when we started seeing Pagans being persecuted, tortured, and executed for the way that they were thinking and the practices they were doing (Are Christopaganism & Christian Witchcraft Legitimate Paths?, 2018). Even to this day Pagans are still being persecuted in certain parts of the world and being considered Satanists and evil (Are Christopaganism & Christian Witchcraft Legitimate Paths?, 2018). In Exodus 22:18 it states that "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" which from it's original translation has slowly changed the original meaning of the verse over time. If Pagans are being persecuted by Christian then how can the religion of a Christopagan be a viable thing? "All major holidays were once Pagan holidays before the church adapted them as their own in an effort to convert the people from their old Pagan ways (Are Christopaganism & Christian Witchcraft Legitimate Paths?, 2018)". Let's examine Christmas for example. Jesus was not born in December but Christians celebrate his birth during this time because Pagans originally celebrated the winter solstice which was the coming of the sun (Are Christopaganism & Christian Witchcraft Legitimate Paths?, 2018). Easter is also one of the Christian holidays that came from the Pagans as well. Easter is scheduled the Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox which is when Pagans celebrated the renewal of the earth (Are Christopaganism & Christian Witchcraft Legitimate Paths?, 2018). How does all of this come together in my life? I like to celebrate both religions respectively. Pagans were known for their spells to different gods and goddesses. I myself do not practice the idea that there are other gods than God Himself, however this doesn't mean that I can't take some of the spells the Pagans use and use them to glorify God. Another way I celebrate my Pagan side is by following the wheel of the year. If you are unfamiliar with it then I suggest you go look it up. It is a wheel that cuts the year into 8 equal parts or times of year in which each have their own specific name and celebrations.

As a first year Christopagan I can tell you that I am still learning a lot about the Pagan side of the religion. As someone who grew up Christian I know a lot about that side already. Do I believe in those spiritual beings? Sure I do. Science has proven that there are things on this earth have still yet to be discovered. As a Christopagan I have learned that it is all about connecting with God by thanking him for the things of the earth that have been overlooked due to the hustle and bustle of living life. I feel no matter Christian, Pagan, Atheist or any other religion we all can use a little bit of down time to just be thankful for the smaller things in life. References Crain, Alex. “What Is Christianity?” Christianity.Com, Salem Web Network, 23 July 2013, https://www.christianity.com/god/jesus-christ/the-basics/what-is-christianity-alex-crain.html “Luke 2:41-52 NIV - - Bible Gateway.” Www.Biblegateway.Com, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202%3A41-52&version=NIV. Schiffman, Lawrence. “How Jewish Christians Became Christians.” My Jewish Learning, My Jewish Learning, www.myjewishlearning.com/article/how-jewish-christians-became-christians/. MPhil, Kinnes. “Pagan.” Oaks.Nvg.Org, oaks.nvg.org/ap3.html. “Who Are Pagans? The History and Beliefs of Paganism.” Christianity.Com, Salem Web Network, 23 Sept. 2019, www.christianity.com/wiki/cults-and-other-religions/pagans-history-and-beliefs-of-paganism.html. Rich. “What Is Christo-Paganism.” Christopaganism.Com, 2 Jan. 2016, www.christopaganism.com/what-is-christo-paganism/. “Are Christopaganism & Christian Witchcraft Legitimate Paths?” Otherworldly Oracle, 29 Oct. 2018, otherworldlyoracle.com/christopaganism-christian-witchcraft/.