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| A History of Pagan Europe | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 16 reviews)
Sales Rank: 347799
Category: Book
Author: Prudence Jones
Publisher: Routledge
Studio: Routledge
Manufacturer: Routledge
Label: Routledge
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 262
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.6
ISBN: 0415158044
Dewey Decimal Number: 200.94
EAN: 9780415158046
ASIN: 0415158044
Publication Date: March 12, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The authors divide Europe into five broad cultural areas and trace the expression and development of Pagan religion in each of them from earliest times to present day.
Amazon.com Review
This is a book that was recommended to me, and I have to admit that it is one of the best scholarly texts on the history of European Pagan religions. Jones and Pennick trace the evolution of Pagan religions in Greece and Rome, the religions of the Celts, Paganism in Germany and the Balkans, and the current Pagan revival. Filled with concise information and illustrations which add to the content rather than distracting from it, I'm sure I'll be referring to this book again in the future.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 Excellent Source of Information July 21, 2008
I've read this book three times over the past few years. The first was because I wanted to increase my understanding of Pagan cultures in ancient Europe. The second and third times were for an ADF book review (which I successfully completed after the third reading). Each time I read it, my understanding increased and I learned things that I missed before. I will say that there is a lot of information to be gathered and so one reading may be overwhelming, especially to someone new to European history.
All the same, every modern Pagan should read this book to gain an understanding of the history behind their practices or the practices of their European-inspired Pagan friends and family.
 A Worthy Overview July 7, 2008
This is definitely an excellent introduction to the topic of pre-Christian Western religions. But, it is just that: an introduction. The authors attempt to cover a broad variety of cultures and topics in a relatively succinct manner, which, in this particular book, sometimes works well and sometimes comes across feeling a little too abbreviated. Nonetheless, for those who may be looking for a general and academically sound overview of this very broad field of study, this is an excellent place to begin.
RE: Evolutionary Pagan Theologie January 4, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had been previously accustomed to reading Pagan history from the viewpoint of Christian literature and writers, who unfortunately portray this faith as cruelly despotic, ignorant, irrational, filled with hatred and prone to bouts of fiery persecution. In choosing this book I was seeking a balanced, informative and historically accurate account of Pagan culture from an objective perspective. I began to read with some trepidation as to whether the book could fulfill my criteria, knowing that Prudence Jones is a respected Pagan academic. However, she clearly remained within the stringent ethics of scientific research and enquiry, carefully laying out her extensive 20 year period of dedicated study into this subject.
The first amazing revelation for me was the authors etymological elucidation of the term `Pagan' and its origins, misuse, and applications throughout history. She forwards a correct working definition in combination with the principal characteristics of its use within an animistic religion. As a modern spiritual movement Paganism is a holistic, earth-centered, Goddess orientated, polytheistic, theophanic religion, having as its foundation the values, ethics, culture, reasoning and rituals of ancient, pre-monotheistic societies. My understanding is that the core principals of Paganism are its capacity for inclusivity and pluralism: essentially possessing the capacity to hold or incorporate almost any philosophy, notion or spiritual concept.
Jones manages to assess the entirety of European Paganism, from the pre-classical civilization in Crete (circa 2800 BCE), through to the Greeks, Etruscans, and the Romans up to the fall of the empire; the incorporation of foreign cults from the east such as the worship of the Egyptian Isis, Mithraism and Christianity. She also considers Islam, the Irish and Celtic world, the Germanic peoples, the Baltic, Russia, and the Balkans to Byzantium. From the high Medieval period (950-1350) her story takes the reader through to the renaissance and the reformation, the great witch hunts (1480-1650), the age of reason and science to the principle romantic revival movements of the 19th century; the Druidic revival at Primrose Hill in London in 1792, the romantic notions of Edward Carpenter (1844-1929) and Neo-Paganism in the 20th century typified by the Order of the Golden Dawn, Theosophy, Wicca and Celtic Druidism.
Several observations and accounts of the author improved and enlightened me. The appraisal of the ancient and classical Greek and Roman pagan faiths were contrary to my previously held understandings and gave a more realistic and accurate picture. My perceptions of ancient Greece and Rome were colored by ideas of empirical, domineering and arrogant cultures. I was surprised to learn of their day to day faith, hearth cultures, belief in spirits, numerous deities and complex organization. I found myself truly inspired by Jones account of the actual mechanics of ancient pagan spiritual practice, this not being a subject I had encountered before. I was also struck by the manner in which political allegiances affected the status of paganism as official religion in many countries, that there was an `ebb and flow' of belief and practice (Christianity did not simply replace the old order); groups or individuals reverting back to their prior religious path or even holding a dual faith. Just as amazing for me was to discover that there were Pagan intellectuals, polemicists, and apologists working to defend their faith against Christian incursions.
As I read on to through the historical accounts I realized that as a religion Paganism has never really died out, being practiced in some form, in some way somewhere in the world. As the Catholic Church spread across western Europe it incorporated many Pagan rituals, the reformation preserved the ancient languages and dialects of people through the translation of the Bible. Jones's conclusion is that Paganism is constantly being reaffirmed, repackaged, in constant revision within the context of establishing itself as a movement concerned with balance, harmony and social equality, a spirituality that is complimentary to rather than at odds with mainstream forms of belief. Modern Neo-Pagans are not concerned with hierarchy or dominance, and it is comforting to know that the voice of a relative minority is leading the path with spirituality married to ecology and humanist concern on a global platform.
Thorough March 1, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a very comprehnsive review of what is known historically of Paganism in pre-Christian and Christian Europe. Although a great deal is known about Classical Paganism, the book is more evenly balanced with just as much, perhaps more, focus (given the relative paucity of facts) on old Northern European Paganism. Although the authors are, as it happens, pagans, it is a very thoroughly researched and scholarly book, without modern myth and vastly extrapolated speculation that one finds in some spiritually-based books posing as factual scholarly works. And yet the authors are not afraid to do a little reasonable (in my view) speculation about transformed relics of pagan ritual and beliefs surviving in folk culture. This is a good book for scholars who are looking for a broad survey of (mostly) historical European Paganism with some speculation about survivals in folk customs, and an excellent book for Neopagans who are looking for factual and scholarly works about old and ancient European Paganism and survivals in folk customs, which would be of interest to the Pagan and/or Wiccan. The book does not focus on the Neolithic.
An Illuminating Book February 11, 2006
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
Jones & Pennick (J&P) present a well-documented text that provides substantial history for pagan culture, society, and religion. Their work does not challenge or argue with faith traditions. Their task is simply to offer available information about Europe's original socio-religious culture. (J&P speak only briefly to Asian and Middle Eastern influences.) Their point is to inform, not convert.
J&P begin by defining "paganism" as the original rural society and religious culture from the islands of the eastern Mediterranean (about 3000 BC). (The authors correctly point out that only after Christianity's 4th century legalization did "pagan" become synonymous with- and negatively connoted to- "non Christian".) Their narrative incorporates Greek, Roman, and Nordic influences in paganism's long history. Much of this story speaks to Christianity's medieval suppression (especially through the 5th and 11th centuries) of pagan rites and worship. By the end of the book J&P document paganism's modern emergence across the globe.
The book also proffers interesting arguments for pagan origins of various Christian characteristics and practices (i.e. Church's royal purple dating from the Etruscan -1500 BC- priestly color (p. 32), Christianity's 5th century assigning Christmas to Dec. 25th- the Mithric Day of the Unconquered Sun (p. 76), and the canonization of St. Bridget from the popular Scots/Celtic goddess Brighde (p. 101). Additionally, J&P tell of newly Christianized medieval kings' destruction of pagan culture and religion across the continent and paganism's continual resurgence through history.
The 200 page (hardback) is a quick read, especially for those unfamiliar with paganism. The book (containing 11 chapters) also includes a plethora of photographs (several in each chapter), maps, drawings, and an extensive 10 page bibliography.
This book is recommended to those hoping to understand paganism, students of religion, European historians, curious Christians, and clergy of all faiths. You will find this book illuminating.
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