Essay or research paper. Write 10-15 pages on an aspect of ancient or modern paganism, topics to be approved by the instructor by the 11th week; preliminary bibliography and outline due by 14th week, final version due by the final week of class.

Suggested topics:
A. Cultural appropriation: some Neopagans have been accused of “stealing” and or misappropriating beliefs and practices of other cultures. Neopaganism is largely, but not entirely, a phenomenon of the white middle class in North America and Europe. Neopagans, except for the very strict reconstructionists, tend to be eclectic and have occasionally made use of Native American cultural material (i.e. sweat lodge, tribal drumming styles, etc). Do gods and rituals ethically belong only to those who have a specific ancestry? Given the near-genocide experienced by Native Americans, and the near-destruction of their spiritual traditions, is it offensive for whites to use this cultural material in their own spiritual lives? Similarly, some conservative pagan groups (branches of Asatru and Celtic reconstruction) believe that only those whose ancestors practiced that religion should follow it today. What do you think of this argument? [If you select this topic, the "Dragon Ritual Drummers" episode of the Deo's Shadow podcast is helpful background.]

B. Reconstruction: Neopagans attempting to reconstruct an ancient tradition face a number of questions and problems:
What should be done if the tradition includes practices that are no longer considered acceptable, such as animal sacrifice? Are such practices central or peripheral, and should they be abandoned entirely or replaced with symbolic equivalents?
Can Neopagan reconstructed religions function adequately when removed from their original geographical, ethnic, and pre-industrial contexts? Can one only worship the Greek gods in Greece, using ancient Greek?
What should the role of nationalism and ethnic identity be?
Discuss how one or more reconstructionist traditions have tackled these issues.

C. Relationship between structure/hierarchy and dogmas/beliefs: In any religion there are those who accept the possibility of continuing divine inspiration (perhaps open to anyone), versus those who believe that divine inspiration has ceased with the closing of a scriptural canon or is limited to a small group. Neopagans tend to be firmly on the side of continuing communications with the divine, while stressing pluralism and skepticism (i.e., one person’s revelation should not be forced on others, and due caution should be exercised when trying to determine the source and authenticity of a “divine” message). Many Neopagans refer to their own knowledge of the divine (achieved in visions, divination, etc.) as “unverified personal gnosis” (UPG).These paganisms also have a very loose authority structure with little hierarchy and few organized activities.
Compare this to traditional Christianity, Islam or Judaism, which have benefited from a fixed canon and a class of clergy who provide authority, hierarchy and structure. In a tradition with no creed or dogma, where UPGs are commonplace and "anyone can believe anything," what are the implications for growth and structure? Will these traditions inevitably remain minority faiths or even die out eventually? How do they sustain themselves? Use specific examples to illustrate your points.