Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
45. Do Pagans Use the Internet for their Religion?
Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
Franz Winter [+]
University of Graz
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Franz Winter is professor and chair at the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Graz in Austria. His research interest includes, amongst other areas, the history of Western Esotericism, contemporary religion and spirituality culture, and new religious movements (in Europe, the United States, and Asia). A recent major publication is the Handbook of East Asian New Religious Movements, co-edited with Lukas Pokorny and published with Brill, which was awarded an accolade in the category Social Sciences at the International Convention of Asia Scholars in 2019.
Description
This chapter explores how Pagans use the Internet for self-presentation, online rituals and member engagement. Pagans have been interested in the Internet since its early days, which coincided with the emergence of many Pagan movements. The lack of religious buildings for rituals made it easy for Pagans to transition to online platforms. However, challenges exist, such as establishing authenticity in a movement focused on restoring older traditions.