It’s official. Spring has finally arrived! For those of us living up here in the chilly northern regions of the United States, it often feels like winter will never end as we are teased with warmer temperatures for a few days only to have our hopes dashed by yet more unexpected blizzards and freezing cold. Thankfully, winter doesn’t last forever, and with the arrival of Spring comes excitement for longer days, pleasant weather, and for those of us who follow Jesus, the commemoration of His death, burial, and resurrection celebrated during Easter week.
The Rise of Modern Pagan Interest
What might not typically be known by some of you reading this article is that Christians aren’t the only ones whose excitement and anticipation builds with the onset of Spring. There is a growing demographic of individuals here in America who embrace paganism as their paradigm of spirituality, and as such, venerate nature and all that it encompasses within the physical world, especially during the changing of the seasons – springtime being no exception.
Paganicon and Public Expressions of Paganism
Just to give an example, here in Minnesota, an annual convention known as Paganicon took place recently, deliberately being scheduled to coincide with the Spring equinox. Hosted by the nonprofit organization, Twin Cities Pagan Pride, this yearly symposium comprises a gathering of adherents and experts devoted to principles and practices falling under the umbrella of paganism. Included among such belief systems are Wicca, Neo-Druidism, Heathenism, Shamanism, Odinism, and a variety of others, joined together by their mutual reverence of nature, energy, mysticism, and esoteric knowledge and rituals.
This annual conference devoted to paganism isn’t the only indicator of the growing acceptance and popularity of paganism.
Other notable examples seen in headlines over the last few years include a heinous display set up in New Hampshire’s Concord City Plaza in 2025 by the Satanic Temple which depicted the pagan idol Baphomet, meant to celebrate being “unconquered by superstition.”
A similar display of Baphomet was also placed in the Iowa state Capitol building in 2023. Here in Minnesota, a “holiday” exhibit comprised of a phoenix with an inverted pentagram was placed in our state Capitol building by Cerberus Ministries, a satanist organization formerly associated with the Satanic Temple, in December 2024 to symbolize pagan concepts of rebirth and empowerment.
What Is Paganism and Neo-Paganism?
I imagine some of you might be wondering, what exactly qualifies as “paganism” or “neo-paganism” as it is frequently called given its recent resurgence in contemporary life. Paganism is a term familiar to most people and is commonly used when referencing ancient polytheistic religions and spiritual traditions that predated the rise of and persisted throughout the early years of Christianity.
Paganism was well known for its observance of seasonal festivals, adulation of nature, and sacrificial practices connected to the worship of numerous deities objectified by idols crafted by human hands and is something consistently condemned by God throughout the pages of Scripture. Familiar examples found in the Bible include worship of false gods such as Baal, Molech, Ashtaroth, Dagon, Chemosh, and the Greek Pantheon.
Resulting from the profound influence and propagation of Christianity throughout the world over the last 2,000 years, the number of devotees to pagan belief systems significantly declined, especially after 313 AD when Roman Emperor, Constantine, granted religious tolerance to Christians. Subsequently, many pagan practices were curtailed, sacrifices prohibited, and temples closed. Yet, over the last several decades, renewed interest in pagan beliefs and customs has become increasingly popular, giving rise the term “neo-paganism.”
While estimates differ, demographic studies have shown an increasing trend of paganists in America ranging from the hundreds of thousands in the 1990s into the millions by the early 2000s.
Beliefs, Practices, and Spiritual Appeal
By nature, due to its acceptance and approval of such a broad spectrum of philosophies and beliefs, trying to clearly articulate the actual customs and practices of neo-paganism can be somewhat challenging. For example, those who practice divination, chanting, spell casting, Reiki, Feng Shui, rituals intended to connect with nature, energy healing, and countless other ceremonial rites are all considered legitimate avenues for connecting with one’s inner self, with nature, and with the divine by contemporary paganism.
Moreover, the practice of praying to, calling upon, or worshipping perceived deities such as the “divine feminine,” Gaia, Odin, Thor, Cernunnos, demonic spirits, or even Satan himself is deemed perfectly acceptable, lauded, and even commended.
Despite the inclusion of such an extensive array of mystical attributes, two of the fundamental unifying principles of neo-paganism are its emphasis on the interconnectedness of all created beings along with the elevated perception of the sacredness of nature.
Concepts such as these are what drive the myriad mystical expressions intended to increase one’s attachment to nature and the perceived energy contained therein. Ironically, it’s not just kinship with the elemental world that tends to be a core focal point for neo-pagans; pursuit of almost anything associated with the supernatural realm is equally welcomed and encouraged.
Practices like ancestor worship, astral projection, inquiring knowledge from spirit guides or supposed deities are all accepted forms of spirituality within a neo-paganist worldview. Resulting from this, use of elements contained in the material world are frequently used as vehicles for accessing supposed knowledge, authority, and energy abiding in the ethereal realm. Such purposes for their usage may include healing, conjuring deceased relatives, predicting or directing future events, and impeding or harming one’s adversaries.
From a Biblical perspective, all such pursuits fall into the category of the occult, and more specifically, known as witchcraft, divination, necromancy, and idolatry.
Why Is Paganism Making a Comeback?
So, why are we now seeing a renewed interest in paganism and with it, a modern renaissance of the dark arts by which it is expressed? With anything, people tend to have differing motivations and interests that drive them. For some, the lofty acclamation of freedom and liberation by neo-paganism is appealing to those who tend to reject or view forms of authority with hostility, especially God’s authority expressed through Jesus, communicated in His Word, and honored by His Church.
For others, the lure of neo-paganism comes from the pursuit of personal empowerment or self-improvement through the accumulation of knowledge and saturation of energy gleaned from the physical universe and/or the spiritual realm.
Still others are drawn to paganism due to the “inclusive” and “accepting” communal atmosphere it fosters where the uniqueness of each person’s spiritual journey to discover their inner identity or whatever truth resonates with them is perceived as equally valid, thus dispelling any need for condemnation or discord.
A Biblical Evaluation of Paganism
On the surface, aspirations of liberty, wisdom, self-improvement, acceptance, and community all sound noble and worthy of one’s pursuits. Yet, upon closer scrutiny and utilizing some Biblical discernment, it is quickly understood that the true underlying force behind neo-paganism is a rejection of the One true God of the Bible and by extension, His Son, Jesus.
The real rationale behind such a vociferous advocation for freedom is the refusal and rejection of God’s authority over one’s life and the affairs of this world. It is the desire for autonomy to define for oneself right from wrong, to determine the course of one’s own life, and the ability to designate the objects of one’s affections or worship. Rather than submitting to God’s authority, each person exercises his or her own authority to choose who or what they will call upon, cooperate with, and command, whether it is a singular or multiplicity of “gods,” ancestors, or environmental objects. Simply put, it is idolatry.
God has made it unequivocally clear in His Word that He alone is God (Is. 45:5), that He is to be the sole object of one’s worship (Ex. 20:3, Dt. 6:5), and that calling upon any created image, foreign deity, or physical object within creation itself is an abomination in His eyes (Ex. 20:5, Dt. 12:2-4, 30-31, Ro. 1:22-25). With that, engaging in practices associated with sorcery, witchcraft, or divination that are common components of paganism today are specifically condemned by God in both old and new testaments, bearing the penalty of death in ancient times (Dt. 18:10-12, Le. 20:27, Ga. 5:19-21).
More importantly, the Bible is also unambiguous in asserting that Jesus is the sole source of truth and therefore any pursuit of knowledge or wisdom having origins outside of Him or lacking in its recognition of God will ultimately result in confusion, error, and deception (Jn. 14:6, 1 Co. 14:33).
How Christians Should Respond
As Christians, we should not be surprised to see paganism on the rise knowing that the state of the world will grow continually worse until the time of Jesus’ return (2 Ti. 3:13). At the same time, this should only motivate us that much more to try and speak Biblical truth to those who have been deceptively seduced into believing the lies of such ungodly doctrines. We are privileged to have been given the truth revealed in Christ and recorded in His Word. As such, it is our duty to be His ambassadors who will communicate it to those willing to listen (2 Co. 5:18-20).
If you find yourself in a situation where God is presenting you with an opportunity to share the Gospel with someone steeped in pagan ideology, it may be necessary to assist their understanding of who God is, why He is different than other so-called gods, and what evidence can be examined to substantiate His singular, transcendent authority and existence over all else. Given paganism’s acceptance of countless views on what is considered “god,” differentiating the God of the Bible from false gods is a foundational step that must first be understood before progressing to concepts like sin and salvation. Together with this, it is also very likely that a conversation about objective truth will be required. Because truth is largely viewed as subjective or relative from a pagan perspective, trying to explain the problem of sin will be difficult if not impossible without demonstrating that there is and can be only One source of truth.
The Central Message: Jesus Christ
Of course, the most important topic to discuss with anyone regardless of their belief system, whether pagan or not, is Jesus. It is only through a relationship with Jesus that someone can truly understand their identity and purpose. Only Jesus has a solution for sin and death. In Him alone can true forgiveness, healing, and acceptance be found, and it comes with the added benefit of entering His loving family of fellow believers. Unlike paganism which seeks knowledge and power from creation through material objects and spiritual “deities,” in Jesus, Christians have access to the Creator Himself who supplies true wisdom and power by His Spirit.
Though the interest and involvement with pagan beliefs and practices may be increasing in our world, it’s important to remember that in the end, all will eventually confess and acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:9-11). Until then, let us pray for those who place their hope in and derive their strength from created things whether natural or spiritual, and ask God for opportunities to point them to the One true Creator, Jesus Christ.
