John

I absolutely adore the scholarship of Ronald Hutton, but am nearing the end of his published work on British paganism. Anyone have recommendations for similarly readable yet reliable pagan scholarship?

In particular, Hutton often contrasts the dearth (but by no means absence) of evidence for British pagan survivals with a relative abundance from, for example, Celtic and especially Nordic areas. Who is publishing (in English) good overviews of paganism in those areas?

#History #Prehistory #Archaeology #Paganism #Religion #FolkReligion #ReligiousStudies #Anthropology #Folklore #Nordic #Celtic #Germanic

Jan 6, 2023 at 3:19pmWeb
Show threadJohnJan 6, 2023

“A common national story intended to generate a common national identity in a period of diversity and change carries the considerable danger of alienating those members of society who cannot instinctually identify with it. It may be wiser to emphasize that the land and its heritage are held in common, for people to understand in different ways, but with an equal affection and a mutual tolerance.

…

To admit how much we cannot certainly know, and then to turn that into an opportunity and a strength, rather than an embarrassment or a handicap, is simply to make the best possible use of a common resource. It makes the point that, where the past is concerned, what is open-ended, subjective, multivalent and individual can be as valuable as that which is fixed and certain.”

From the conclusion to “Pagan Britain”, by Ronald Hutton. 👍👍