Modern Mystery Cults?
Originally published at The Experimental Fantasist. Please leave any comments there.
It occurs to me that a Paganism that is a generalized, syncretic, eclectic non-religion isn't necessarily a bad thing, no matter how fuzzy it sometimes makes internet discussions. Perhaps the place for more formalized religion in Paganism is in a role similar to ancient Mystery Cults.
Over at The Wild Hunt, Jason Pitzl-Waters blogs about a study of "spiritual but not religious" folks in the UK. Basically, it seems like the number of folks who are sincerely spiritual without adhering to a specific religious practice is on the rise. What's interesting to the Wild Hunt is that a growing fraction of these folks either identify as Pagan or cite Paganism as an inspiration.
On the one hand, I think the word "religion" gets a bad rap from folks who have run afoul of the abuses of institutional religion. On the other, I do understand the feeling of not wanting to be pinned down to a specific form when one isn't particularly specific in one's practices. Especially if the specific form isn't really anything like what one actually does.
Back in the day, religion was more ambient. The idea that culture, religion, and ethnicity were seperate things came along fairly late. Pretty much, if you were (say) Greek, you worshiped the Greek gods in folk festivals and by making traditional sacrifices at traditional times and places. Because you were Greek, and that's what Greeks do. There were exceptions, of course, especially when you start looking at Ptolemaic Egypt and similar cultures. Still, the generalization is close enough for my present meanderings.
Mystery cults offered people more structured ritual, initiation, a focused mythos; basically a new layer of spiritual meaning, deepening their experience of life. Well, assuming the initiation and rituals worked, anyway.
It occurs to me that a similar role could be played by specific traditions and ritual groups within the larger context of a Paganism full of foks who are spiritual, but not religious.