Indo-European
A History of Pagan Europe
Prudence Jones & Nigel Pennick
The overview of this book consists of a walking tour through continental Europe, chronicling the expansion of religions. Starting in the Mediterranean area, the author demonstrated how native spirituality intermingled as a result of trade, became established both through faith and politics, and fought to survive as new faiths were introduced. This same scenario is played out in every region. At time the indigenous religions hold out and maintain their place in the lives of the people, in others or at other times the invading religion usurps the indigenous practice either by subversion or force.
The onset of this book paints an interesting picture of the development of religion. As I began to read , I found that the author presented the notion that spirituality may have developed organically in a location, be that Greece, Rome or other places in the Mediterranean, however trade and politics seem to be the vehicle that transported those organic religions and deities to other places. In fact in the first three chapters, great lengths are made to show that as commerce and migration happened with in the Mediterranean, political powers in Rome understood that to remain in good standing with its trade partners Rome had to allow shrines and colleges to be built to these foreign religions. In doing so, it introduced it to the population and a migration of concepts began. However this brought both peace and war in even measure.
In chapter four another interesting concept comes about, and it comes to durability of a faith. In the discussion of the Cult of Isis, the author mentions that on several occasions the altars were destroyed, and the practice abolished, all depending on the mood and leadership of the nation. This is much like druidism in my mind. Druidism was abolished and its practices all but destroyed in order to subjugate the lands and the people, however despite this it is making a comeback in today’s religious environment. Like the Cult of Isis it too is looked upon with some trepidation. There is a wonderful quote in here however on page 71:
“ We ask peace for the Gods of our fathers, peace for our nature divinities. It is only just to assume that the object of all people’s worship is the same. We look up to the stars, one sky covers us all and the same universe surrounds us. Do the means by which a man seeks the truth really matter? There is no single road by which we may arrive at so great a mystery.”
(Symmachus, Relatio3, In Smith (1976), p. 152)
I feel this one statement should be the founding principal in all spirituality.
In the 5th chapter, page 90, an interesting mention is made that in Wales, Beltane is recorded as the only day in which communication with the otherworld is made. Which in modern practice is normally ascribed to Samhain. As it is directly opposite to Samhain on the great wheel, I am caused to wonder if this, being at the sun half of the year, was meant to ensure that only spirits that were a boon to the community would respond ( accessing the light of knowledge) verses at Samhain when it is the dark half of the year, and thus possibly prone to ill mannered spirits.
In chapter nine, page 175, another great quotation is made:
“To live in harmony with Nature and other members of society and to follow the will of the God’s is the stated objective. (of Dievturiba)”
Again we see the true nature of Pagan spirituality. Clearly defined it is to find a balance between the needs of the person or clan and that of nature, while in doing so respecting and committing to service to the Gods, ancestors, and kindreds.
This particular book is worth reading for anyone that wishes to understand more of the dynamics that have occurred throughout history in order to see how they affected paganism today. While I understood that Christianity played a fundamental role in the demise or subversion of many pagan paths, I had no idea of the scope. Nor did I have any concept of how these spiritualities interacted as they clashed throughout Europe.