TO THE PROBLEM OF THE PARADIGM OF STUDYING NEO-PAGANISM

Abstract

The article examines the problem of theoretical understanding of the interrelation between ancient paganism and modern neo-paganism. The available historiography on the topic of Russian neo-paganism, consisting of three main areas: “critical”, “confessional” and “understanding”, is considered. On the example of some complex methodological issues, their insolubility within the framework of the used theoretical paradigms is substantiated. The author notes the lack of a variety of theoretical approaches to the problem. A critical analysis of the existing “understanding” approach in the works of A. A. Beskov is made. To resolve controversial issues, it is proposed to supplement the “understanding” approach with an “explanatory” one based on the principles of historicism, reductionism and evolutionism. The theoretical tools of religion scholars such as E. Durkheim and R. Girard are attracted. Based on their achievements, the author comes to the conclusion that paganism, as an archaic religion, disappears with the transformation of the society in which it originated. Therefore, paganism and modern neo-paganism are different phenomena, practically unrelated to each other.