Paganism and Its Influence in Contemporary Society

Author : Dr. Sarmistha Nandy

Abstract :Lyotard’s notion of ‘paganism’ paved the way for his meta-narrativeless philosophy in the Postmodern movement. The concept of Paganism is not merely a sense of religion that talks about myths only rather it has a significant reflection on the society and philosophy of life. Lyotard observes and contemplates on the matter; thereafter, he wrote the essay “Lessons in Paganism”(1977). Originally, the essay, published in French - that instructions paiennes, explored themes of knowledge, power, and the marginalization of minority narratives in life, Philosophy and Society. Though paganism is conventionally a belief about multiple gods, Lyotard specifically deployed this connotation of multiplicity and plurality, his basic commitment to an ontology of singular events. This manuscript will also try to recount how Lyotard developed the notion of paganism in terms of incredulity toward a f ixed or universal law of judgment claiming to legitimate all events. Initially, “Paganism” is associated with the diverse collection of nature-based, polytheistic religions, drawing inspiration from pre Christian and pre-Abrahamic traditions, but Lyotard took the sense of Plurality from Pagan Religion that is significantly working in the Postmodern era. The manuscript will discuss the influence of the pagan religion on contemporary society.

Keywords :Paganism, Meta-narrative, polytheistic religion, Christianity, Pre-Abrahamic, Postmodern Movement, Paiennes, Narratives

Conference Name :International Conference on Philosophy, Theology and Culture (ICPTC-25)

Conference Place Paris, France

Conference Date 29th Jul 2025