The Return of Ancestral Gods: Modern Ukrainian Paganism as an Alternative Vision for a Nation (Volume 65) (McGill-Queen's Studies in the History of Religion)

How socio-political turmoil has inspired a new religious movement based on the imagined past. How socio-political turmoil has inspired a new religious movement based on the imagined past. As Ukraine struggles to find its national identity, modern Ukrainian Pagans offer an alternative vision of the Ukrainian nation. Drawing inspiration from the spiritual life of past millennia, they strive to return to the pre-Christian roots of their ancestors. Since Christianity dominates the spiritual discourse in Ukraine, Pagans are marginalized, and their ideas are perceived as radical. In The Return of Ancestral Gods, Mariya Lesiv explores Pagan beliefs and practices in Ukraine and amongst the North American Ukrainian diaspora. Drawing on intensive fieldwork, archival documents, and published sources not available in English, she allows the voices of Pagans to be heard. Paganism in Slavic countries is heavily charged with ethno-nationalist politics, and previous scholarship has mainly focused on this aspect. Lesiv finds it important to consider not only how Paganism is preached but also the way that it is understood on a private level. She shows that many Ukrainian's embrace Paganism because of its aesthetic aspects rather than its associated politics and discusses the role that aesthetics may play in the further development of Ukrainian Paganism. Paganism in Eastern Europe remains underrepresented within Pagan studies, and this work helps to fill that gap. Extensive comparative references to various forms of Western Paganism allows English-speaking readers to better understand the world of Ukrainian Pagans. Book jacket Annotation As Ukraine struggles to find its national identity, modern Ukrainian Pagans offer an alternative vision of the Ukrainian nation. Drawing inspiration from the spiritual life of past millennia, they strive to return to the pre-Christian roots of their ancestors. Since Christianity dominates the spiritual discourse in Ukraine, Pagans are marginalized, and their ideas are perceived as radical. In The Return of Ancestral Gods, Mariya Lesiv explores Pagan beliefs and practices in Ukraine and amongst the North American Ukrainian diaspora. Drawing on intensive fieldwork, archival documents, and published sources not available in English, she allows the voices of Pagans to be heard. Paganism in Slavic countries is heavily charged with ethno-nationalist politics, and previous scholarship has mainly focused on this aspect. Lesiv finds it important to consider not only how Paganism is preached but also the way that it is understood on a private level. She shows that many Ukrainians embrace Paganism because of its aesthetic aspects rather than its associated politics and discusses the role that aesthetics may play in the further development of Ukrainian Paganism. Paganism in Eastern Europe remains underrepresented within Pagan studies, and this work helps to fill that gap. Extensive comparative references to various forms of Western Paganism allows English-speaking readers to better understand the world of Ukrainian Pagans Cover Copyright Contents Figures Acknowledgments Introduction 1 “Living with Honour” Modern Western Paganism 2 “Where Do They Get This From?”Sources of Ukrainian Paganism 3 Ukrainian Pagan Groups History, Ideology, and Spirituality 4 Boundaries and Borders Cultural Context 5 “We Haven’t Given Up What Is Ours” Past and Present 6 Glory to Dazhboh (Sun-God)or to All Native Gods? Monotheism and Polytheism 7 “Where Else Is There Such a People?” Vision for a Nation 8 “We Allowed Nature toLive in Our Holy Place” Nature and Power 9 “This Is Indeed Ours!” Religious Syncretism 10 In Spite of Politics Aesthetics and Beauty Concluding Remarks Ukrainian Paganism in the Context of Modernity Terms Notes References Index