ABSTRACT
Neo-Paganism, under its diverse forms and, especially that of polytheism, forms one of the new religions that flourished in the middle of the seventies (Papalexandropoulos 1999, 23-24). Besides, the openness of modern society allows the introduction of new creeds or new interpretations. In this way, new forms of religiosity are created, as happened in this case with neoPaganism. These form part of the universal religious system. Many of these new religions are based on past forms. Naturally, this way of thinking does not come as a surprise if we take into account that in many religions it is assumed that the only way to shape the modern way of thinking is for it to be moulded on principles of the past. For this reason believers insist on pre serving forms of the past, which they consider criteria of stability and an expression of their whole worldview.1 On the other hand, it is typical for groups that use oral traditions, as happens also in the case of the Greek neoPagan movement, to assert that they act in accordance with the practices of
their ancestors. Naturally, the only affirmation for the practices of their an cestors is formed by the practice of their descendants (Boyer 1994, 231, 25859; Beyer 1998, 25; Light 2000, 162, 184). With these tactics the circular character of these groups creates, in accordance with the declarations of their followers, the clearest guarantees for the correctness of the views that char acterize their worldview.2
