Neopaganism: From Grove to Grid

Somewhere between the ancient forest and the iPhone screen, a new kind of old religion is taking root. Neopaganism (also known as modern/contemporary paganism), which is defined by Oxford Languages as “a modern religious movement that seeks to incorporate beliefs or ritual practices from traditions outside the main world religions, especially those of pre-Christian Europe and North America,” is experiencing something of a renaissance, although not in the way its earliest revivalists might have imagined.

To understand how the modern neopaganism revival came to be, it’s worth looking for a moment at its history. While often imagined as an unbroken continuation of ancient, pre-Christian religious traditions, what we now call neopaganism can be understood as more of a modern construction. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a wave of interest in folklore and the occult swept across Europe, and writers, mystics, and professional and amateur scholars sought to rediscover what they believed were the spiritual traditions suppressed by Christianity. These efforts weren’t always about historical accuracy, as much of the “ancient wisdom” being revived was speculative, fragmented, or entirely reimagined. Rather, what mattered more was the sense of connection to a pre-industrial worldview that was often romanticised, and was likely part of a subcultural reaction against the movements of industrialisation and secularisation happening in the world at that time. 

In the mid-twentiethth century, neopaganism began to take more organised forms, with movements like Wicca emerging as some of the most well-known iterations. These early neopagan movements combined elements of folklore, ceremonial magic, and nature worship into structured practices and rituals that emphasised a sacred relationship with the Earth and its cycles. Wicca introduced the idea of seasonal festivals and rituals honouring a divine masculine and feminine, which helped shape the framework for many neopagan traditions that followed. These traditions gained increasing cultural traction during the New Age movement of the early 1970s, when a broader fascination with alternative spirituality, mysticism, and holistic living swept through Western societies. However, perhaps the most significant catalyst for neopaganism’s ongoing renaissance has been the rise of social media, where the movement has found both unprecedented visibility and new challenges.

Scroll through your “For You” page on TikTok or Instagram, and you might encounter tarot readers offering daily card pulls, posts advertising the services of ‘Etsy witches,’ or videos showcasing crystal collections and altar setups. This kind of online culture has made neopagan practices more visible than ever before, and for many young people, especially those feeling disconnected from traditional religious institutions, these digital spaces can provide an alternative way to explore spirituality. Yet the rise of social media as a platform for neopaganism is a double-edged sword. While it offers unprecedented access and community, it also flattens and commodifies complex traditions into bite-sized, aesthetically pleasing content designed to capture attention in the endless scroll. This can be dangerous, especially as much of the neopagan content circulating online is highly eclectic and often self-curated, drawing from a patchwork of myths, historical fragments, and modern inventions. 

This tension between historical authenticity and modern invention is ever-present. Unlike more established religions, neopaganism often embraces this fluidity, valuing personal experience over rigid orthodoxy. Still, this openness sometimes leads to confusion and criticism, raising questions on whether these evolving practices are all genuinely rooted in spiritual exploration, or are they mostly curated performances shaped by algorithmic trends and market demand?

Here in St Andrews, where the town boasts at least a thousand years of religious history, this digital revival of pagan spirituality adds a new layer to the town’s already complex spiritual landscape. The influx of young students, many drawn from diverse cultural backgrounds and digitally connected worlds, has brought new spiritual explorations into a town long defined by its Christian heritage. For many, social media is the bridge between the old stories of the land and the new stories they are writing for themselves. As Halloween approaches, a time rooted in ancient pagan festivals and now marked by a blend of secular and spiritual observances, these digital expressions of neopaganism feel particularly resonant. They remind us that modern spirituality is not static but constantly evolving, shaped by the technologies, cultures, and anxieties of each new era. 

Illustration by Eve Fishman