The Book of Shadows of a Broom Closet Dweller *EDITING*

Hellenism

Overview

Hellenism, also known as Hellenic Polytheism/Dodekatheism/Olympianism/Greek religion/Hellenismos/Hellenic ethnicum, refers to various religious movements that revive or reconstruct ancient Greek religious practices.  

The Hellenic religion is a traditional religion and way of life, revolving around the Greek Gods. It is primarily focused on the Twelve Olympians, and embraces ancient Hellenic values and virtues.

Again, there are two types of Hellenism; reconstructionism and revivalism. Reconstructionism is a methodology which attempts to base modern religious practice on historically genuine examples of ancient religious practices. 

Revivalism focuses more on Hellenism as a living, changing religion. Hellenic Revivalism allows more room for practitioners to decide what feels right to them. Most modern Hellenic Polytheists exist somewhere on a Reconstructionist to Revivalist spectrum.

Hellenismos is not a form of neopaganism, and most Hellenists get rather offended when you call them pagans or neopagans. Instead, Hellenismos is an ethnic religion as it is associated with a specific ethnic origin.

Paganism was a term used by Christians to persecute anyone who didn't adhere to Christianity. "Pagan" is derived from the Latin word "paganus" meaning "peasant". The term was used to belittle what remained of the native religions. They used this to label all those remaining loyal to their ethnic traditions to imply that they were uneducated and uncouth villagers.

Today, the definition of pagan is simply "a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions". Main world religions being the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc) and Asian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc). However, in the past, pagan was a derogatory term referring to anyone who was Non-Christian, and it still holds negative connotations today. Technically, Hellenists are pagans, but they are not neopagans as the religion has been revived, not reconstructed.

It is my understanding that American Hellenists are more tolerant of the terms pagan and neopagan, since the religion has been more reconstructed than revived.

History

Followers of Hellenism practise traditions from the Hellenistic period. The Hellenistic period covers the period of Mediterranean history between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire as signified by the Battle of Actium in 31 BC.

The first Greek organization to openly support the religious revival of Hellenic religion was Ύπατο Συμβούλιο των Ελλήνων Εθνικών (Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes or YSEE), established in 1997, and is publicly active.

Another very active organisation since its founding in 2008 is Labrys religious community. Labrys has focused primarily on the religious aspects of Hellenism or Greek polytheism, avoiding anti-Christian rhetoric and politics, establishing weekly public rituals and engaging in other aspects of practical promotion of polytheism like theatre and music.

In the United States, the Hellenic polytheist organization Hellenion also identifies its practices as "Hellenic Pagan Reconstructionism" and emphasises historical accuracy in its mission statement. The group uses the term "Hellenismos" (Ἑλληνισμός, Hellēnismós) to describe the religion.

Deities

Hellenic polytheists worship the ancient Greek Gods, or the Hellenistic pantheon. Including the Olympians, nature divinities, underworld deities (chthonic gods) and heroes. Both physical and spiritual ancestors are honoured. It is primarily a devotional or votive religion, based on the exchange of gifts (offerings) for the gods' blessings.