I caught the tail end of an interview with a non-pagan naturalist this morning. Much of what he had to say sounded, to my ear, very pagan.
(Note: The term “Nature” is profoundly conceptually problematic; I use it here for convenience only.)
- Humanity comes out of “Nature.”
- Because of this, humanity harbors a deep nostalgia for “Nature.”
- Humanity's environmental destructiveness arises out of our disregard for—or unlove of—“Nature.”
- Instilling a sense of love for “Nature” is the most effective way to undo humanity's current trajectory of eco-suicide.
In this Age of Covid, many non-religious people have been rediscovering what pagans have always known: the consolation of “Nature.” “Nature” heals.
The religions called “pagan” have always known this and, in their fullest realization—be it acknowledged that revival paganism in particular often falls far short of this mark—still do.
Unsurprisingly, I would contend that pagan naturalists have a number of advantages over non-religious naturalists. Of the top, I can think of three.
- As pagans, we have an identity.
- As pagans, we have a community.
- As pagans, when "Nature" speaks, we have means of answering.
Michael McCarthy's book The Consolation of Nature: Spring in the Time of Coronavirus will be released in October 2020.