neopaganism

The rise of interest in and practice of supposedly pagan ideas, festivals, and rituals since the mid-19th century. Often inspired by a dislike of both modern industrial society and traditional Christianity, neopaganism is a romantic and anti-urban phenomenon. In most cases, the rituals that are performed have only tenuous links with any pagan past, since there is no provable line of descent in Europe. For example, the costumes and rituals of the Druids at Stonehenge, England, on Midsummer's night were invented during the 19th century.

At its more serious level, neopaganism does not try to reinvent the past, but sees itself as drawing inspiration for a new form of spirituality and response to nature from models perceived to have been followed by the ancient pagans. As such it represents a genuine search for new ways of expressing contemporary spirituality.