Pagan Reconstructionists, or more commonly referred to in the Pagan Community simply as Recons, is a fast-growing movement within Paganism. For the past ten years really, the Recons have been steadily growing as the undercurrent in popular Paganism. While the status of the Pagan Community continues to evolve here in America, it is the Recons who will become the balance point for the popularity of the Wiccan movement.
What is a Pagan Recon?
Well, Pagan Recons are those who strive to practice their faith as closely as possible to the original way in which their chosen pre-Christian faith Pagan culture practiced. They study all there is to know about their chosen path from historical documents to archaeological evidence. Recons go beyond what is touched upon by Pagan Eclectics and search for the actual facts of what is known about their chosen faith. Some Recons only establish the historical evidence for their religious practices while other Recons chose to live their daily lives as closely as they can to the way in which their chosen pre-Christian people lived. Recons do not believe or follow any practice unless there is historical or archaeological evidence to support it.
Celtic Reconstructionists
The largest group within the Pagan Recon faiths is that of the Celtic Reconstructionists. What is interesting to note is that while Celtic Recons maybe the largest and fastest-growing chapter of the Recons it is also one of the hardest ones to reconstruct. Some believe that the popularity of the Celtic Recons is due to the borrowing of many Celtic concepts within various other Pagan faiths. Many Pagan faiths have Celtic elements to them but to the Celtic Recon that does not make it a Celtic faith; the same can be said for other Recons as well.
It is often a sore spot with Recons, who strive academically to be accurate with their faith to have another Pagan faith borrow only a few elements and give it the title of one tradition or another. The various types of Recons that exist today grow mainly, but not always, out of the inclusiveness of other Pagan faiths.
The following is a list of the most popular Reconstructionist religions:
Hellenic-Greek Recons
Roma Nova-Roman Recons
Romuva-Slavic Recons
Kemetic-Egyptian Recons
Celtic Recons
Germanic Recons
Norse Recons
Sumerian Recons
Pagan Reconstructionism isn’t for everyone but if you feel that becoming a Recon is the right path for you then there are some things you will have to take into consideration. Like many Pagan paths, you have to be prepared to devote a certain amount of time study and research. Being a Recon takes a commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and you have to be willing to do the work. Calling yourself a Recon and being a Recon are two different things and if you don’t do the work you will quickly be found out by those in the Pagan Recon Community who do. That being said there are plenty of Recons who are willing to share their knowledge and discuss their chosen paths with those who are new to the Pagan Reconstructionist way of life.
If you would like to learn more in general about the Pagan Reconstructionist faiths a good starting point would be to visit your local library to bone up on history and then check out The Witches’ Voice at www.witchvox.com to find Recon groups or individuals in your area.
