Understanding the "Paganism" of the ENR - Part 3

Michael O'Meara interprets the European New Right's paganism as a philosophical framework aimed at recovering Europe's cultural foundations rather than reviving ancient religious practices.

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Michael O’Meara’s work, New Culture, New Right: Anti-Liberalism in Postmodern Europe, is one of the most important texts in the English language for understanding the European New Right movement. If you were to read only one book in an attempt to understand what the movement is about, then I would highly recommend you start with O’Meara’s New Culture, New Right. We’ll explore what O’Meara had to say about the “paganism” of the European New Right.

According to Michael O’Meara, the European New Right's (ENR) conception of paganism represents a sophisticated philosophical and cultural framework rather than a simple religious revival. Their understanding of paganism is fundamentally tied to their identitarian project and critique of Christianity, seeking not to literally restore ancient practices but to recover what they view as Europe's authentic spiritual and cultural foundations.

At its core, the ENR's paganism is primarily philosophical and cultural rather than religious. The movement "does not actually seek an actual restoration of ancient pagan practices" and deliberately distances itself from New Age paganism, which they view as "anti-identitarian." Instead, their paganism aims to "resuscitate Europe's ancestral concept of the cosmos, its classical ethical principles, its notion of time and history, and its affirmation of community." The ultimate goal is to "affirm the integrity of the European project" while rejecting Christianity, which they characterize as a "misanthropic religion" that imposed Near Eastern values on Europe.¹

Central to their worldview is the contrast between polytheistic and monotheistic understanding. The text emphasizes that pagan polytheism offered a more nuanced and liberating worldview compared to Christian monotheism. This is exemplified by Celtic thought, which "lacked the black-and-white register of Judeo-Christian theology" and embraced paradox and multiple truths. "Between good and evil, right and wrong, sharp and precise boundaries were entirely lacking." This stands in stark contrast to monotheism's "one-dimensional and single-minded" approach with its "rigid polarities, fixed categories, and an either/or logic."²

The life-affirming philosophy of paganism is another crucial aspect of the ENR's interpretation. They emphasize that "life has no purpose other than itself," citing ancient sources like Homer, Hesiod, and Heraclitus to argue that "life is struggle, nothing more. It is neither good nor bad." This perspective stresses that "man alone creates" meaning, rejecting both Christian transcendentalism and liberal relativism.³

Community and tradition play vital roles in the ENR's pagan conception. The text emphasizes that "pagan rites and spiritual devotions were entirely specific to their community, representing its collective aspirations." This is powerfully illustrated by the Gaelic oath: "I swear by the gods by whom my people swear." This communal aspect meant that "No universality of belief was thus possible in the pagan world."⁴

The ENR places particular emphasis on the importance of myth (mythos) over rational discourse (logos). They argue that myth "expresses 'truths' eluding analytic or discursive proposition" and serves as "the narrative basis of all that makes a people what it is." Myths are understood not as mere stories but as "exemplary precedents" that encode a people's fundamental relationship to the world.⁵

Unlike Christianity's transcendent deity, the pagan conception of the sacred was immanent in the world. The text cites a Nordic adage that beautifully captures this perspective: "The divine sleeps in the rock, breathes in the plant, dreams in the animal, and wakes in man." This viewpoint made the divine "integral to the pagans' world, part of the continuum linking man, being, and cosmos."⁶

Importantly, the ENR's interest in paganism is not merely nostalgic but future-oriented. They believe that "the pagan spirit still lives in the recesses of the European soul" and that recovering it is essential for European renewal. As one identitarian predicts, "The revolution of the twenty-first century is likely to be religious," suggesting that "a pagan cultural revival holds out the prospect" of European cultural renaissance.⁷

The ENR views tradition not as static preservation but as a dynamic force. Tradition serves "to encode those defining principles that maintain a people in its timelessness" while also shaping "the growth of its identity, as it is subject to the forces of time and change." This makes tradition compatible with modernity while preserving cultural continuity.⁸

Ultimately, the ENR's understanding of paganism is philosophical rather than religious in nature. They see it as a means of "transvaluating the Judeo-Christian values that have inverted all that is strong and noble in their heritage."⁹ While "the Olympian deities no longer occupy the existing pantheons, the ideals they personify have persisted in folklore, customs, literature, and the popular mentalité," suggesting an enduring pagan influence in European culture. The ultimate goal of this pagan revival, according to the text, is to help Europeans reconnect with "the original being that made them who they are" and to provide a "meaningful future" through a "ja-sagen" (yes-saying) that "affirms all that is vital in their heritage."¹⁰

1. O’Meara, Michael. New Culture, New Right: Anti-Liberalism in Postmodern Europe. Arktos, 2013. p 128-129.

2. Ibid., p 129-130.

3. Ibid., p 130.

4. Ibid., p 131.

5. Ibid., p 133.

6. Ibid., p 130.

7. Ibid., p 128.

8. Ibid., p 134.

9. Ibid., p 128.

10. Ibid., p 128.