Does the word "pagan" have negative connotations?
Hello! I am writing an abstract about traditional non-Christian religions of Russia. I assume that the word "pagan" may have negative connotations, which is why I prefer to refer to these practices using the words like "traditional", "pre-Christian", "animistic", etc. But now I got stuck, because I have to distinguish between the concepts of "a pagan priest" and "a priest as a clergyman in Christian church". If I write something like "a priest of the traditional religion", it will be unnatural and clunky. So... do you think the word "pagan" will be too expressive, negative, non-academic, etc.?

Question

Does the word "pagan" have negative connotations?
Hello! I am writing an abstract about traditional non-Christian religions of Russia. I assume that the word "pagan" may have negative connotations, which is why I prefer to refer to these practices using the words like "traditional", "pre-Christian", "animistic", etc.  But now I got stuck, because I have to distinguish between the concepts of "a pagan priest" and "a priest as a clergyman in Christian church". If I write something like "a priest of the traditional religion", it will be unnatural and clunky.  So... do you think the word "pagan" will be too expressive, negative, non-academic, etc.?

Answer

Pagan means a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions. and yes it is Negative in some ways

Answers · 1

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