alternatehistory.com

European Christianity of the pre-modern was very much intertwined with extra-biblical superstitions that Church officials detested but were often forced to turn a blind eye to. Some were not so apparent, like the simple juxtaposition of Jesus' birth on top of the winter solstice and hence the incorporation of various regional winter solstice traditions into Christmas celebrations. Others were very obvious, like the practice of leaving tributes and gifts to house spirits like the northern English brownie, the German kobold, and the Slavic domovoi in exchange for favors, and in some cases reserving spaces for them to live not unlike the shrines of household dieties used in ancient Rome (and still used in modern Asian cultures to this day, like the Chinese shrines to Cai Shen).

How and when can we end up with a successful (lasting) revival of a blatantly pagan movement out of the highly syncretic folk Christianity of Europe before the Enlightenment, rejecting monotheism and the Bible in favor of ancient beliefs? Is it possible? Maybe it could arise from a rift between the common people and the nobility (who may or may not practice a more pure form of Christianity)?
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