First published in 1921, this vintage book looks at paganism and Christianity, exploring their various connections and analysing where these similarities came from and what they mean. Edward Carpenter (1844 – 1929) was an English philosopher, poet, and pioneering activist for gay rights. He had many notable friends including the Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore and celebrated American poet Walt Whitman; and also corresponded with many famous figures, including Jack London, Mahatma Gandhi and Annie Besant, amongst others. Contents include: “Solar Myths and Christian Festivals”, “The Symbolism of the Zodiac”, “Totem-Sacraments and Eucharists”, “Food and Vegetation Magic”, “Magicians, Kings and Gods”, “Rites of Expiation and Redemption”, “Pagan Initiations and the Second Birth”, “Myth of the Golden Age”, “The Savior-god and the Virgin-mother”, “Ritual Dancing”, “The Sex-Taboo”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.