Inventing Witchcraft: A Case Study in the Creation of a New Religion

by Aiden A. Kelly

When the first edition of this book was released, conservative Gardnerian Witches attempted to suppress it, claiming that it discredited their religion. Dr. Aidan A. Kelly has thoroughly investigated the history, rituals, and documents behind the evolution of modern Witchcraft, and has concluded that Gerald Gardner invented Wicca as a new religion. Although Wicca claims to be a persecuted pagan religion dating from before the rise of Christianity, it draws upon controversial historical sources, modern occult practices, including those of Alistair Crowley and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, 19th century translations of medieval grimoires, and the poetry of Gardner's priestess, Doreen Valiente.This extensively revised edition contains new research which was unavailable at the time, as well as detailed textual comparisons of Gerald Gardner's own manuscripts, magical books, and rituals that could not be included in the earlier edition.

Genres: Banned Books, Religion

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 2007

Reviews

[Steve Cran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inside the pagan community and without there is an on going debate as to the origins of gardenerian Wicca. On one side of the debate you have authors like Heselton and Whitmore who believe that Wicca is an ancient pre-christian religion that centered on a Goddess and God. On the other side you have authors like Ronald Hutton and Aidan Kelly and Tanya Lurman will maintain that Wicca is a new religious movement. Aidan Kelly’s perspective is unique because he is in fact an insider who practices witch craft. Dr. Kelley invented his own tradition of witchcraft with some other students in Sand Francisco. He was one of the founding members of the New Reformed Order of the Golden Dawn.
Since he himself has founded his own, or at least helped found his own witchcraft tradition, he finds nothing wrong with what Gerald Gardner did. In fact it is a sign of healthy society that shows spark of creativity. At one point all religions were man made and at one point they were new religious movements. Many religious movements whither and die it is only those few that meet the needs of the people that end up surviving. Judaism, Islam and Christianity are examples and so is Wicca. The number of Wiccans and Pagans doubles up every two years.
Gerald Gardner made many false claims implying that Wicca was an ancient religion. Of course when new religious movements come about they will often claim they are the original or the corrected version that people are supposed to follow. All religions start this way. Most follower identify this and just live with the fact that historical reality and mythos are not necessarily the same.
Aidan Kelley put the written works thorugh a scholarly test to determine if there was any truth to Gerald Gardner’s claims. Searching through Gardner’s belonging kept by Ripley’s museum of witchcraft and documents held by Carl Wesche he was able to determine through careful analysis and detective work that Gardner’s claims were false. Among the papers he found several versions of the same ritual often with dyslexic spelling and cross outs. Many of the rituals had undergone revision. These are the signs of authorship not copying something down from a book of shadows. Almost all of gardners works were direct plagiarisms. Elements were lifted dire tly out of Crowley’s works, Lelands Aradia, Rudyard kipolings work etc. Doreen Valiente saw this and when she was intiated she rewrote almost all of it.
One things that Aidan makes note of is Gereald’s interesting in spanking and bondage. His new religion sanctified it . The book does a good job of telling the background story of Wicca and how Gerald Created it. I think Hutton’s book is more complete though. Inventing Witchcraft tends to over do on printing in the text and analyzing it.
In the end after all my research I have come to the conclusion that Gerald Gardner did in fact invent Wicca from available sources. His witchcraft is very much influenced by Ceremonial Magiack. However I do believe that there were precedents about for following witchcraft and following the Goddess that Gardner was not expose to. I enjoyed the historical excursion.

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This books discusses in depth many of the things that people started noticing about Gerald Garder's claims, Wicca and Witchcraft, namely that it pretty much isnt what has been so romanticised, speculated about and promoted by so many new age writers.

Wishful thinking, lies, common sense and fact doesnt really go together, which is why this book is a breath of fresh air in this saturated area. The writer actually treats the subject/s with much sympathy and kindness as much worse things could have been said or conclusions drawn. Is Wicca a valid philosophy or religon?? In as far as people can believe what they want to - sure, why not? I think I might become a Jedi next week anyway.

Other books that add to this area are Ronald Hutton's 'Pagan Religon's' books as well as Doreen Valiente's 'Rebirth of Witchcraft' where Gerald is documented doing a number of sensationalist things as well as even making up some new craft laws (that arent very pro-feminist or equality minded to say the least) and the book title 'Madeline Montalban: The Magus of St Giles'."