Wicca: History, Belief & Community in Modern Pagan Witchcraft

by Ethan Doyle White

The past century has born witness to a growing interest in the belief systems of ancient Europe, with an array of contemporary Pagan groups claiming to revive these old ways for the needs of the modern world. By far the largest and best known of these Paganisms has been Wicca, a new religious movement that can now count hundreds of thousands of adherents worldwide. Emerging from the occult milieu of mid twentieth-century Britain, Wicca was first presented as the survival of an ancient pre-Christian Witch-Cult, whose participants assembled in covens to venerate their Horned God and Mother Goddess, to celebrate seasonal festivities, and to cast spells by the light of the full moon. Spreading to North America, where it diversified under the impact of environmentalism, feminism, and the 1960s counter-culture, Wicca came to be presented as a Goddess-centred nature religion, in which form it was popularised by a number of best-selling authors and fictional television shows. Today,
Wicca is a maturing reli

Genres: Religion, Wicca, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

Ethan Doyle White (PhD) is an archaeologist and historian. Among his primary research interests are the religions of early medieval England and the cultural reception of the pre-Christian past, especially in modern Paganism and related forms of occultism. As well as producing monographs and edited volumes on these topics, he has published in a broad range of peer-reviewed journals. An academic book reviewer for several outlets, he is on the editorial board for the American Academy of Religion's "Reading Religion" website.

Reviews

[Kristie Pennock · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person interested in world religions, this thoughtful, factual look into Wicca, its practice, and its adherents was exactly the scholarly treatment of the subject I was looking for. It was readable and divided thoughtfully into useful subheadings, making it easy to find exactly the information I wanted to read. The tone was scholarly, without being dismissive, and in general it was an accessible and engaging read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty great. He synthesizes a lot of information. It's described as an 'academic introduction' and it's very readable.

[Efrain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough and detailed piece that gives a broad view of the wicca movement from beginning to present.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another history of Wicca thats been seen so many times.With the decline of neo-pagan belief in Britain it seems a bit late and one wonders if any more of this is really needed.

[Mills College Library]

299.94 W5839 2016