Wicca And The Christian Heritage

What is Wicca? Is it witchcraft, Paganism, occultism, esotericism, magic, spirituality, mysticism, nature religion, secrecy, gnosis, the exotic or 'other'? Wicca has been defined by and explored within all these contexts over the past thirty years by anthropologists, sociologists and historians, but there has been a tendency to sublimate and negate the role of Christianity in Wicca's historical and contemporary contexts. Joanne Pearson 'prowls the borderlands of Christianity' to uncover the untold history of Wicca. Exploring the problematic nature of the Wiccan claim of marginality, it contains a groundbreaking analysis of themes in Christian traditions that are inherent in the development of contemporary Wicca. These focus on the accusations which have been levelled against Catholisicm, heterodoxy and witchcraft throughout history: ritual, deviant sexuality and magic.

Pearson uncovers the untold history of Wicca and analyzes the role of Christianity in its development.

Christian Wicca: Oxymoron or the Best of Both World? Finally, a how-to guide for practicing Wicca, celebrating the return of the original Christian Trinity: the Father, the Mother, and the Holy Son Jesus. This book is written expressly for Wiccans who wish to walk the spiritual path of earth-based religions, but do not wish to surrender their Judeo-Christian background. Nancy now offers a simple solution to the rapidly emerging ChristoPagan community. Wicca, the Old Religion, or the religion of the wise, is the fastest growing form of spirituality in the United States. Many modern and eclectic Christians have no problem recognizing Jesus as Lord, but instead have a problem accepting the dogma of the organized church. Seekers are also feeling the absense of the Female aspect of the Divine and wish to re-establish the Goddess in their spirituality. In the wake of the discoveries of the Nag Hammadi Library, for the first time since 100-300 A.C.E. - the yin of the Christian faith is seeking to restore it's yang! Despite the overwhelming evidence that there is a Divine Mother --- no one has applied this information to Wicca and the Holy Days of the Wheel of the Year. "Christian Wicca: the Trinitarian Tradition" does this very task, outlining the Sabbats, the Esbats to include the Holy Trinity . . . also introducing observances expressly for Jesus, called Kyriats! Blessed Be!!

This book sheds new light on the ancient origins of religion to give Wiccans, Witches, and the Neo-Pagans a sense of where they belong in history.

Contemporary western Paganism is now a global religious phenomenon with Pagans in many parts of the world sharing much in common - from a nature-revering worldview and lifestyle to a host of chants, invocations, ritual tools and magical practices. But there are also locally-specific differences. Local religious contexts, landscapes, histories, traditions, politics, values and norms all impact on local Paganisms. This is nowhere more evident than in a strongly Catholic society, where religion and culture are deeply entwined. Taking the Mediterranean society of Malta as a case study, this book invites readers inside the world of a small, hidden sub-culture. Showing what it is like being Pagan in a society where the vast majority of the population is Roman Catholic, and Catholicism permeates every sphere of public and domestic, social and political life, Rountree reveals that Paganism here is a unique brew of indigenous and global influences. Pagans employ both creativity and borrowing in constructing identities within a cultural context characterized by antagonism as well as continuity. This book explores the intersections of religious and cultural identity, the global and local, Paganism and Christianity, with insights grounded in rich ethnographic detail based on long-term fieldwork. Rountree makes invaluable comparisons with other studies of modern Pagans and their various worlds.

Celebrating Planet Earth, a Pagan/Christian Conversation explores the similarities and differences between these two paths. It will appeal to Pagans and Christians and students interested in making connections and bridging the divide. Issues are discussed from an academic view point with practical emphasis on personal spirituality and ritual practice. Contributors include leading figures in British Paganism, in the Christian Forest Church movement and academics in the field of religious studies and earth-centered Christianity. These include Philip Carr-Gomm, Graham Harvey and Philip Shallcrass (Greywolf). This book integrates aspects of Pagan and Christian traditions.

The Dark Wind provides a survey of witches around the world, their prehistoric origin and how society has viewed them throughout history. Folklorist Gary R. Varner explores the use of magic, spells and curses among indigenous groups as well as state approved religions such as those observed in ancient Rome and Greece, and how even contemporary Christianity uses many of the same "magic" combinations. Also examined is the current "witch craze" in several countries where thousands are being killed as witches, the underlying reasons for this tragedy and the history of anti-witchcraft laws. The Dark Wind is a book for everyone interested in anthropology, archaeology, ancient history, religion and the occult. Illustrated with contemporary woodcuts and drawings. The author is a member of the American Folklore Society and the Foundation for Mythological Studies.