ePub Philadelphia Then and Now® by Ed Mauger; Bob Skiba in History

Description

Here is a book that brings witchcraft out of the shadows. The Triumph of the Moon is the first full-scale study of the only religion England has ever given the world--modern pagan witchcraft; otherwise known as wicca. Meticulously researched; it provides a thorough account of an ancient religion that has spread from English shores across four continents. For centuries; pagan witchcraft has been linked with chilling images of blood rituals; ghostlike druids; and even human sacrifices. But while Robert Hutton explores this dark side of witchery; he stresses the positive; reminding us that devotion to art; the natural world; femininity; and the classical deities are also central to the practice of wicca. Indeed; the author shows how leading figures in English literature--W.B. Yeats; D.H. Lawrence; and Robert Graves; just to name a few--celebrated these positive aspects of the religion in their work; thereby softening the public perception of witchcraft in Victorian England. From cunning village folk to freemasons and from high magic to the black arts; Hutton chronicles the fascinating process by which actual wiccan practices evolved into what is now a viable modern religion. He also presents compelling biographies of wicca's principal figures; such as Gerald Gardner; who was inducted into a witch coven at the age of 53; and recorded many clandestine rituals and beliefs. Ronald Hutton is known for his colorful; provocative; and always thoroughly researched studies on original subjects. This work is no exception. It will appeal to anyone interested in witchcraft; paganism and alternative religions.