Witchcraft Out of the Shadows

This complete history of witchcraft from Ancient Greece to the present day charts the rise and development of witchcraft and the modern witchcraft religion of Wicca. This in-depth investigation discovers how the ideas we have about witchcraft took shape thousands of years ago in the myths and religions of the ancient world. It looks at why these ideas were expressed so violently during the era of the witch trials, and reveals how witchcraft has been transformed into one of the most radical and fastest growing religions of our age--a religion of equality and compassion that still has the power to unsettle even the bravest amongst us. With fresh insights and previously unpublished material drawn from the author's doctoral research into the mysticism, magic, and social meaning of Wicca, this is the first book to bring witchcraft fully out of the shadows.