CHRISTIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE

P.O. Box 7000, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

FeatureArticle:JAW188

MODERNWITCHCRAFT: ITMAYNOTBEWHATYOUTHINK
byRichardG.Howe
ThisarticlefirstappearedintheChristianResearchJournal,volume28,number1(2005).Forfurtherinformationorto subscribetotheChristianResearchJournalgoto:http://www.equip.org

SYNOPSIS Thetermwitchcraftevokesdifferentimagesfordifferentpeople.ManyWesternerswouldbesurprisedto knowthatmoreandmoreoftheircontemporariesareembracingwitchcraftasaviableexpressionoftheir ownspirituality.Howevermarginalorfaroutitmayhaveseemedinthepast,itisclearthatwitchcraftis becomingprogressivelymoremainstreamthroughouttheworld. Witches are people who revere both the God and the Goddess. They seek a more friendly relationship withtheirnaturalenvironment,endeavoringtorecognizethesacrednessofallofnature.Witches,further, seektoutilizecosmicorpsychicforcestodotheirbidding.Tothisend,thepracticeofwitchcraftinvolves knowledge and skill in appropriating the rituals that are believed to harness and focus these energies. SeeingthemselvesinstarkcontrasttootheroccultreligionssuchasSatanism,witchesseektoworkthese forcesinordertoenhancetheirownexperienceoflifeandtopromotehealingandcommunity. Do these rituals work? Is this even the important question to ask? What could possibly be wrong with such a seemingly benevolent religion? Witchcraft has something to say about who we are as humans, aboutwhatourrelationshiptoourfellowhumansandtotherestoftheuniverseoughttobe,andabout howweshouldrelatetothedivine.SomeChristiansmaybesurprisedtolearnofthecomparisonsand contraststhatcanbedrawnfromwitchcraftwiththeirownChristianity.

Whatkindofimagesdoesthetermwitchcraftprovoke?Tomanyitbringsthoughtsofdark,secretrituals withsinisterintent,cursesbeingcastontheunwarydesignedtobringabouttheirundoing.Othersare reminded about witchcraft only one time ayear.For them it bringsimages of children dressed in their pointed hats enjoying candy; of cutouts of witches surrounded by broomsticks, pumpkins, and dry leaves.Thiscreatesaproblemintryingtounderstandwitchcraft.Thesubjectiseithertoofrighteningor toosillytoconsider.Perhapsmanypeople,Christiansincluded,wouldbesurprisedtodiscoverthatwhat goesbythenameofwitchcraftisoftenquiteabitmoresophisticatedandthoughtfulthantheyexpected. A Christian analysis must resoundingly condemn witchcraft, but that analysis must be based on a fair assessmentofthephenomenonasawhole. WHYBOTHER? Somemaywonderwhythereisanyneedtotakealookatwitchcraft.Afterall,thereisseeminglynoend to which people will go in their eccentric beliefs or practices. The reason a topic such as this merits examination is precisely because witchcraft is becoming less eccentric and more mainstream. For example, in the summer of 2004 the Parliament of the WorldsReligions convened in Barcelona, Spain. Representativesfrommanyoftheworldsreligionswerepresenttoseekpeace,justiceandsustainability and commit to work for a better world as well as to deepen spirituality and experience personal transformation.1 Present at the 2004 conference (as well as the 1993 and 1999 conferences) were

CRI

Web: www.equip.org

Tel: 949.858.6100 1

Fax: 949.858.6111

representatives of the Covenant of the Goddess, the worlds largest religious organization for Neo Pagan Witches, as described by an elder of the organization.2 A common theme that comes up in the contextofsuchconferencesistheincreasingemphasisoninterfaith. In contrast, one group that is often conspicuous by its near absence at such conferences is evangelical Christianity.Whymightthisbeso?Withoutjumpingaheadtomycritique,itshouldbepointedoutthatthe worldviewofmanywhowouldattendsuchconferenceswouldvehementlyrejectthereligiousexclusivism that characterizes historic, orthodox Christianity. In a very serious way, therefore, many of the worlds religions, including witchcraft, either explicitly or implicitly see themselves aligned against evangelical Christianity;nevertheless,Jesuscommandtopreachthegospelandmakedisciplesofallnationsinvariably includeswitches.Inordertodoso,itisnecessarythatweunderstandwhotheyareandwhattheybelieve. KnowingwhatweareupagainstisaprimaryelementinbeingpreparedtocarryoutHisGreatCommission. WHATWITCHCRAFTIS Definitionscaneitherfacilitateorimpedeunderstanding.Ahelpfuldefinitionisonethatisnotoverlysimplistic, and one that mentions important distinctions as well as similarities between familiar and unfamiliar terms wheretheyexist.Inourcurrentageofecumenicalenthusiasm,thereisthedangerofChristiansoverlookingthe mostimportantaspectofagivenreligion,namely,thedifferencebetweenitandtheirownChristianfaith. Therearesimilaritiesbetweenflourandricin.Theybotharemadefromplants;theybotharewhitepowders; butitisnottheirsimilaritiesthatareinterestingorimportant,itistheirdifferences.Oneisafoodandthe otherisapoison.Onepromoteslifeandtheothereffectsdeath.DontbemisledbymymetaphorIamnot atthispointlikeningwitchcrafttoricin.Iamonlytryingtoshowthatwithsomeissuesthedifferencescanbe justasimportant,ifnotmoreso,thanthesimilarities.Withthisinmindletmenowdelineatethemain tenetsofmodernwitchcraftandthencontrastthosewiththemaintenetsofevangelicalChristianity. WitchcraftIsKnownbyManyNames Whenonebeginstoinvestigatethephenomenonofmodernwitchcraft,itdoesnottakelongtonoticea rangeoftermsassociatedwiththepractice:TheCraft,Wicca,paganism,NeoPaganism,andsoon.Brooks Alexander, a Christian researcher who is an expert on the occult and counterculture, gives a helpful summary of certain distinctions between the terms Wicca, witchcraft, and NeoPaganism. NeoPaganism is the broadest category, encompassing a wide range of groups that try to reconstruct ancient, pre and nonChristian religious systemssuch as the Norse, Celtic, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian religionsas wellasvariousobscure,forgotten,andneglectedoccultteachingsfromaroundtheworld.3Hegoeson to distinguish witchcraft from Wicca (with Wicca being the narrowest category) along the lines of how closelyonefollowsthespecificteachingsandpracticesoftheEnglishWiccanGeraldGardner,whomore orlessgavethetermWica(withonec)tohispractice.4 Theremaybesubtledistinctionsthatsomeprefertomaintainwhenoptingforonetermoveranother,but forthemostpartthesetermsareusedinterchangeably.Thetermwitchcraftiscertainlythemostfamiliar withinandwithoutthepractice,butitisalsothetermthatcarrieswithitthemostunwantedbaggage.It oftenhassinisterorevilconnotations,andforthosereasonsmanywithinthecraftpreferthetermWicca (forthepractice)andWiccan(forthepractitioner).TheprefixNeoinNeoPaganismusuallyindicatesan emphasis on ones practice in its contemporary manifestation while still hinting that it is perhaps a revivalof,orconnectedto,somethingancient. WitchcraftIsaReligion AsAmericans,thisisanimportantpointtoremember.Wecherishourheritageofreligiousfreedom,butin theirenthusiasmtorefutethebeliefsofwitchcraft,someChristianshaveoverstatedthecase.Theyrightly claimthattheUnitedStateswasfoundedontheethicalconceptofnaturallaw(wheremoralityisgrounded inthenatureofthecreatorGod),5buttheywronglyconcludethatwitchesdonothaveconstitutionalrights, sincewitchesrejectthetraditionalChristiannotionofthecreatorGod.Withoutgettingintothetrickyissue of how and whether religion should interact with government or public life, we should recognize that,

CRI

Web: www.equip.org

Tel: 949.858.6100 2

Fax: 949.858.6111

withinthelimitsoflaw,allAmericanshavetherighttoexercisetheirownreligioninaccordancewiththe dictatesoftheirconscience.Ourcontention,suchasitis,withwitchcraftisoneoftruth.Itisabattleofideas. WitchcraftIsaWorldview Aworldviewisthesumtotalofonesviewofthenatureofreality.Everyonehasaworldviewevenifonly afewreflectontheirown.Onesworldviewencompassesonesviewsofhowrealityiscomposed,howit works,andhowweashumansfitinorrelatetoouruniverse.Itcanentailonesviewsaboutthepurpose oflifeandtheoriginanddestinyofusall. Naturalism. Starting at the broadest level and working down, it is fair to say that the worldview of witchcraftisnaturalism.NaturalismistheviewthatthereisnotranscendentrealitysuchasGodthatcan intervene in the natural world. Naturalism maintains that all of reality is interrelated and operates accordingtolaws.Otherexpressionsofnaturalismwouldincludematerialism,whichseesallofreality asbeingmadeupofmatterthatoperatesaccordingtomateriallaws. Witchcraft,thoughanexpressionofnaturalism,isnotmaterialism.Witchesrecognizethatrealityextends beyondtherealmofthematerial.Thisissometimesconfusing.Aworldviewcanbenaturalisticevenifit accepts the reality of an immaterial realm; indeed, even acknowledging the existence of gods and goddesses does not preclude a worldview from being naturalistic. What stands in stark contrast to naturalismisaworldviewthatsaysthatthenaturalrealm(whethermaterial,immaterial,orboth)isthe creationofatranscendentGod.Thisissupernaturalism.Thisiswhathistoric,orthodoxChristianityis. Occultism.Sharpeningthefocus,notonlycanwesaythatwitchcraftisaworldviewofnaturalism,itis alsoaworldviewofoccultism.ThetermoccultisfromtheLatinoccultusmeaninghidden,orsecret. Thecategorycoversawiderangeofbeliefsandpracticesthatarecharacterizedbytwomainpointsthat areoftenthoughttobehiddenfromtheaverageperson.First,theoccultmaintainsthatthereisforceor energy into which one can tap or with which one can negotiate to do ones own bidding. The familiar term spell is applied to the technique of harnessing and focusing this power. The late witchcraft practitioner Scott Cunningham explains, The spell issimply a ritual in which various tools are purposefullyused,thegoalisfullystated(inwords,picturesorwithinthemind),andenergyismovedto bring about the needed result.6 Exactly what is the nature of this force or energy, according to the occultist,andwhatisthebestwaytoworkwithitiswhatmakessomeofthemaindifferencesbetween themajoroccultgroupssuchasshamanism,witchcraft,Satanism,NewAge,andothers. Second, the occult maintains that human beings are divine. The practice of the occult arts is thus an endeavor to actualize ones own divinity. As witchcraft practitioner Margot Adler claims, A spiritual paththatisnotstagnantultimatelyleadsonetotheunderstandingofonesowndivinenature.Thouart Goddess.ThouareGod.DivinityisimminentinallNature.Itisasmuchwithinyouaswithout.7 Humanism.Witchcraftseesitselfasacelebrationofalllife.Thiscelebrationinvolvesthedenialthatthereis anythingwrongwiththehumanrace.ThepracticingwitchStarhawkrejoicesthatwecanopenneweyes andseethatthereisnothingtobesavedfrom,nostruggleoflifeagainsttheuniverse,noGodoutsidethe worldtobefearedandobeyed8(emphasisinoriginal).PaganElderDonaldFrewoftheCovenantofthe Goddessexplains,Howcanweachievesalvation,then?Werenoteventryingto.Wedontunderstand whatthereistobesavedfrom.TheideaofsalvationpresupposesaFallofsomekind,afundamentalflaw inCreationasitexiststoday.Witcheslookattheworld[around]usandseewonder,weseemystery.9 WitchcraftIsaPractice Notice that the term practice is often used with the term witchcraft. What this tells us is that, for many, Wiccaisasmuchwhatsomeonedoesasitiswhatsomeonebelieves.Whileitiscertainlytruethatwhatone doesisinvariablyaproductofwhatonebelieves,forwitchcrafttheemphasisisonwhatthepracticecan dotoenhanceonesownwellbeingaswellasthewellbeingofothers.Witchesdonotsimplyadheretoa listofdogmas;indeed,inmanywayswitchesliketothinkthattheyeschewdogmas.AsAdlerdescribes it,Ifyougofarenoughback,allourancestorspracticedreligionsthathadneithercreedsnordogmas, neitherprophetsnorholybooks.Thesereligionswerebasedonthecelebrationsoftheseasonalcyclesof

CRI

Web: www.equip.org

Tel: 949.858.6100 3

Fax: 949.858.6111

nature.Theywerebasedonwhatpeopledid,asopposedtowhatpeoplebelieved.Itisthesepolytheistic religionsofimminencethatarebeingrevivedandrecreatedbyNeoPaganstoday.10 Alookthroughwitchcraftmaterialatthelocalbookstorewillrevealthatmuchofitdealswithvariousrituals andactivitiesthatcanbeperfectedinordertomanipulateandutilizethiscosmicorpsychicforcetodoones bidding.Onewillfindchaptersonthevariousitemsofclothingtowear(robes;jewelry;hornedhelmet,when oneisnotworkingnaked,orskyclad);thetoolstouse(candles,herbs,tarotcards,talismans,fetishes);and rituals to perform (spells, incantations, chanting, music, dancing)all of which enables the practitioner to becomeopentotheseforces(iftheyexistoutside)ortoconjureuptheseforces(iftheyoriginatefromwithin). One will learn how to interpret dreams, meditate, have outofbody experiences, speak with the dead, heal,andreadauras.Onecanseektodeveloponesownpowerswithinthecontextofotherwitches(ina coven) or alone (in solitary practice). There are no obligations to follow any previously prescribed method.Ifwhatothershavedonebeforeworks,thatisfine.Ifoneseestheneedtochangetheritualor toolstogetbetterresults,thenthatisfineaswell.Alloftheseactivitiesaredesignedtodotwothings:to enhancethewellbeingofonesselforthosearoundhimorherandtoactualizeonesowndivinity. WHATWITCHCRAFTISNOT WitchcraftIsNotSatanism ItmightbesurprisingtosometoknowthatwitchcraftisnotSatanism.Notonlydothetwohavedifferent histories(eveniftheyareshorthistories),theyalsohave,atacertainlevel,differentviewsoftheworldand ones place in it. I add the qualification at a certain level because there is a shared occult perspective betweenwitchcraftandSatanism.Satanismandwitchcraftarebothoccultreligions;becauseofthis,they bothseerealityasentirelynatural.ThereisnotranscendentGodinthetruestsenseoftheterm.Further, theybothseeallofreality,materialandimmaterial,asinterconnectedandworkingaccordingtolaws that can be mastered in such a way as to make not only material but also immaterial reality work according to ones own bidding. Satanism and witchcraft both stand in stark contrast to Christianity in theirrepudiationnotonlyofGodbutalsooftheroleofJesusineffectingthesalvationofmankind;indeed, thereisasenseinwhichbothSatanismandwitchcraftdenythatmankindisinanyneedofsalvation. Thesesimilaritiesarenottrivial,butneitherarethedifferences.Anycriminalactivitythatcanbeassociated withoccultismisusuallyassociatedwithsomeformofSatanism(usuallysomeformofselfstyledSatanism). Asamatterofprincipleandpractice,witchcraftlivesbythecreed,Anitharmnone,dowhatyouwill.11 Satanism is more often associated with an attitude of selfaggrandizement rather than the sense of communitythatcharacterizesmostwitchcraft.Further,Satanismandwitchcraftdiffersomewhatintheir respectiveviewsofnatureandhumanity.AsresearchersShelleyRabinovitchandJamesLewisobserve, To the neoPagan practitioner, nature is viewed as somewhere on a scale from benign to overtly positive,ifnotoutrightfriendlytowardhumanity.TheidealinmostneoPaganpracticeistobecomeasone with the natural worldto live in harmony with nature.In contrast, neoSatanists view the natural worldassomewherebetweenbenignandopenlyhostiletohumans.12 WitchcraftIsNotChristianity SomewitchessuggestthatthepracticeofwitchcraftcanbecompatiblewithChristianity,13butvirtuallyeveryone realizesthatwitchcraftisnotChristianity.Somemayaccusemeofhavinganuncannygraspoftheobviousfor assertingthis.Whowouldpossiblyconfusethetwo?Inmakingthisclaim,however,Imeantodotwothings. First,Iwanttoemphasizethatonemustbecarefulthatvarioussubtleaspectsofthepracticeofwitchcraftdo not influence ones own Christian view of the worldin a way that is incompatible with the Christian faith. WhatIhaveinmindhereishoweasyitcanbeforChristianstoassumethatcertainpracticesthatcharacterize theoccultingeneralorwitchcraftinparticulararesufficientlyneutralthatonemaysafelydabbleintheiruse. SomeChristiansseenoproblemwithexperimentingwithsancesortarotcards,notrealizingthatthey could be eroding their own view of the nature of reality, not to mention the danger of encountering demonicactivity.Evenifthesepracticesworked,pragmatismisnotacriterionfortruth(Jer.44:1718).

CRI

Web: www.equip.org

Tel: 949.858.6100 4

Fax: 949.858.6111

MysecondreasonforpointingoutthatwitchcraftisnotChristianityistotrytosummarizeexactlywhere witchcraft and Christianity compare and contrast in their respective worldviews. Before I outline those areas of contrast (i.e., where the flour and ricin are different) let me acknowledge those areas where witchesandChristiansmightsharecommonconcerns. WitchcraftandChristianity:CommonConcerns.First,becauseoftheirviewofthenatureoftheworld, witchesoftenhaveasenseofenvironmentalconcern.Now,themotivationsofwitchesandChristiansare widely disparatewitches are environmentally conscientious because of their view that the Earth is sacred, whereas Christians should be environmentally conscientious as a matter of stewardship of the creation before the Creatorbut Christians can agree with Wiccans that there is a duty to be environmentally responsible. How that environmental responsibility translates into public policy and individualactionsmayvaryalongthepoliticalandpersonalspectrum;nevertheless,wecanallagreethat thereisanenvironmentalresponsibilitythateachofusshares. Second,witchestendtohaveaconscientioussenseofglobalconcerns.Again,exactlyhowtheseconcerns translate into public policy and individual actionsmay vary along the politicaland personal spectrum, butourcommoninterestsstemfromthefactthatweareallhumanbeingslivingonthesameplanet. Third,witchestendtobebenevolentlydisposedtowardtheirfellowhumanbeings.Thestereotypeofwitches beingpeoplewithsinisterintentwieldingspellsofblackmagicneedstobeabandoned.AsChristianswe can share in their concern for the well being of others though we will obviously disagree as to what exactlyconstitutesthatwellbeing. Witchcraft and Christianity: Mortal Foes in What Ultimately Counts. Our enthusiasm to establish rapportwiththosearounduswhomayembracewitchcraftasawayofexpressingtheirownspirituality must not keep us from recognizing that, when it comes to what ultimately counts, witchcraft and Christianity (but not witches and Christians14) are mortal foes. What ultimately counts is the objective truthaboutwhoGodis,whoweareashumans,andhowwerelate. Christianity is monotheistic. Christianity claims that there is a God and no one of us is He. Witchcraft claimstheopposite:WeareofthenatureoftheGods,andafullyrealizedmanorwomanisachannel for that divinity, a manifestation of the God or the Goddess.15 Adler favorably quotes historian James Breasted who said, Monotheism is but imperialism in religion.16 In place of the strict monotheism of Christianity,witchcraftnotonlydeifiestheself,butitostensiblyreveresthepaganGodandGoddess.17 Christianityisexclusivistic.RememberJesuswordsinJohn14:6:Iamtheway,thetruth,andthelife.No onecomestotheFatherexceptthroughMe.ContrastthatwithwhatAdlerproclaims:Thebeliefthat thereisoneword,onetruth,onepathtothelight,makesiteasytodestroyideas,institutions,andhuman beingsyourownspiritualpathisnotnecessarilymine.18 Christianity is authoritarian. Usually this term authoritarian has negative associations, but if authoritarian meansrecognizingauthoritythenChristianitycertainlydoesthat.NotonlyhasGodrevealedHimself through the things He has made (see, e.g., Ps.19:1 and Rom.1:20), but He has also revealed Himself finally and fully through Jesus Christ and the Bible. In contrast, Frew says, To grant a traditional text suchauthority would be to say that this isit, the truth forall time.Butweareanaturereligion,anda fundamental truth of nature is that everything changes.19 Christians recognize the authority of Gods wordinsuchmatters,andsowehavetofacethefactthattheBibleunequivocallycondemnsthepractice ofwitchcraft,alongwithallformsoftheoccult(seeDeut.18:1012;Acts13:611;16:1618;Gal.5:1921). Christianity recognizes everyones need for salvation. The most important message we have to give to the worldisthegospelofJesusChrist.WithoutthesacrificeofChristtowashawayoursinsandreconcileus toourMaker,thereisnohopeintheworldtocome.Witchcraftteachesthatourdestinyistoreturnagain to this world through reincarnation. Cunningham comments, While reincarnation isnt an exclusive Wiccanconcept,itishappilyembracedbymostWiccansbecauseitanswersmanyquestionsaboutdaily life and offers explanations for more mystical phenomena such as death, birth and karma.20 Frew expounds,Whilemanyofusbelieveinreincarnation,wedonotseektoescapethewheelofrebirth.We cant imagine anything more wonderful than to come back to this bounteous and beautiful Earth.21 In

CRI

Web: www.equip.org

Tel: 949.858.6100 5

Fax: 949.858.6111

contrasttothisspirituallyfatalillusion,theBiblewarns,Andasitisappointedformentodieonce,but afterthisthejudgment(Heb.9:27NKJV). WHATAREWETODO? ThereisasenseinwhichthejobbeforeusasChristiansneverchanges,nomatterwhoouraudienceis. Tactics and strategies may vary depending on the task at handwhether apologetics, evangelism, or discipleshipbut the commission never varies. It behooves us as Christians to maximize our effectiveness in reaching the lost by being informed and sensitive to the beliefs and practices of others whilepayingcloseattentiontothesubtledifferencesbetweenvariousworldviewsandourownChristian faith.Thisistruenolessofwitchesthananyoneelsewhomaybelivingrightnextdoor. NOTES
1. 2. ParliamentoftheWorldsReligions,http://www.cpwr.org/2004Parliament/welcome/index.htm. DonaldH.Frew,PagansinInterfaithDialogue:NewFaiths,NewChallenges,CoGWeb,http://www.cog.org/pwr/don.htm. Onthesignificanceofthepresenceofpaganwitchcraftattheconference,Frewcommented,The2004Parliamentcemented ourpositionasanestablishedreligionontheworldstage.(DonaldFrew,emailinterviewbyauthor,October31,2004.) BrooksAlexander,WitchcraftGoesMainstream:UncoveringItsAlarmingImpactonYouandYourFamily(Eugene,OR:HarvestHouse Publishers,2004),23. Thequestionoftheoriginandhistoryofmodernwitchcraftiscomplicated.Accordingtosomeresearchers,GeraldGardner (18841964)isalmostsinglehandedlyresponsibleforthemodernphenomenonwenowknowaswitchcraft.WhetherGardner inventedorrediscoveredthereligionisdisputed.Fordiscussionsonthematter,seeBrooksAlexandersworkcitedinendnote3; RonaldHutton,TriumphoftheMoon:AHistoryofModernPaganWitchcraft(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,1999);JennyGibbons, RecentDevelopmentsintheStudyofTheGreatEuropeanWitchHunt,CoGWeb,http://www.cog/org/witch_hunt.html.Fora responsetoearlierversionsofHuttonsarguments,seeD.H.Frew,MethodologicalFlawsinRecentStudiesofHistoricalandModern Witchcraft,Ethnologies1(1998):3365.ForHuttonsrejoindertoFrew,seeRonaldHutton,PaganismandPolemic:TheDebateover theOriginsofModernPaganWitchcraft,Folklore(April2000),http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2386/is_1_111/ai_62685559. IagreewithAlexandersconclusion:Therehasbeennopassingdownofanytraditionfrommedievalwitchestoanyoneinour owntime.ThereisnoidentifiablecontinuitybetweenthewitchcraftoftheMiddleAgesandthemoderndayreligious movementthatbearsthesamename.(Alexander,WitchcraftGoesMainstream,127.)Thisisnottosay,however,thatthereisno continuitybetweensomeoftheconceptsofmodernwitchcraftandancientreligions.AsDonaldFrewobserves,Thereisa genuineantiquitytomanyofthecoretheologicalconceptsandlinkedliturgicalpractices,andthereisatraceablepathof transmissionfromClassicalantiquitydowntothemodernmovement,butthisisnotthesamethingasacontinuallypracticing group.(DonaldFrew,emailinterviewbyauthor,October31,2004.) ForadefenseoftheroleofnaturallawinthebirthoftheUnitedStatesofAmericaseeGaryT.Amos,DefendingtheDeclaration: HowtheBibleandChristianityInfluencedtheWritingoftheDeclarationofIndependence(Brentwood,TN:WolgemuthandHyatt Publishers,1989).ForanexaminationofnaturallawtheoryinpluralisticAmericaseeNormanGeislerandFrankTurek, LegislatingMorality:IsItWise?IsItLegal?IsItPossible?(Minneapolis:BethanyHousePublishers,1998)andCarlHorn,ed., WhoseValues?TheBattleforMoralityinPluralisticAmerica(AnnArbor,MI:ServantBooks,1985). ScottCunningham,TheTruthaboutWitchcraftToday(St.Paul,MN:LlewellynPublications,1988),17. MargotAdler,DrawingDowntheMoon:Witches,Druids,GoddessWorshippers,andOtherPagansinAmericaToday,rev.andexp. ed.(Boston:BeaconPress,1986),ix. Starhawk,TheSpiralDance:ARebirthoftheAncientReligionoftheGreatGoddess(SanFrancisco:HarperandRowPublishers,1979),14. Frew,PagansinInterfaithDialogue. Adler,ix. JanetandStewartFarrar,AWitchesBibleCompleat:Principles,RitualsandBeliefsofModernWitchcraft,rev.ed.(NewYork: MagickalChilde,1987),2:135. ShelleyRabinovitchandJamesLewis,TheEncyclopediaofModernWitchcraftandNeoPaganism(NewYork:CitadelPress,2002), s.v.NeoSatanismComparedandContrastedwithNeoPaganism,18586,emphasisinoriginal. See,e.g.,GavinFrostandYvonneFrost,TheMagicPowerofWitchcraft(WestNyack,NY:ParkerPublishing,1976),130. ThebeliefsystemsofChristianityandwitchcraftaremutuallyexclusive,butChristiansarecalledtoloveallhumanbeingsandconsider astheirtrueenemytheevilspiritualforcethatliesbehindtheworldsantiChristianbeliefsystems(Eph.6:12;cf.Matt.5:4347). Farrar,2:33. Adler,vii. TheemphasisontheGodandtheGoddessstemsfromwitchcraftsworldviewoftheinterplayinrealityofoppositesthatseek balance.TheFarrarsexplain,Allactivity,allmanifestationarises[sic]from(andisinconceivablewithout)theinteractionof pairsandcomplementaryopposites.(AWitchesBibleCompleat,2:107.) Adler,viii. Frew,PagansinInterfaithDialogue. Cunningham,65. Frew,PagansinInterfaithDialogue.

3. 4.

5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

18. 19. 20. 21.

CRI

Web: www.equip.org

Tel: 949.858.6100 6

Fax: 949.858.6111