In the decades since Gerald Gardner revived Wicca, many things have changed, adapted and evolved. Now we have innumerable covens, organizations along non-traditional lines, and new traditions forming across the globe. There is a growing acceptance of self-initiated and solitary paths. And many rituals and practices that have been passed down unchanged for years have been changed, or their true meanings have been lost. Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone are considered the leading experts on contemporary Witchcraft, and the Neo-Pagan movement. Together they have written an uncomplicated volume that will appeal to many of us interested in occult studies. Progressive Witchcraft looks at witchcraft and specifically Wicca from a modern perspective, addressing how things have changed, and (more importantly) how things should be changing.
Following the introduction there are twelve chapters covering "In the Beginning: From Witchcraft to Wicca," "At the Heart of Witchcraft: Spirituality and the Mysteries," "The Gods and Goddess: Deity-Centered Witchcraft," "Making the Witch: Training Within Witchcraft," "Sorcery: The Magical Art of the Witchcraft," "The Wheel: Cycles of Time and Fate", and "The Liber Actios: A Training Manual." There are three appendixes covering specific God/desses of witchcraft, correspondence tables, and spiritual/occult laws.
Detailed, well-written, and excellent resources make this a reference book to own.
~review by Lisa Mc Sherry
Author: Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone
New Page Books, 2004
pp. 280, $15.99
