Witchcraft: A Secret History Hardcover – September 8, 2002 by Richard Craze (Author), Jay Roni (Author), Michael Streeter (Author)
 
From the Back Cover
The secret of witchcraft is that it is not what we think it is. When you hear the word ?witchcraft,? do you imagine warty old women scudding through the sky on broomsticks to a rendezvous with the Devil? Then think again. Witches have been men as well as women, beautiful as well as ugly, and have worshipped other gods, as well as Satan. They have lived in all ages and all cultures. This book uncovers the truth behind the stereotype that is the secret history of witchcraft.

Witchcraft: A Secret History charts how we have perceived the practice of magic and the control of natural forces; how these ideas gave form to their most violent expression in the ?burning times? of the medieval and early modern period; and how they still influence the way we think about witchcraft today. Finally, it shows how these ideas have been completely transformed into a religion of equality and respect that still has the power to unsettle the bravest among us.
 
Witchcrafts great secret stems from the fact that few people understand its true essence. Here's the book that explains how Wicca, the religion of witchcraft, came into existence. A detailed discussion of witchcraft's origins begins with accounts from ancient civilizations, then progresses forward to describe present-day manifestations of the art. Although witches and witchcraft are a part of popular culture and favorite subjects in film and TV, this spiritual movement's true history should not be confused with tales of wart-nosed hags who fly through the night on broomsticks. This history of witchcraft includes: Witchcraft in Judea during the reign of King Solomon . . . Medea and Circe, legendary witches of ancient Greece . . . The place of witchcraft among barbarian tribes in ancient northern Europe . . . The seventeenth-century New England trials of the witches of Salem . . . Gerald Gardner and the birth of modern Wicca as a nature religion . . . Witchcraft as it is taught and practiced today. This book points out how modern witchcraft has evolved into a benevolent religion, a spiritual expression of feminism, and a practice that encourages reverence toward nature. More than 200 full-color illustrations enhance an intensely readable text.
 
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