Witchcraft Today

Witchcraft Today presents Gerald Gardner’s account of witchcraft as a living religion, based on his claims to have encountered practising covens in England. He describes beliefs, ritual practices, initiation and meetings, while considering the roles of the goddess, the Devil, reincarnation and ceremonial symbolism.

Gardner also connects witchcraft with folklore about the Little People, the Knights Templar, Egyptian and classical religious traditions, and Irish witchcraft. Historical discussions range from alleged medieval survivals to witch trials and persecution. Margaret Murray contributes the introduction, and her theory of an ancient witch-cult strongly informs Gardner’s interpretation, although that historical framework is not accepted by scholars today. The book remains an important primary text in the emergence of modern Wicca.