[log in to unmask]" type="cite"> Aloha,

On 7/5/2010 2:48 AM, Francis wrote:

[log in to unmask]" type="cite"> [2] The caption to the illustration on page 114 describes Gerald Gardner as the 'self-proclaimed father of modern paganism'. I've found nothing like this is anything I've read by him or about him. Have I missed something?

I probably would not characterize Gerald Gardner that way, but I suppose
that it would be casually OK. Gardner did, so far as I can tell from far away,
actively and enthusiastically promote Wicca and Witchcraft through books,
newspapers, and business enterprises like the Museum of Witchcraft.

And he found a receptive audience, pretty much.

But in addition, so far as I can tell, in early days, the extent of Gardner's
influence was limited mostlly to the UK. There were outliers in New York
and California. But I think that there were plenty of other people in North
America independently invigorating the overall Pagan revival. Elsewhere,
as well.

Plus, of course, there was a diverse occulture, thoroughly influenced by
Pagan sources, before Gardner. Including folks reviving Witchcraft.

(My impression for the 50s-70s is that some were small groups endeavors.
Some were individual and more or less clueless about any greater revival
movement [count young me here]. Some activities were driven by occultic
interests, and some by literary/poetic, by gender oriented, by creative/art making/
avante garde, by environmentalist/ecological, by fan enthusiasms, and by
cultural/political resistance interests. In lots of North American situations,
Gardner came later.)

[log in to unmask]" type="cite">
[3] On page 137, in the last section of the Further Reading, Ronald Hutton's Triumph of the Moon is listed among the titles 'For occultism:'. The following three titles (Luhrmann 1989, Berger 1999, Adler 1986) all relate to Wicca. Is it usual to conflate Wicca and occultism?

As a matter of classification, I'd hold to "Wicca" as a sub-class within
"occultism"--a much broader category. But I guess it depends on just
how analytical a reader takes the tags in a "further reading" list. I
tend to look at them as casual, myself.

Musing Just Taking Story! Rose,

Pitch