The History of Witchcraft Research Paper Sample

Through the use of information collected by archaeologists and historians, having the ability to find when a religion begun is easier now more than ever. Because of this, the chronology of witchcraft is extremely accurate according to the archaeologists and historians who have studied it. However, while it is known approximately when witchcraft began in the world, the origin of contemporary witchcraft and the ideas surrounding its beginning are still being discussed today as modern witchcraft continues to exist within the universe.  

Witchcraft has been within the UK and U.S. for centuries. Nevertheless, just like everything in the world, Witchcraft has evolved over the centuries becoming what is now known as “contemporary witchcraft.” Determining the exact time and manner of when and how Witchcraft shifted into its now modern form in the UK and U.S. has become the center of the discussion regarding modern witchcraft. However, Magot Adler has done exactly that in her book “Drawing Down the Moon.” In this book, Adler writes about modern Witchcraft beginning as early as the 1940s. Adler makes it clear that the UK gained modern Witchcraft practices about a decade or two prior to the U.S. Due to the work of Gerald Gardner, who is now found to be more of a contribution to modern witchcraft mythology, a popular type of Wicca called Gardnerian emerged in the 1950s. However, the work of Gardner was spread to the public as early as 1949 with his book “High Magic’s Aid” which, as Adler mentions, contains two initiation rituals. As previously mentioned, Gardner’s work, while influential to the start of contemporary witchcraft in the UK, is now seen as modern witchcraft mythology which is further discussed in the next paragraph. In Adler’s work, she includes the arguments of “the origin of the Craft” from Isaac Bonewits. According to Adler, Bonewits mentions how modern witchcraft ideals were brought to the U.S through the influence of Gardner. This is further backed by Adler’s writing on US witches trying to define what a modern Wicca and modern Wicca principles are to them. Through multiple witches of various Wicca traditions coming together to decide on this in 1973 and 1974, they eventually came to a consensus of what a Wiccan is in their own terms. Along with this, Adler writes about the success of The Counsel of American Witches in creating the principles of American Wicca. By creating these terms based on “the American experience and needs,” the principles of American Wicca share common traits of Gardnerian Wicca in that they are continuing the Craft based on things they deem feel correct. Although Gerald Gardner may be seen as part of the modern witchcraft mythology, Adler made it clear that his influences on Gardnerian Wicca help bring modern Wiccan practices into the UK and U.S. during 1950-1975. 

While Adler was able to speak on the when and how aspects of contemporary witchcraft, other contemporary witches over the years have come to argue various ideas that contributed to the origins of modern witchcraft and mythology. As previously stated, Gerald Gardner’s experiences and work is considered modern witchcraft mythology due to the controversy that surrounds it. In helping to create the beginning of the modern witchcraft, Gardner argued that he needed to save the Craft because as Adler put it, "[Gardner was] Convinced that the Witch cult was dying from the lack of knowledge about it.” Because of Gardner’s fear of the Craft dying, his goal to preserve it led to the start of the modern witchcraft. Adler writes on Aiden Kelly’s idea on Gardner’s actions and states Kelly’s idea that, “He [Gardner] invented a new religion, a “living system,” and modern covens have adopted a lot of it because it fulfills a need.” Kelly’s argument on Gardner's impact on the origin of modern witchcraft is one of the most important things Kelly argues. This is because Gardner led to Gardnerian Wicca that influenced multiple new tradition within modern Wicca, such as Alexandrian Wicca, all while shedding an opposite light on the work of Gardner. Instead of focusing on the harm most people associate with Gardner, Kelly allows for Gardner to be shown in a new light that highlights his work as a Wiccan being positively impactful. Another Wiccan who is perceived as an influential person to the origin of modern witchcraft mythology is Margaret Murray. When considering the origins of modern witchcraft mythology, Adler highlights how Murray is at the forefront due to her studies of Middle-age witchcraft. Due to Murray's studies, Adler writes, “...Murray... popularized the idea that Witchcraft is the surviving pre-Christian religion of Europe.” While she had a proper claim and evidence to back it up, Murry’s evidence became discredited when many began to see she used case studies that had been made up and justified with torture. Along with this, Murray not being able to prove that Wicca was a universal, organized religion, made her claim became discredited as well. Thus, leading to her arguments surrounding the origin of modern witchcraft to become part of the modern witchcraft mythology. While Murray’s ideas may have become discredited over time, her influence over the beginning of modern witchcraft still being intact is one of Adler’s most important arguments regarding the origin of modern witchcraft. This is because although Murray’s original claims became discredited, her work is still present within the origin of contemporary witchcraft through new traditions of Wicca, such as Z. Budapest's Dianic Wicca that is named after Murray’s name for witchcraft, “Dianic Cult.” Overall, the most important ideas that contemporary witches argue in terms of the origin of modern witchcraft relate back to influential Wiccans, no matter if their work is mythological or not, because their work still impacts modern Wicca traditions that evolved over time to encompass the needs of every Wicca involved.