Wicca's Charm: Understanding the Spiritual Hunger Behind the Rise of Modern Witchcraft and Pagan Spirituality

by Catherine Edwards Sanders

Book Overview

How Wiccan Spirituality Is Filling a Spiritual Hunger in America Hundreds of thousands of people practice Wicca and other forms of modern Pagan spirituality in America today, and journalist Catherine... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0877881987
• ISBN13: 9780877881988
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Shaw Books
• Length: 233 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An attempt.

The author made an attempt, however, it's definitely not as unbiased as they claim. I appreciate that she did not depict wiccans as evil or satanic, but I don't appreciate the impression that Christianity is inherently "better." I REALLY did not appreciate when the author suggested that christians tell wiccans that Jesus offers everything they look for in religion, or that wiccans are only wiccan because the church failed them.

Another Thinly Disguised Diatribe Against Wicca

Yet another tired attempt to vilify Wicca and laud the merits of Christianity over it. It's a tad less judgmental than some similar books but in the end, the reader is not encouraged to accept "Wicca's Charm" but instead they are somewhat surreptitiously encouraged to help Wiccans see the error of their ways and to become Christian converts.

Heavily Biased

Starts off strong, presented as an objective study of Wicca by an outsider, but steadily becomes more preachy in tone. Frequent subtle jabs at Wiccans for the contradictory nature of the religion while touting Christianity as fact. Phrases like "What Christians know that differs from what Wiccans believe" set a clear bias that has no place in an academic text. Would not recommend.

Good book

This is a great and resourceful book. Highly recommend especially if you are in ministry,

Sincere and thought-provoking

It is interesting to read other reviews of this book. Many of them are rather personal and angry and I have to question how many read this book all the way through? Sanders admits from the very beginning that she is an "outsider looking in" and therefore will have a different view of neo-pagans. She also makes a point of honoring pagans and asserting several times that many are indeed sincerely convicted followers, unlike the accusation made in a previous review. Rather, I think that Sander's newness to the topic might account for what some chose to call her patronizing tone. In fact, Sanders, in her last chapter says that she wants America to get the message that Wicca is not a dangerous threat but a wake-up call to all of us to demand spirituality from our religions, be they Christian or otherwise. And here, Sanders takes her own advice by attending a service at her own church, dedicated to those who have experienced stillbirths and miscarriages, women's issues that have largely been ignored by the institutional church for too long; and the author freely admits in several places that she has learned so much from her contacts in the pagan world. I found this book to be a great affirmation of the spiritual hunger we all feel. The point of this book was not necessarily conversion, as so many have written, but to point out that each religion is essentially striving toward the same purpose. Sanders takes the high road in pointing out where both Christianity and Paganism fail to provide spiritual sustenance to believers as well as where they have succeeded. I believe it is this non-politically correct approach that has caused Christians and Pagans alike to condemn her book. We none of us like to be told that we have shortcommings.

Honest and Engaging

Ms. Sanders provides a respectful and genuine investigation of the Wiccan faith as well as an honest look at the ways in which many of its practitioners have been wounded by the church. The author's thorough and extensive research is very impressive, and the descriptions of her journeys make for a very lively and engaging read. In this book Ms. Sanders dismantles many misconceptions about Wicca and provides an important challenge to Christians who may hold these misconceptions. Reading Wicca's Charm has opened my eyes and my heart to those who feel disillusioned with the church, and I would consider this book to be very important reading for Christians and Wiccans/Pagans alike.

Charmed and Delighted to Engage Others

Catherine Edwards Sanders is a talented writer and studious researcher. As a Christian myself, I too find that it is difficult to truly capture another's spirituality and genuine experiences. Much of the criticism in other reviews seems to strike at the very thing Catherine Edwards Sanders mentions time and again when she acknowledges that she is an outsider to Wicca, the Craft, and neo-Pagan thought; and that this project has lead her to a real desire to not just brush aside or ignore those who follow a different path. A committed Christian is certainly going to see and interpret everything through the lenses of that faith, just as those in other faiths. I think that this book is a great introduction for Christians seeking to know more about Wicca and its practitioners. It certainly has softened my heart and desire to make more of an effort to get to know some of my neo-Pagan and Wiccan acquaintances more personally if nothing else but to further and deepen my own experiences and stretch my idea of spirituality. Catherine Edwards Sanders makes no efforts to hide any of her own beliefs, personal bias, or love of Christ in her writing; so any political or religious affiliation is not hidden from the reader and should not taint one's view of the work based on such affiliations alone. As a matter of fact, many of her Christian counterparts will be surprised in some places by her candid admonitions to those who profess to be Christian. She is indeed walking in the footsteps of Daniel and Paul.