Witchcraft and Paganism in AustraliaThis book contributes in a most original way to the growing literature on comparative religion and new religious movements. More specifically, it draws attention to a new religious movement. Neo-Paganism, or Paganism, is rapidly growing in membership throughout the Western world, and is gaining increasing interest throughout Australia. Using a multidisciplinary approach, Hume describes the emergence of a controversial worldview that has its roots in some ancient ideas but whose ideology is firmly rooted in the twentieth century. Hume poses some interesting questions: is Paganism a religion? What do its practitioners believe and do? What place does it have in a modern nation like Australia? What are its historical roots? Is it dangerous? Is it legal? How do people learn about it? Why is it adopted as a belief system? What is the emic viewpoint; the view from the believer's perspective? As an anthropological analysis of a social phenomenon, Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia is an intriguing and accessible study. |
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Aboriginal abuse activities Aleister Aleister Crowley Alex Sanders ancient astral athame Australia Australian Pagans become beliefs and practices body celebrations Christian Church consciousness conversation coven Craft created Crowley cultural dancing dark deity divine Doreen Valiente earth energy esbats fantasy feel felt female festivals Gardner Gardnerian gatherings Gerald Gardner Goddess healing hemisphere High Priest High Priestess human ideas imagery individual initiation inner interest Julia Phillips lives Luhrmann magic magician male meditation mental mind modern Pagans moon mystery mystical myth nature newsletters occult organized out-of-body experience participants person physical PPPA psychic psychological Queensland reality realms religion Religious Experience rite ritual Rosaleen Rosaleen Norton sabbats sacred circle Samhain Satanism sense Setians sexual shamanic social society South Wales spell spiritual Starhawk Sydney symbols tarot cards techniques Temple of Set things trance Valiente visual vodou Western Western Australia Wiccan witchcraft witches woman women worldview