Reddit Reddit reviews The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft

We found 14 Reddit comments about The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft
Oxford University Press, USA
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14 Reddit comments about The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft:

u/AllanfromWales1 · 13 pointsr/Wicca

You should read "Triumph of the Moon" by Ronald Hutton. Hutton is a professional historian who considers the emergence of wicca in the 20th century.

u/mikedash · 6 pointsr/AskHistorians

The AH books and resources list is your friend, but as its recommendations are scattered through a mainly geographical listing, I will compile some of the key cites for you here.

Religion and the Decline of Magic by Keith Thomas (1971): One of the pioneering works on how anthropology can help our study of history focusing on superstition in the late medieval/early modern period, this is a fantastic read and a real insight into a still-young school of historical analysis.

Thinking with Demons by Stuart Clark (1999): this is one of two mandatory books on Early Modern Witchcraft (the other is Keith Thomas' Religion and the Decline of Magic). It's hard to summarize what is a monumental piece of work, but examines the idea of witches and how that idea functions through different intellectual sections of life. It has a bibliography that will make you weep with inadequacy and throw your work into the nearest witch-bonfire.

The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton (1999). A study of the history and development of modern Pagan Witchcraft.

Blood and Mistletoe: The History of the Druids in Britain by Ronald Hutton (2009). A history of the intertwined development of modern Celtic scholarship and religious revivalism in Britain.

The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe by Brian Levack: Levack gives important background and context to his discussion of the witch-hunt. The work's value as an introduction to the topic is evident, as the book is now in its third edition.

Theology and the Scientific Imagination: From the Middle Ages to the Seventeenth Century Funkenstein, Amos. 1986. An interesting read detailing the various views of emerging scientific thought and the prevalence of religious faith. The book takes time to work from a sociological as well as historical viewpoint to allow for a broader take.

u/jovive · 5 pointsr/neopagan

Also, since you'll encounter a lot of people claiming a lot of things I recommend:

Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler
and
Triumph of the Moon

These two are more "impartial" treatments of the various groups within paganism. They provide a nice perspective on the faith path.

u/Kalomoira · 4 pointsr/Wicca

]Wicca differs from mainstream notions of religion. Traditionally, it's more of a religious order with no laity, an initiatory pagan priesthood that maintains a body of knowledge and rites that is kept intact and handed down from initiate to initiate. It also differs in that it's not an orthodoxy but an orthopraxy.

Eclectic practices influenced by Wicca tend to be orthodox ("I'm a Wiccan because I believe ___") and tend to differ from one to the other as they're most often individual practices unique to the person.

Some suggestions:

Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton

Wicca: A comprehensive guide to the Old Religion in the modern world by Vivienne Crowley

Modern Wicca: A History From Gerald Gardner to the Present by Michael Howard

Witching Culture, Folklore and Neo-Paganism in America, by Sabina Magliocco

Drawing Down the Moon, by Margot Adler (the late NPR journalist)

This book is like an unofficial follow-up to Adler's DDTM:

Voices from the Pagan Census: A National Survey of Witches and Neo-Pagans in the United States, by Helen A. Berger

Books from the mid-20th century:

Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner

The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald Gardner


u/JackXDark · 3 pointsr/casualiama

Okay this is something I wrote that explains some of the origins of Wicca and British paganism in general that you might find interesting.

The only 'beginners' book that I would recommend is Where to Park your Broomstick by Lauren Mannoy. This is actually an excellent book written in a very accessible style.

After that, then you should try Doreen Valiente's stuff. She's the most important figure in Wicca and modern witchcraft, as she wrote much of its material and despite wanting to find ancient sources, was completely honest about what she did and didn't find. I'd start with Witchcraft for Tomorrow which is a massively interesting book even if you're not Wiccan.

If you want something that's really in depth about Wicca and what it is and where it came from, the only thing worth looking at - and something that's utterly essential is Professor Ronald Hutton's Triumph of the Moon. This is a very academic book, however, so maybe you can leave it for a while. If you want to take Wicca seriously though, it's absolutely essential. There are some people who claim to be Wiccans who don't like it and can't accept what it says, but I'd stay away from them, as they tend to prefer the fantasy of it being an ancient religion rather than being willing to be open minded about where it really came from and what it is.

Avoid Silver Ravenwolf's books completely. They're rubbish and contain some very bad advice, especially for young people. Despite what she might claim, she's not highly regarded by actual Wiccans at all.

Other advice - well... don't believe anyone who promises you anything or says they can sort out problems for you using Wicca or Witchcraft. If they claim to be part of a group of a High Priest or Priestess or anything like that, then ask what their lineage is or for proof of this and to talk to other people who can back it up. If they're genuine, they won't mind in the slightest. If they're a bullshitter, they'll take offence, but that's when you walk away. If they know who Doreen Valiente and Ron Hutton are and can get into a conversation with you about their books, they've probably got a clue. If they dismiss them or don't know who they are, then they probably don't.

The other thing to say is that even though it's secretive and private, there's a massive difference between privacy and secrecy. You can and should tell someone else whereabouts roughly you're going, if you're going to meet up with groups, or people.

In the main, Wiccans and pagans are pretty nerdy, pretty friendly, but occasionally somewhat damaged, which can lead to interpersonal issues within groups that aren't much fun to deal with. The Wiccan and pagan scene can be a playground for attention seeking folk with ego issues and the problems relating to that are far more likely to cause difficulties than the chances of running into any dangerous animal-sacrificing sex-cult that'll put your soul and life in danger.

So - do a lot of reading, and make sure you establish some boundaries of your own before getting involved with anything or anyone else.

u/BranCerddorion · 3 pointsr/pagan

> Is this really offensive? If it is, please explain it to me. It's not enough to tell me it is, I've got to know why.

For some it will be, for others not so much.

If you asked me if you could approach paganism, but dropping the "supernatural" stuff from it, I'd say "Hell yeah!" because I do just that. I don't really have much use for divination or crystals or anything like that, so I just don't use them in my practice. I can see why some would use it and I understand how some use them practically, but I just don't feel the need for it.

For me, Paganism is really about the Natural world. The Earth is my Mother (My goddess, if you might like to say so), and the Sun is my Father (My god, if you will). I know a lot of other pagans do this do, but not all. Some pagans use pantheons for deity, but deity is not a necessity in paganism.

I still like ritual, though I don't do much pagan ritual in my personal practice, because the symbols used in it represent natural forces and things going on in the world. A "supernatural non-believer" could find use and spiritual meaning in ritual (as well as gods and crystals and magic), because to me (and surely others out there) they're just symbols, but symbols have a lot of personal power. They can help you change your mindset, help you understand things better.

Some will find calling things "supernatural" offensive, because some pagans do believe "supernatural" things exist, and don't view them as "supernatural." This is perfectly okay, to me, it's just not my way of approaching things.

TL;DR It will vary from person to person, and can be a sensitive topic for some. Not for all, though.

As for books without too much of a supernatural inclination about Paganism, I'd try out Ronald Hutton. His Triumph of the Moon is more about the history and roots of paganism, but he's very detailed and descriptive, as well as academic.

Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon is of the same vein as Triumph of the Moon. Both are pretty heavy and tome-like, but are filled with invaluable information.

If you're looking into Wicca theology, I found Bryan Lankford's Wicca Demystified to be a great in depth explanation, especially for an "outsider." A lot of the "beginners" books on Wicca you'll find are heavy on ritual and magic, and seeing how you don't have much fondness for it, I think Lankford's book might be better suited for you.

And I haven't read it, but Dana Eiler's Practical Pagan might be of interest to you. It seems to have the less "magicy-supernatural" and more of a mundane, practical approach to paganism. Not sure about it, though. You might find some good info in the amazon's review section of the book.

I feel like there's another book or two that I've read that taps into what you're looking for, but I just can't think of it. There are some cool anthologies full of essays of paganism in the real world, which I find are invaluable for their information, and not so heavy on the "supernatural side," like Pagan Visions for a Sustainable Future and Celebrating the Pagan Soul.

PS

>I'm use to kinda being primed to attack fundamentalism in Christianity and I've got little good to say about Islam at all.

I wouldn't be so dismissive of Christianity and Islam in general. Interfaith can be a very important. You don't have to agree with what they believe, but personally I know a few Muslims who are very kind and generous, and if they give credit to their religion for their kindness and generosity, I wouldn't say there's nothing good to say about Islam. But that's neither here nor there.

u/salamanderwolf · 3 pointsr/PurplePillDebate

First place I would send anyone is Sacredtexts.com since it's free and has all the old books there. Apart from that it depends on what branch of paganism you want to go into.

It's weird because England has this huge underground magical movement going on that hardly anyone really knows about. From pagan/wiccan groups to druids to golden dawn goetic magical schools to imported voodoo/shaman type practices to native cunning men and wise woman from Cornwall. It's fascinating which is why I got into it in the first place.

If you want a good background about all of paganism though you could do worse than The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton. He's a professor who has specialized in paganism and witchcraft in England.

u/honeybeedreams · 2 pointsr/pagan

i was thinking too; you might want to read “the triumph of the moon.” which is a history of modern paganism. it’s a very good way to understand the origins of wicca, versus ancient earth based religions. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0192854496/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0192854496

my father and grandfather were freemasons and after i was initiated into a wiccan tradition that originated in the UK, i grasped how much Gardner had been influenced by masonry in his creation of original wiccan liturgy. of course, Gardner said he was divinely inspired, but all prophets say that and then share what they already know. (maybe Akhenaten was different? idk) my first trad was a mishmash of Alexandrian wicca, irish and british lore and “fairy folk tradition” that didnt make more experience in that “grove” any less significant or authentic. i learned a hell of a lot and my HPS and HP were very skilled with group energy work and drawing in the goddess energy. unfortunately, there was also a strong aspect of “this is an ancient lineage that you need to be 100% obedient to” that ultimately drove me away. of course it wasnt! i could find in books the parts that the ritual liturgy was pieced together from! and the whole “the goddess speaks through me so you have to do whatever i say” is just plain bullshit and why i reject organized religion anyway.

anyway, then i discovered reclaiming and the faeri tradition. even though starhawk calls her trad wiccan, and there are aspects of TBW in her original liturgy in “the spiral dance,” the HEART of reclaiming is NOT TBW or “wiccan.” i strongly recommend, if you havent read “spiral dance” “truth or dare” “dreaming the dark” “the earth path” etc, please do. and thorn coyle’s book, “evolutionary witchcraft” too.

you can also find info on reclaiming’s, starhawk and thorn coyle’s websites. even though there is a very strong component of social activism in both these trads, dont let that deter you... activist or not, the non-dogmatic, non-wiccan approach to neo-paganism and witchcraft is invaluable.

u/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/druidism

You may want to read some literature by Maria Kvilhaug or Ronald Hutton. Both authors have been instrumental in helping me construct a coherent notion of what ancient practices may have looked like and how they would have evolved considering the introduction and spread of Christianity. Specific books to consider would be Triumph of the Moon and Seed of Yggdrasil both are fantastic books from legitimate historians. As far as trying to piece together a pure and historically accurate representation goes though, I wouldn't beat yourself up over the details without considering the proper context. Times have changed and so has our understanding of morality. I feel fairly certain that society today, would generally frown upon the sacrificing of virgins to appease the God's :-)

u/eleraama · 2 pointsr/neopagan

The best information comes from personal experience. That said, there is significantly more useful information in printed books than on the internet: Try books by Marian Green, Ronald Hutton, and others (disregard pretty much anything published by Llewellyn unless it was written by Scott Cunningham [who despite "fluffy bunny" leanings knows his stuff, herbally] or another author you know to trust).

You might also want to hang around the magical blogosphere at places like Runesoup, Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom, Witch of Forest Grove, etc. The Lucky Mojo Curio Co. site is tacky as all hell (deliberately so) but an incredible resource, just bear in mind that Cat Yronwode (though very well-informed) is not the end-all be-all to conjure.

[Edited for Lucky Mojo typo and to add links]

u/ruaidhri · 1 pointr/worldnews

The Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton is a good academic but readable history of neopagan Witchcraft.

Talks a lot about the inspiration being the Romantic poets and Victorian attitudes to the occult and nature, gradually leading to Gerald Gardner and Wicca since then.

u/guntharg · 1 pointr/Wicca

The book you are looking for is Hutton's Triumph of the Moon.

u/Tirra-Lirra · 1 pointr/Wicca

Religion isn't about logic. It's about how it makes people feel. Some people have faith, or they have a religious experience that makes all the illogical stuff make much more sense. It's not something you're going to be able to fully understand unless you experience it yourself. Wicca is largely experiential - it's about doing it and feeling it, it's not about knowing the theology. Frankly, Wicca includes a lot of "woo" stuff that isn't 100% logical and doesn't line up with how the majority of people perceive reality.

As an agnostic, I accept that I don't have faith, and so I am never going to be able to fully understand the religious beliefs of people that truly have faith.

Have you read any books on this stuff? I don't mean spell books or Wicca 101. You might like reading some of the more dry, academic books about the evolution of neopaganism, like the Triumph of the Moon by Hutton.

u/DavidJohnMcCann · 1 pointr/pagan

This is the best one on Wicca, by a real historian who actually grew up in a pagan family:

Triumph of the Moon

I don't know any decent history of the pagan revival in the broader sense. I have three books on Hellenism, none of which mention that the revival started 200 years ago, and one on Asatru which mentions 1970s Icelanders but not 1930 Australians!

This is a fine book and one to lend to people who ask "why paganism?"

Million and one Gods