The Wicca That Never Was

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Questions about the true origins of Wicca have raged in the neopagan community for years, with a large number of traditionalists steadfastly clinging to their belief in the religion's ancient roots. In addition to Murray's and Gardner's writings, Neopagans point to the research of maverick archaeologists Marija Gimbutas and James Mellaart about the existence of ancient matriarchal religions, from which many believe the feminist-oriented Wicca faith springs. Reports to the contrary are dismissed as a patriarchal attempt to diminish Wicca's power.

And though clinging to the traditionalist view is understandable, Gnosis editor Richard Smoley argues that accepting Wicca's 20th-century origins is essential for the religion's continued health in the 21st century. "Paganism is a legitimate religious impulse," he writes. "To connect with the divine through nature, through the feminine, and through the multiplicity of the world is honorable and necessary. But if neopaganism is to take its place among the great religions, it has to come to terms with its own history."

But Starhawk, perhaps Wicca's most prominent spokesperson, argues that it's unimportant whether modern-day paganism is based on truth or myth. She calls the research on ancient matriarchal religions "tremendously interesting and stimulating" but adds it makes little difference to the growing numbers of people who claim it as their religion. "It's nice if all of this is academically provable," she tells Smoley. "But it doesn't really make all that much difference in terms of our relationship with the Goddess today.

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