This volume is a readable, useful, and methodologically varied
collection of thirteen original essays on Western 'daughters of the
goddess'—'Witches, neo-pagans, pagans, Goddesses, Goddess women,
spiritual feminists, Gaians, members of the Fellowship of Isis,
Druids, and none of these.' The first ten chapters present current
research on feminist spiritualities; the last three describe some
of their teachings. This collection is strong through the caliber
of the individual essays—on the roots of feminist spirituality, the
painful discord between radical feminism and paganism, the social
composition of women spirit communities, the lives of Wiccan High
Priestesses, and hands-on ritual directives; the authors also
complement and even contradict one another, with some describing
goddesses as patriarchally constructed and others finding them
healing. A mix of academic and practical approaches, elite and
popular sources, textual study and fieldwork, and British and
American contexts, this book will be useful in women and religion
classes, and should be owned by every college library.
*Religious Studies Review*
I have used several of these contributions successfully in an
undergraduate course on American Neopaganism and Witchcraft. This
volume will be especially valuable for advanced undergraduate and
graduate level courses dealing with women's issues, feminism and
goddess spirituality. Specialists will find some of the essays to
be invaluable for particular research problems, either because they
report information not available elsewhere and/or because they
present novel issues or perspectives. Altogether, then, this volume
makes important contributions to the emergent literature on goddess
spirituality and religion.
*Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review*
Offers a diverse view of the chaotically celebratory goddess
spirituality movement. While healing and empowerment remain at the
heart of each chapter, authors arrive at ways of gaining women's
strength through a number of creative avenues.
*Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion*
The book is a delight to read. It is thoroughly accessible, well
organised and engaging, and will serve its intended readership
well—classes in women's studies, religious studies, and the
sociology of religion. It will undoubtedly be read with pleasure
and interest by the many participants in the movement at large, and
of course by scholars working in this area. The inclusions are
varied, yet well-integrated in line with the book's theme, and the
blend of academic and practioners' voices works well. Theoretical
discussion is anchored firmly in the research finding of the
authors and is often movingly illustrated.
*Journal of Contemporary Religion*
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