The influence of Aleister Crowley on Gerald Gardner and the early witchcraft movement

Bogdan, Henrik

doi:10.1163/ej.9789004163737.i-650.26

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Both Hugh B. Urban (2006) and Henrik Bogdan (2009) examine the origins of the Great Rite in the writings of Aleister Crowley, an early twentieth‐century occultist whose theological influence on the contemporary Pagan revival has been profound. They situate Crowley and Gerald Gardner, the publicizer (and probably the founder) of what is now known as British Traditional Wicca, within a long tradition of liberatory sexual magic in the Western esoteric (or mystery) tradition, with additional influences from Eastern Tantric practices.…”

Section: Pagan Gender and Sexuality In Historical Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bogdan (2009) delves specifically into Crowley’s work with the occult fraternal order, the Ordo Templis Orientis, and he draws parallels between Crowley’s Gnostic Mass and the Wiccan Great Rite. Both rituals seek union between the divine masculine and the divine feminine as represented by a priest and priestess, but Gardner emphasized that the purpose of the Great Rite was physical and spiritual fertility; he connected the practice to an agricultural liturgical year in a way that Crowley did not (Bogdan 2009, pp. 99–100).…”

Section: Pagan Gender and Sexuality In Historical Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Paganism

Kraemer

2012

Religion Compass

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Declaring that all acts of love and pleasure are the rituals of the Goddess, contemporary Pagans widely affirm the sacredness of the body and of sexuality. Much of this belief stems from the erotic theology that entered Paganism through British Wicca, in which celebrants use symbolic or literal sexual ritual to participate in the ongoing creation of the universe. Pagans tend to be relatively accepting of same‐sex relationships, BDSM, polyamory, transgender, and other expressions of gender and sexuality that are marginalized by mainstream society. Accordingly, sexual minorities have flocked to the movement and have begun to articulate a distinctively queer Pagan spirituality. Pagans continue to struggle with essentialist notions of gender, however, which has caused conflicts around how and whether to include transgender individuals in single‐gender groups. Additionally, in some more politically conservative Pagan traditions, gender transgression continues to draw homophobic harassment. Although sexuality and gender are central theological concerns for many Pagans, more scholarship that moves beyond descriptive approaches is needed, as are more scholarly treatments of the alternative sexualities that garner so much attention in Pagan circles. Christian and Jewish feminist theologians have already found Paganism to be a valuable dialogue partner; as queer theologies increasingly challenge mainstream religions’ notions of gender and sexuality, Paganism has much to add to the discussion.

show abstract

Section: Pagan Gender and Sexuality In Historical Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pagan Gender and Sexuality In Historical Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%