Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /home/content/83/7393083/html/wicca/truth.php on line 2

Warning: include(http://www.pagan.us/top.inc) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /home/content/83/7393083/html/wicca/truth.php on line 2

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://www.pagan.us/top.inc' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/php5/lib/php') in /home/content/83/7393083/html/wicca/truth.php on line 2

January 12, 2005 c.e.

I have been a member of the pagan community for several years now. True, I have always been at the outer edges, since I don’t believe in many of the things that a ‘typical’ pagan does. Still, I have been around long enough to have seen quite a bit in the way of change and perception. I have studied many of the religions that fall under the pagan umbrella; some extensively, and some only cursorily.

Wicca is one of the religions that I studied extensively. Not because I agree with it – I don’t – but because I had a pagan site to construct, and Wicca IS one of the larger pagan religions. The problem with studying Wicca, is that there is very little information available that is in any way reliable; especially information from it’s creator, Gerald Gardner. I find this odd for a religion that is only 50 years old. Yes, some will whine and say that Wicca has been around for centuries, and Gerald Gardner (1884-1964) merely rediscovered it. To those people I would suggest that they really should try to get in touch with reality.

Regardless of what others might say, I am going to state it as fact, and so I believe it to be, that Wicca as a religion did not come into being until the 1950s. There is simply too much evidence that this is true to ignore. Ergo, I will also insist that Gerald Gardner is the creator of Wicca; not the discoverer or chronicler of Wicca, but the creator. It was he who brought the various bits and pieces together to create the religion now known as Wicca. Many of the parts used in current Wicca practice were added by Doreen Valiente (1922-1999) to repair what she saw as blatant plagiarism of Crowley by Gardner.

This leads us to “Old Dorothy” as she was quaintly called by Gardner, otherwise known as Dorothy Clutterbuck (1880 – 1951). What did Gardner claim about Dorothy? And what is actually known about her? Let’s look at that, shall we?

Dorothy Clutterbuck was a reasonably wealthy woman from near Christchurch in England (although born in India). Gardner claims that Dorothy initiated him into Witchcraft. Gardner made no claim of being initiated by her until her death in 1951, conveniently not leaving her a chance to dispute it. According to Gardner, she was the head of the New Forest coven until her death in 51. (Making her a 71 year old ‘Priestess’ for those challenged at math.) Something which, according to Gardner’s Laws of Wicca, is not supposed to happen.

In ‘Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival”, Philip Heselton discusses Dorothy and suggests that she was at least involved in, or aware of, theosophy, Rosicrucianism, and freemasonry. These were very common interests for the time, and do not suggest that she was therefore a witch. English folk history was also popular at the time. He suggests then, that Gerald might have, knowing of her interests, used a combination of her knowledge of pagan / occult systems with her interest in English folk culture, to create the myth of her being a remnant of an ancient coven that had been in constant being.

Since an investigation into Old Dorothy leaves us with as many questions as we had initially, we are left to judge this part of Gardner’s story based on his credibility. Unfortunately, he has very little of it.

Gerald Gardner was a prolific interviewee, going against the Wiccan “Laws” of remaining silent or denying involvement in Witchcraft. In 1951 he was interviewed by Allen Andrews where he stated that he had received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Singapore University and a Doctor of Literature degree from Toulouse. Published in the Daily Dispatch on August 5th, 1954 was an interview with Gardner by Arnold Field. In that interview, he repeated his claims of holding these degrees, although saying this time that they were honorary. “He says he is a Doctor of Philosophy, an honorary degree conferred on him by Singapore University twenty years ago.” That would have made it 1934 when the degree was conferred. According to his biography, he was in Malaya at that time. Likewise, the Singapore University not only did not exist in 1934, but states that no such degree was ever conferred upon him. Likewise, Toulouse replied to a query by Doreen Valiente that no such degree had ever been conferred upon Gerald Gardner.

Obviously, Gardner had a problem with truth.

Gerald Gardner presented his version of ‘Witchcraft’ as the version that had been handed down through the centuries to Old Dorothy, and ultimately, to him. During her initiation, Doreen Valiente recognized parts of the initiation as coming from Crowley’s “Book of Law” and from Leland’s “Aradia”. Likewise, the term ‘Book of Shadows’ was presented as an ancient witchcraft term. In fact, it is the title of a book written in Sanskrit that describes a method of divination involving measuring a person’s shadow to foretell their destiny. Gerald Gardner merely appropriated the name because it conjured the image he desired for witchcraft.

Gardner’s original Book of Shadows, which he claimed to be filled with the secrets of the New Forest coven you’ll remember, contained much information that was recognized by Doreen to have come from other, contemporary sources. Much of the original content was from Crowley. One of his ritual chants, however, was a slightly reworked version of “A Tree Song”; a poem by Rudyard Kipling. Another source for his original Book of Shadows was “The Key of Solomon”. The markings on a witch’s athame (as prescribed by Gardner) are from an illustration in that manuscript.

Surely this is the end to the borrowed material? Not quite.

Another source of Gardner’s for his rituals was Freemasonry. The terms “The Working Tools” and “charge” are from freemasonry, as are the concept of 3 degrees, referring to their practice as “The Craft”, and “The Five Points of Fellowship” used in the Third degree of both organizations. Likewise, the traditional initiation for both is the same. To answer the unasked question, yes, Gerald Gardner was involved with the Freemasons; he was a “Co-Mason”, along with Dafo – his High Priestess at the time.

As interest grew in “Wicca”, it became apparent that Crowley’s influence would need to be excised from Gardner’s Book of Shadows, as Crowley was considered to be a rather unsavory character. Gardner gave this task to Doreen Valiente, who essentially rewrote The Charge of the Goddess herself. The original was comprised of parts from Leland, and parts from Crowley. Doreen kept the parts that were ‘borrowed’ from Leland.

My research has produced even more evidence of Gardner’s deceitful and outright false statements. However, I don’t feel any more evidence is needed to see that what Gerald Gardner presented to the world as “Witchcraft”, is nothing of the sort. Traditional (Gardnerian)Wicca is a creation of Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente, using the work of others.

Resources:



Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /home/content/83/7393083/html/wicca/truth.php on line 65

Warning: include(http://www.pagan.us/bottom.inc) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /home/content/83/7393083/html/wicca/truth.php on line 65

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://www.pagan.us/bottom.inc' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/php5/lib/php') in /home/content/83/7393083/html/wicca/truth.php on line 65