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.
Rachel Fall, (McDermott Barnard College)
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.
Danny L. Jorgensen, (University of South Florida)
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.
Georgie Ann Weatherby, (Gonzaga University)
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.
Kathryn Rountree, (Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand)
Journal of Contemporary Religion