I was interviewed by Heather Greene about my complicated relationship with the word “religion” as it relates to my personal practice of witchcraft. It was great to see Michael Smith and Irene Glasse in it, too!
In discussions like these, there’s always so much we share that can’t all make it into the final article without it becoming far too long. Still, it’s a nuanced topic, and I emphasized that while I see the importance of recognizing witchcraft as a religion—and fully respect those who do—I’ve always felt that the witch has been an outsider, always a step (or more) outside of the religious framework of the culture. Even in the context of early modern Wicca being described as the “witch cult,” witchcraft has held a unique place in terms of its relationship with religion.
That said, I’m sure a hypothetical anthropologist from another world would call what I do religious—it would likely look that way to them, but I imagine in the same way that Reiki would look similarly religious to them. But this is where semantics and nuance come in.
I really enjoyed the article and think this topic would make an excellent panel discussion at a convention!
You can read it here: https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024/10/28/halloween-2024-the-connection-between-religion-and-spirituality
