ABSTRACT
A growing number of people in (post)modern western societies are practising magic as a form of spirituality; they are often collectively termed Pagans. Paganism is an umbrella term for various alternative spiritual ‘traditions’ – such as high or ceremonial magic, druidry, witchcraft or ‘wicca’, heathenism, and shamanism – most of which, with the exception of high or ceremonial magic (which espouses an esoteric Christianity), attempt to create what their practitioners see as a pre-Christian magical worldview. Although certain fantasy aspects of magic have been incorporated and accepted into mainstream society – through fiction for example, the most recent being J.K. Rowling’s enormously popular Harry Potter children’s books – practising magic as a form of spirituality is still largely regarded as countercultural and morally suspect. ‘The occult’ is commonly seen by mainstream British society to be concerned with a hidden power of evil that can be harnessed and used against God and ‘the good’. Consequently, in the West debates on magic are frequently framed in terms of magic being inherently morally questionable.
