Marla Alupoaicei

Evangelical Christians often encounter bizarre and inaccurate depictions of witchcraft, Wicca and other neopagan faiths. Whether through depictions of Satan worship, sacrifices or other heinous practices, many of these accounts are simply not true, and are misapplied to the faith groups being charged with such activities. Thankfully Dillon Burroughs (an accomplished apologetics author) and Marla Alupoaicei have teamed up to co-author Generation Hex, a new work explaining the Wiccan religion to Christians.

In the first portion of the book Burroughs and Alupoaicei examine common misunderstandings, replacing them with truth. The history of Wicca, the beliefs of its practitioners and an examination of how the occult has invaded popular culture are examined. The subtitle “Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca” does not seem entirely accurate – for Christians Wicca is a completely incompatible belief system, not exactly a subtle danger, and the authors thankfully do not present Wiccans as dangerous people.

To write this book the authors engaged in extensive research, including reading original Wiccan texts, interviewing Wiccans, and observing rituals. With such a diverse religion it is difficult to nail it down, but Wicca by its nature is a pluralistic sub-section of neopaganism featuring beliefs that are extraordinarily varied. Its most common beliefs, though, are spotlighted without fear or fanaticism, and the diversity of Wiccan beliefs are explained. A book concerning Wicca would not be complete without mentioning the larger movement – neopaganism – that it is embedded within. Neopaganism and its many practices are touched upon briefly, but the main focus is Wicca itself. The authors provide extensive quotations from Wiccan texts as well as interviews they have conducted with Wiccans and Neopagans. A complete bibliography is provided for further research.

The second portion of the title focuses upon understanding the personal aspects of Wicca. Where do you find Wiccans? How can you discuss your faith with them? How does Wicca compare with Biblical Christianity? Burroughs and Alupoaicei accurately describe the response of the average Wiccan to evangelical Christians, and as such their recommendations for sharing the Christian faith are spot on. Wiccans are spiritual seekers, but are heavily invested in a pluralistic (many pathways to truth and God) mindset as well as a monistic (everything is God) worldview. Many view Christianity through a skeptical lense and are often openly offensive against the faith.

While Generation Hex was for the most part balanced and Biblically accurate, there are some statements that lean closer to pagan beliefs than Christian ones. For example, consider the contention: “While these beings and objects are sacred because they were created by God, they are still distinct from God.” This statement accurately points out that God’s creation is separate from Him, but I do not agree that His created beings are sacred. Perhaps I’m hyper-sensitive due to my past beliefs, but there is the potential for animistic thoughts to arise with statements such as these. There are less than a handful of such statements, and reading with discernment will easily point them out. Even with the inclusion of some slightly off statements this title serves as a valuable tool within the body of Christ.

I would have loved to see more than one testimony of a Christian who previously walked in occult paths. The example they chose to share seems to be more of a general neopagan/new age follower rather than a Wiccan. It would have been interesting to see the conversion testimony of a former Wiccan who was fully involved in the community, in rituals, or covenwork.

Generation Hex is an excellent primer for any follower of Christ who seeks to learn more about this growing religion. As many followers of the Wiccan faith are teenagers and young people, youth pastors and parents should certainly brush up on their knowledge of this religion. Wicca is often seen as a frightening unknown within the body of Christ, and I pray that this title will both educate and encourage Christians to reach out in love to Wiccans. Wiccans who have newly come to Christ and those who seek to learn more about the comparisons between the Craft and Christianity will also benefit from reading this accessible work.

As a former witch, and current follower of Jesus Christ I’m delighted to see Christian authors working to remove the stigma from the Craft. Witches, Wiccans and other Neopagans are people, just like any other. True, they are lost, but no more so than any other person without a personal relationship with Christ. There is no need for fear, only love. Love your pagan friends, neighbours and coworkers with the heart of Christ, and be there to answer their questions when the Father starts to draw them. I know that I’m thankful for the Christian neighbours in my life who kindly answered my queries without pressure or disdain when I heard Him call.

Reviewed at http://quiverfullfamily.com… (altro)