What would happen if we took the Gods and Goddesses out of Paganism and Witchcraft altogether?
This may be a completely wrong interpretation of the history, so I am genuinely interested in what others think.
My understanding is that Doreen Valiente played a major part in developing the emphasis on the Goddess and the Horned God within modern Wicca during the 1950s and 1960s. When she worked with Gerald Gardner, she revised significant parts of his Book of Shadows, removing or rewriting much of the material that had been influenced by Aleister Crowley and creating or adapting other material.
So here is my question:
If we removed the Gods and Goddesses from the equation, would Paganism and Witchcraft actually lose anything essential?
Could someone simply practise witchcraft through magic, nature, ritual, folklore and personal spirituality without worshipping, following or even believing in any Gods or Goddesses?
And perhaps the bigger question is:
Do Paganism and Witchcraft actually require Gods and Goddesses at all, or have we simply become accustomed to assuming that they do?
I could have my history completely wrong, so I am interested in hearing other people’s views.
