Witch creed? Meet the new face of worship
Worship is becoming more diverse, writes Barney Zwartz.

WITCHCRAFT is a religion for the weak and oppressed, especially women. It has nothing to do with Satan, nor is it about sex. So says a leading Melbourne witch, Caroline Tully.

Ms Tully is part of an Australian trend in which witches and charismatic Christians are leading religious growth. Many women are turning to witchcraft or paganism as a reaction to the patriarchal nature of traditional Christianity. Academic Dr Philip Hughes, of the Christian Research Association, told a Melbourne seminar on spirituality that "nature" religions rose by 140 per cent between 1996 and 2001. Agnostics are on the rise, too. For many, the nature religions were seen as environmentally friendly and empowering. Story