From the Publisher
Countless teenagers—including some in the church—have embraced aspects of Wicca, a form of witchcraft with modern appeal, without realizing the spiritual peril to which they are opening themselves. In What's the Deal With Wicca? Steve Russo lays bare the spiritual roots of Wicca and exposes the deception inherent in the promises made by its practitioners. At the same time, he clarifies the teachings of Christianity and demonstrates that Christian faith and spirituality are the only true ways to address the very real needs in the lives of teenagers.
Challies.com
"While primarily targeted at teens, the book is written in such a way that it will appeal to readers of any age... a valuable book and one that is an appropriate title to give to a teenager who may be seeking spiritual fulfillment outside of Scripture."
Christian Book Previews.com -
Debbie W. Wilson
"I would not hesitate to give it to parents fearing a child might be involved in witchcraft. Russo offers good eye-opening information which should shake up those of us who are too certain our good Christian kids could never be involved in witchcraft or the occult."
Lorraine Squires
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VOYA
With witchcraft drawing an increasing share of the media spotlight, teens and their parents may find themselves with questions about magick, spellcasting, and Wicca. Depending on the depiction of witches that they see in various books, movies, and television shows, they might believe that Wicca is a harmless diversion, an earnest religion, or actual devil-worship. Russo, an evangelical Christian minister, claims that his books offer the truth about the Wiccan religion. The title aimed at teens, What's the Deal with Wicca?, follows a basic pattern. In each chapter, Russo discusses an aspect of Wicca that might attract teens-for example, the flexible belief system, feminist tradition, or environmentalism-and then uses the Bible to argue that each aspect is better served by Christianity. The book wraps up with a discussion on the historical accuracy of the Bible and a reiteration that Christianity is the one true path. Protecting Your Teen from Today's Witchcraft uses much of the same structure-in fact, large portions of the two books are identical. This title for parents takes a broader look at teen culture and spirituality, warning parents about the full gamut of dangers to their teens' souls, from violent videogames to the use of guided imagery in the classroom. There is also a guide for parents on communicating with their teen children about spiritual matters. The author clearly intends these two titles to be the only resources that a reader needs to learn about Wicca--in each book, he includes a Wiccan glossary, an explanation of various Wiccan symbols, and a list of Wiccan holidays, in addition to his clear and easy-to-follow guide to each of the Wiccan religion'scomponents. He also describes different types of rituals, such as candle magic and circle casting, and outlines the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law. It is very clear, however, that these books are meant to convince readers that Wicca and witchcraft are wrong and will lead to eternal damnation, and that establishing a relationship with Jesus Christ is the only path to salvation. This bias leads to some skewed interpretations of Wicca. For example, Russo makes much of the practice of worshipping different aspects of the deity, claiming that it means that Wiccans are creating their own gods, a drastic simplification of the Wiccan view of the Goddess and God. Whether or not these books are useful in a library will depend on its patron base. Although they are not suitable as reference works on Wicca, they might be sought out by concerned Christian teens and parents. VOYA CODES: 4Q 2P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2005, Bethany House, 191p.; Glossary. Source Notes. Appendix., Trade pb. Ages 11 to 18.
Library Journal
The powerful attraction of Wicca has captured the attention of two different writers addressing two different audiences. Both try to get those interested in Wicca to discuss the choices they make. School assembly speaker and talk radio host Russo begins his book by first explaining what Wicca is. He knows his topic and has obviously spent a great deal of time talking and listening to the teens he is addressing. Though his aim is to get teens to talk about why Christianity would be a better choice, he's not overly preachy or condescending, and he repeatedly states that it is the reader's choice whether or not to practice Wicca. In fact, he is so good at explaining Wicca's appeal that, at least initially, he makes Wicca seem even more appealing than he intends. Wicca's Charm, on the other hand, is intended for adults trying to understand why others practice Wicca. Sanders was a journalist on assignment when she was forced to examine her own stereotypical views of Wicca; subsequently, she secured a journalism fellowship to spend a year learning about Wicca and what makes it so appealing to its practitioners; an objective view of the tradition results. Discussion questions at the end of the book correspond to each of the chapters. The result is a good, basic overview of the origins and theories of the religion as well as plenty of firsthand accounts from current and former practitioners of Wicca. Both books will spark conversation if used as the writers intend, and both are fine choices for public libraries.-Jennifer Kuncken, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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