 (p. 32)

Academic writers on religion have tended to treat Kelly's conclusions as factual and unbiased, but not surprisingly, "Inventing Witchcraft" and the earlier edition of Kelly's work, "Crafting the Art of Magic", became a source of controversy among Wiccans, especially in Gardnerian Wicca covens, who trace the origin of their traditions to Gerald Gardner.To accept Kelly's theory that Gardner "invented" a new religion, would mean giving up the belief that Gardnerian Wicca was the revival of an ancient faith previously held in secret by a few survivors.(p.