The Satanic ingredients in the seventeenth century witchcraft debate

Abstract

This Thesis is a study on the witchcraft debates of seventeenth century England. Throughout the study a special emphasis is given to the debate over the existence of alliance of witches with the Devil. This conception of witchcraft including Satanic ingredients imply the togethemess of spiritual and material existence and their cooperation in creating effects upon the natural phenomena. The discussions whether spiritual forces were effective upon natural activity in the world were already existent among the educated circles of seventeenth century England. Having this in mind, the aim of this work is to display the debate on the nature of witchcraft as a microcosm of the general intellectual atmesphere of seventeenth century England.