Wicca

Wicca is a Neopagan religion that is found in many English-speaking countries and several other countries as well. It was originally founded by the British civil servant Gerald Gardner most likely in the 1940s, but was first openly revealed in 1954. Since its founding, various related Wiccan traditions have evolved or been created, the original being Gardnerian Wicca, which is the name of the tradition that follows the specific beliefs and practices established by Gerald Gardner.

Definition

Gerald Gardner is credited with re-introducing the word into the English language, although he himself used the spelling Wica repeatedly in his published work of 1954. The spelling "Wicca" is now used almost exclusively, (Seax-Wica being the only major use of the four-letter spelling).

Related Topics:
English language - Wica - Seax-Wica

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In Old English, wicca meant shaman, see Völva, male witch, or warlock. Some contend that the term wicca is related to Old English witan, meaning wise man or counselor, but this is widely rejected by language scholars as false etymology. Nonetheless, Wicca is often called the "Craft of the wise" as a result of this misconception. In actuality the word "Wicca" did not come into use until Gerald Gardner published his works. This is why many witches believe that in order to class oneself as a "Wiccan" it would be necessary to have been initiated into a practising Gardenerian, Alexandrian, etc coven.

Related Topics:
Old English - Shaman - Völva - Warlock - Witan - Etymology

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It appears that the word may be untraceable beyond the Old English period. Derivation from the Indo-European roots '*wic' or '*weik' is incorrect by phonological understanding.

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Though sometimes used interchangeably, "Wicca" and "Witchcraft" are not the same thing. The confusion comes, understandably, because both practitioners of Wicca and practitioners of witchcraft are often called witches. In addition, not all practitioners of Wicca are witches, and not all witches are practitioners of Wicca.

Related Topics:
Witchcraft - Witch

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Wicca refers to the religion. This can be a reference to both the initiatory tradition, where initiates are assigned a degree and generally work in covens, and to Solitary Wicca, where practitioners self-dedicate themselves to the tradition and generally practice on their own. Both Initiates and Solitary Wiccans worship the Goddess, with most also choosing to worship the God, and both celebrate the Sabbats and Esbats. On the other hand, witchcraft, requires no belief in specific gods or goddesses and is not a specific spiritual path. Thus, there are Witches who practise a variety of religions besides Pagan ones, such as Judaism and Christianity. It is considered to be a learned skill, referring to the casting of spells and the practice of magic. To add to the confusion, the term witchcraft, in popular older usage and in a modern historical or anthropological context, means the use of black or evil magic, that which Wicca is said not to encourage.

Related Topics:
Covens - Sabbats - Esbats - Spell - Magic - Witchcraft

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See The Craft or Witchcraft for more details on these differences.

Related Topics:
The Craft - Witchcraft

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Contrary to popular belief, representations in popular media such as The Craft, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Charmed are dramatic fiction and should not be taken as factual, just as it should be noted that the fictional character Harry Potter has nothing to do with historical witchcraft.

Related Topics:
The Craft - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Charmed - Harry Potter

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