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Wicca, the largest of the modern Pagan, or Neo-Pagan, religions. Its followers, who are called Wiccans, typically identify as witches and draw inspiration largely from the pre-Christian religions of Europe. Having publicly emerged in England during the 1950s, Wicca is now found primarily in Western countries, and the number of Wiccans is probably in the low hundreds of thousands. Followers often use the pentagram, or five-pointed star, as the main symbol of their religion.
Origins and development
Although there were precursors to the movement, the origins of modern Wicca can be traced to a retired British civil servant, Gerald Brosseau Gardner (1884–1964). Gardner spent most of his career in Asia, where he became familiar with various indigenous religious traditions. He also read widely in Western esoteric literature, including the writings of the British occultist Aleister Crowley. Upon returning to Britain in the 1930s, Gardner became involved in the British occult community and claimed to have discovered a group of witches operating near England’s New Forest in 1939. He later alleged that it was their teachings that provided the basis of Wicca, although historians disagree on whether the New Forest group ever existed. If it did, it likely formed earlier in the 1930s. Following the 1951 repeal of Britain’s archaic witchcraft laws, Gardner published Witchcraft Today (1954), founded his first coven of followers, and, with the assistance of high priestess Doreen Valiente (1922–99), developed what became known as Gardnerian Wicca.
Beliefs and practices
Wicca is a broad movement with much internal diversity in its beliefs and practices, in large part because of the absence of any single leader or centralized governing body. Within Wiccan groups it is often considered more important for all members to follow the same ritual procedures than to believe the same thing.
Wiccans typically identify as Pagans and are heavily inspired by the extinct pre-Christian religions of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia and, to a lesser extent, by living non-Abrahamic religions such as Hinduism. They usually call themselves witches, although, in contrast to the traditional idea that witches are inherently bad, Wiccans give the term positive connotations. In the religion’s early decades, most Wiccans adhered to the idea of the Egyptologist-cum-folklorist Margaret Murray (1863–1963) that people persecuted as witches during the early modern period followed a pre-Christian religion. While many Wiccans no longer believe this discredited notion, they often feel a kinship with those historically accused of witchcraft.
Drawing on terminology associated with witchcraft, Wiccan groups call themselves covens. These are often led by a high priest and a high priestess and can have as few as three members, although 13 is repeatedly cited as the ideal number. Coven membership is typically granted through an initiation ritual. In several older traditions, such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, initiates can advance through two additional degrees, reflecting the influence of Freemasonry’s three-degree system.
Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wicca
So, guys, what do you think of Wicca? Do you practice it?
Origins and development
Although there were precursors to the movement, the origins of modern Wicca can be traced to a retired British civil servant, Gerald Brosseau Gardner (1884–1964). Gardner spent most of his career in Asia, where he became familiar with various indigenous religious traditions. He also read widely in Western esoteric literature, including the writings of the British occultist Aleister Crowley. Upon returning to Britain in the 1930s, Gardner became involved in the British occult community and claimed to have discovered a group of witches operating near England’s New Forest in 1939. He later alleged that it was their teachings that provided the basis of Wicca, although historians disagree on whether the New Forest group ever existed. If it did, it likely formed earlier in the 1930s. Following the 1951 repeal of Britain’s archaic witchcraft laws, Gardner published Witchcraft Today (1954), founded his first coven of followers, and, with the assistance of high priestess Doreen Valiente (1922–99), developed what became known as Gardnerian Wicca.
Beliefs and practices
Wicca is a broad movement with much internal diversity in its beliefs and practices, in large part because of the absence of any single leader or centralized governing body. Within Wiccan groups it is often considered more important for all members to follow the same ritual procedures than to believe the same thing.
Wiccans typically identify as Pagans and are heavily inspired by the extinct pre-Christian religions of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia and, to a lesser extent, by living non-Abrahamic religions such as Hinduism. They usually call themselves witches, although, in contrast to the traditional idea that witches are inherently bad, Wiccans give the term positive connotations. In the religion’s early decades, most Wiccans adhered to the idea of the Egyptologist-cum-folklorist Margaret Murray (1863–1963) that people persecuted as witches during the early modern period followed a pre-Christian religion. While many Wiccans no longer believe this discredited notion, they often feel a kinship with those historically accused of witchcraft.
Drawing on terminology associated with witchcraft, Wiccan groups call themselves covens. These are often led by a high priest and a high priestess and can have as few as three members, although 13 is repeatedly cited as the ideal number. Coven membership is typically granted through an initiation ritual. In several older traditions, such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca, initiates can advance through two additional degrees, reflecting the influence of Freemasonry’s three-degree system.
Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wicca
So, guys, what do you think of Wicca? Do you practice it?
