1

Collette Leslie and Tonia Johnson

THE HISTORY OF WICCA

“Paganism” is widely known as the worship of false Gods or idols. The term “Neo-

Paganism” may not be so popular and refers to the revival of ancient polytheistic

religions, in which more than one God is worshipped or believed in. The largest

Neo-Pagan religion is called Wicca, with approximately 50,000 to 800,000

practitioners worldwide. There are dozens of different Wiccan groups with no one

set governing body and no bible that lays down a universal set of guidelines. The

association of Wicca with witchcraft has aroused suspicion and contempt in many

people, and has forced many of the practices to be done in secret. Wiccans believe

that each individual must find their spiritual path on their own without coercion, and

that even though they honor different Gods from other people, they will always

respect others rights to believe differently.

Despite the popular negative connotations associated with witchcraft, Wiccans see

their use of witchcraft as positive and good, and evil magic is viewed as being in

opposition to Wiccan beliefs and activities. The rule that governs Wiccan behavior

is called the “Wiccan Rede”, and forbids them from harming people, including

themselves, except in some cases of self-defense. The belief is that witches can only

be white witches, and able to only perform positive magic. Those who do black

magic are called black magicians. Wicca does not embrace the concepts of sin,

heaven or hell, the evils of sex, confession, Satanism, animal sacrifice, or the

inferiority of women.

They observe the festivals of the eight (holy days) of the year, the full moon

celebration, and most follow a similar moral code. There are ritual practices,

involving the casting of spells, herbalism, divination, and other forms of magic. The

religion’s book of rituals called the “Book of Shadows”, was written by British Civil

Servant, Gerald Gardner, and is considered a” book of magical knowledge”. Within

this book, many aspects of the religion have been kept extremely secretive by various

traditions and only obtainable from a coven of proper lineage.

2

Cont.

Collette Leslie and Tonia Johnson

Author and self initiated witch, Edain McCoy, explains that when one defines them

self as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion and sees the

divine manifest in all creation. She explains further that the cycles of nature are their

holy days, the earth their temple, along with the plants and creatures being their

partners and teachers. Lastly, she states that they worship a deity that is both male

and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was,

or will be, and that they respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and

accept the sacredness of all creation.

Many Wiccans also seek to cultivate the “Eight Wiccan Virtues” as a guideline for

their deeds. These deeds are Mirth, Reverence, Honor, Humility, Strength, Beauty,

Power, and Compassion. These virtues seem to almost mirror the fruits of the spirit

that Paul states Christians are to exhibit in Galatians 5:22 in imitating Christ; the

characteristics of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness and faith.

Incidentally, even with those wonderful virtues that Wiccans enforce, it appears that

their minds have been seared, for Deuteronomy 18:10-12, warns that there shall not

be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through

the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter or a witch,

or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For

all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord and because of these

abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from thee.

Another comparison shows that the highly centralized religion of Christianity within

denominations, can trace their beliefs historically, however, Wicca is highly

decentralized, practiced by many in isolation, or in small groups called covens or

groves, and develop their own rituals and practices. Many Wiccans try to blend

their beliefs with Christianity (called syncretistic religion or “shopping-cart religion”),

and may believe in the resurrection of Jesus, his virgin birth, and his second coming.

In Galations 5:20-21, Paul emphasizes that witchcraft is one of the works of the flesh

that will keep you from inheriting the kingdom of God. Therefore, ultimately, while

Wiccans believe Jesus was a powerful prophet and great religious teacher, they

cannot ever claim to totally follow his ways, and without repentance of their false

beliefs, will pay a dear price for rejection of the deity and preeminence of Jesus

Christ who is (before) all things, and (by him) all things consist; Colossians 1:17.

3

Collette Leslie and Tonia Johnson

Sources

History of Wicca Partly real; Partly imaginary. Retrieved from

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_hist.htm

Wicca: a Neopagan, Earth-centered religion. Retrieved from

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wicvideo.htm

Wicca. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312127/WICCA.HTM

Tempest, R., A Brief Intro to Neo-Paganism. Retrieved from

www.suite101.com/article.cfm/paganism/67331

Neopagan Beliefs. Retrieved from www.religiousfacts.com/neopaganism/beliefs.htm

Wicca. Retrieved from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/subdivisions/wicca.shtml

Wigington, P., Basic Principles and Concepts of Wicca. Retrieved from

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/wiccaandpaganismbasics/p/Wiccan_Basics.htm?p

=1

Wicca. Retrieved from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Wicca

Buckland, Raymond. The Witch Book The encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca and

Neo-paganism. Canton: Visible Ink Press, 2002. Print

4