what is wicca?

Answer 1

Religion of Witchcraft.

Answer 2

Wicca is a Neopagan religion and a religious movement found in many different countries, though most commonly in English-speaking cultures. Wicca was first publicised in 1954 by a British civil servant named Gerald Gardner after the British Witchcraft Act was repealed. He claimed that the religion, of which he was an initiate, was a modern survival of an old witch cult, which had existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe. Wicca is thus sometimes referred to as the Old Religion. The veracity of Gardner's claims cannot be independently proven, and it is thought that Wiccan theology began to be compiled no earlier than the 1920s. Various related Wiccan traditions have since evolved, or been adapted from, the form established by Gardner, which came to be called Gardnerian Wicca. These other traditions of Wicca each have specific beliefs, rituals, and practices. Most traditions of Wicca remain secretive and require members to be initiated. However, there is a growing movement of Eclectic or Solitary Wiccans who claim to belong to the religious movement, but do not believe any doctrine or traditional initiation is necessary in order to substantiate the claim.

Answer 3

Wicca is a Neopagan religion and a religious movement found in many different countries, though most commonly in English-speaking cultures. Wicca was first publicised in 1954 by a British civil servant named Gerald Gardner[1] after the British Witchcraft Act was repealed. He claimed that the religion, of which he was an initiate, was a modern survival of an old witch cult, which had existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe. Wicca is thus sometimes referred to as the Old Religion so enough.

Answer 4

Wicca is a Neopagan religion and a religious movement found in many different countries, though most commonly in English-speaking cultures. Wicca was first publicised in 1954 by a British civil servant named Gerald Gardner[1] after the British Witchcraft Act was repealed. He claimed that the religion, of which he was an initiate, was a modern survival of an old witch cult, which had existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe. Wicca is thus sometimes referred to as the Old Religion. The veracity of Gardner's claims cannot be independently proven, and it is thought that Wiccan theology began to be compiled no earlier than the 1920s. Various related Wiccan traditions have since evolved, or been adapted from, the form established by Gardner, which came to be called Gardnerian Wicca. These other traditions of Wicca each have specific beliefs, rituals, and practices. Most traditions of Wicca remain secretive and require members to be initiated. However, there is a growing movement of Eclectic or Solitary Wiccans who claim to belong to the religious movement, but do not believe any doctrine or traditional initiation is necessary in order to substantiate the claim.

Answer 5

Wicca is primarily a religion, and although its adherents often identify as witches, Wicca and witchcraft are not necessarily the same thing.

Wiccans may worship a Goddess and/or a God; they observe the festivals of the eight Sabbats of the year and the full-moon Esbats; and they have a code of ethics that most live by. Wicca is thus generally considered to be distinct from witchcraft, which does not of itself imply any specific religious, ethical or ritual elements, and is practiced in various forms by people of many religions, as well as by atheists.

Wicca does, however, incorporate a specific form of witchcraft, with particular ritual forms, involving the casting of spells, herbalism, divination and other forms of magic. Wiccan ethics require that magical activities are limited to good purposes only.

According to Gerald Gardner, the religion derives from a secret but widespread witch-cult of early modern Europe, which incorporated all of the key religious beliefs and ideals and the distinctive ritual structures found in modern Wicca. While this historical interpretation is now much criticised, it makes it difficult to conclusively say whether Wicca is a religious form of witchcraft or a religion incorporating witchcraft.

While most Wiccans practice magic, a few do not, and do not identify as witches. Similarly, many Wiccans, though not all, call themselves Pagans, though the umbrella term Paganism encompasses many faiths that have nothing to do with Wicca or witchcraft.

---Excerpt from Wikipedia

Answer 6

A wonderful religion that I'm proud to be a part of. Don't listen to all the bible thumpers here, it is NOT Satanic in any way, shape or form. There are A LOT of resources online to learn about Wicca. There are also several Yahoo Groups which are geared towards beginners, or if you're just curious and want to ask questions, most are happy to answer.

Answer 7

Wicca: A Neopagan, Earth-Centered Religion
Collection of essays from ReligiousTolerance.org addressing the history of the religion, its modern practice, and how it is perceived by outsiders.
Category: Religion > Wicca and Witchcraft
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www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm - 54k - Cached - More from this site - Save

Answer 8

I've read a book on it a few years ago and it's a religion, stereotype as witchcraft but it's actually a very positive religion. If you want to learn more the book i read was "Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation" by Silver RavenWolf

Answer 9

Wicca is a religion that focuses on the omnipresent Nature Gods and Goddesses and harnessing the power of Nature and the five elements.

Answer 10

There really isn't enough room to explain it in full detail on here. I would recommend going to your local pagan/new age/wicca/alternative book store and looking for a book on the topic. Once you have read at least a book or 2 you should have a pretty good understanding of it.

Answer 11

The name of my mom's dog. Seriously!! She's into show dogs and they got a puppy from some breeder who had registered her with AKC as Wicca's Wicked (something). They call her Wicca!