Articles

Neo-Pagan, Trad Witch, or Wiccan?

Among Other Terms...

Paganism

Paganism is an umbrella term that refers to a nature-based polytheistic or pantheistic indigenous family of religions whose essence and practices are pre-Christian. Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft are Pagan religions. When most people casually use the word Pagan in conversation , they usually mean to exclude Wicca, which is the largest Pagan group.

Paganism includes the indigenous religions of many countries. Some of these ancient religions are being reconstructed today. While much information has been lost, there is substantial reconstruction of modern versions of the worship of the ancient gods and goddesses. These include:

• Religio Romana (Roman Empire),

• Hellênismos (Greece),

• Kemet (Egypt),

• Druidry (Celtic), and

• Asatru.

Pagan Reconstructionism also encompasses the indigenous religions of Eastern Europe, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and the other native religions of Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific Islanders. This list is not complete.

However, there are also Pagans that do not identify with a specific Pagan Reconstructionist religion, but are part of a more generic form of Paganism. This new Paganism is called Neo-Paganism. Neo-Paganism is a modern-day nature-based spiritual path, and has been influenced by Wiccan beliefs, practices, and rituals.

In general, most Neo-Pagans believe that it matters not which spiritual path one follows, as long as that path:

1. Does not willingly harm others,
2. Encourages tolerance and self-improvement,
3. Encourages spiritual growth.

You can learn more about Paganism at Introduction to Paganism, and you can read more about Neo-Paganism at Introduction to Neo-Paganism.

Wicca

A Wiccan is one dedicated or initiated into the Wicca religion. Today, Wicca is a remarkable family of magical religions first invented by Gerald Gardner in the 1954. It didn't exist as a religion before him. Gardner collected bits and pieces of belief, practice and organizational structure and mixed it all into one astonishingly successful and at that time, widely appealing religion, called Gardnerian Wicca. That religion along with Alexandrian Wicca offshoot, still exists today. They are considered the most conservative Wiccan groups.

It is clear that Gardner did more to revive Paganism in the 20th and 21st centuries than anyone else. If you would like more information about the paths of Wicca, go to Introduction to Wicca, which also discusses the more contemporary Progressive Wicca groups.

Traditional British Witchcraft

The practice of The Old Craft has come down to the modern era as a family of Trads, or traditions. The terms "Traditional Crafter," "Traditionalist," "Crafter," and "witch" are the same thing; a person who is adept practitioner of the praxis of Traditional British Magic. However, it's important to understand that many Traditional Crafters do not use the term "witch" or "witchcraft" among ourselves because these are Christian terms meant to defame the Traditional Craft and Traditional Crafters. I use the term "witch and "witchcraft" only to be clear to the general reading public.

A brief review of our religion can be seen in: Introduction to Traditional British Witchcraft.

Word Usage: Wiccan or Witch?

The terms "Wiccan" and "witch" are often misused. They're too freely interchanged in conversation and are even misused in many books about Wicca. It's as if the two terms were synonymous, however they are not.

The problem is that even today British Traditional Wiccans (Gardnerians and their conservative ilk) view themselves as the revival of a direct line of British Witchcraft. Not always using good judgment, that is what Gerald Gardner wanted everyone to believe. At times he could be blind to historic fact. This is such a case, for Wicca is an "assembly" of concepts and practices from various sources, the least of which is Traditional Witchcraft. Thus so, Wicca is not the revival of a direct line of British Witchcraft.

So, even today and with a mountain of evidence to the contrary, Gardnerians still incorrectly insist they are a part of British Traditional Witchcraft. Many new to Wiccan are taught this mistaken information in formal lessons. Many new Wiccans simply don't know better and use of the terms "witch" and "Wiccan" with little regard to correct usage.

Many newly "dedicated" and even "initated" Wiccans think they are witches because some Wiccan says so. Yet these Wiccans know almost nothing about magic. A witch is a master of magic, not a begiled beginning student that thinks the Egyptian gods are the equal of the Horned God and the Goddess Diana.

While a witch might also be a Wiccan, a Wiccan is not automatically a witch.

You can read more about this topic in Trad Witchcraft Compared to Wicca.