Wicca
A History and description of Wicca
Wicca is the largest of the Neopagan religions. Wiccans have great reverence for the Earth and for their Goddess and her consort, the horned God. Their main rule of behavior is the Wiccan Rede which forbids them from harming people, including themselves, except in some cases of self-defense.
History
Depending upon how you look at Wicca, it is either one of the newest or one of the oldest religions in the world: Wicca is a recently created, Earth centered, neopagan religion. The various branches of Wicca can be traced back to Gardnerian Witchcraft which was founded in the United Kingdom during the late 1940’s. Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs and deities of ancient Celtic society. Added to this material were Masonic and ceremonial magical components from recent centuries. In this respect, it is a religion whose roots go back almost three millennia to the formation of Celtic society circa 800 BCE. Wicca is a very peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of life which promotes oneness with the divine and all which exists.
Thanks to archaeological discoveries, there is now a basis to believe that the origins of the Wicca belief system can be traced even further back to the Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. With the discovery of these cave paintings, estimated to be around 30,000 years old, depicting a man with the head of a stag, and a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people, it can reasonably be assumed that Witchcraft is one of the oldest belief systems known in the world today. These archetypes are clearly recognized by Wiccan as their view of the Goddess and God aspect of the supreme creative force and predate Christianity by roughly 28,000 years. Witchcraft in ancient history was known as "The Craft of the Wise" because most that followed the path were in tune with the forces of nature, had knowledge of Herbs and medicines,
Wicca is the largest of the Neopagan religions. Wiccans have great reverence for the Earth and for their Goddess and her consort, the horned God. Their main rule of behavior is the Wiccan Rede which forbids them from harming people, including themselves, except in some cases of self-defense.
History
Depending upon how you look at Wicca, it is either one of the newest or one of the oldest religions in the world: Wicca is a recently created, Earth centered, neopagan religion. The various branches of Wicca can be traced back to Gardnerian Witchcraft which was founded in the United Kingdom during the late 1940’s. Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs and deities of ancient Celtic society. Added to this material were Masonic and ceremonial magical components from recent centuries. In this respect, it is a religion whose roots go back almost three millennia to the formation of Celtic society circa 800 BCE. Wicca is a very peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of life which promotes oneness with the divine and all which exists.
Thanks to archaeological discoveries, there is now a basis to believe that the origins of the Wicca belief system can be traced even further back to the Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. With the discovery of these cave paintings, estimated to be around 30,000 years old, depicting a man with the head of a stag, and a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people, it can reasonably be assumed that Witchcraft is one of the oldest belief systems known in the world today. These archetypes are clearly recognized by Wiccan as their view of the Goddess and God aspect of the supreme creative force and predate Christianity by roughly 28,000 years. Witchcraft in ancient history was known as "The Craft of the Wise" because most that followed the path were in tune with the forces of nature, had knowledge of Herbs and medicines,
Cited: 1. Allen, Charlotte. "The Scholars and the Goddess." Atlantic Monthly 287.1 (2001). 2. "An Illogical Leap," The Washington Times, May 19, 2004, p. A16. 3. Bowes, Susan, The Wiccan Handbook, New York: Sterling Publishing Company, 2002. 4. Cantrell, Gary, Wiccan Beliefs and Practices, St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2004. 5. DiZerega, Gus, Pagans and Christians, St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2001 6. Drew, A. J., A Wiccan Bible: Exploring the Mysteries of the Craft from Birth to Summerland, Franklin Lakes, NJ; New Page Books, 2003. 7. Grimassi, Raven, Encyclopedia of Wiccan Witchcraft, St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2003. 8. www.wicca.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. <http://wicca.com/celtic/cc002.htm>.