Wicca | Understanding, History, Beliefs, & Facts from an Islamic point of view
Wicca | Definition, History, Beliefs, & Facts
Wicca, a predominantly Western motion whose fans exercise witchcraft and nature worship and who see it as a faith primarily based totally on pre-Christian traditions of northern and western Europe. It unfold via England withinside the Fifties and eventually attracted fans in Europe and the US.
Origins and ideals
Although there have been precursors to the motion, the origins of present day Wicca may be traced to a retired British civil servant, Gerald Brousseau Gardner (1884–1964).
Gardner spent maximum of his profession in Asia, in which he have become acquainted with a number of occult ideals and magical practices. He additionally examine broadly in Western esoteric literature, which include the writings of the British occultist Aleister Crowley.
Returning to England quickly earlier than the outbreak of World War II, Gardner have become concerned withinside the British occult network and based a brand new motion primarily based totally on a reverence of nature, the exercise of magic, and the worship of a woman deity (the Goddess) and severa related deities (together with the Horned God).
He additionally borrowed liberally from Western witchcraft traditions. Following the 1951 repeal of England’s archaic Witchcraft Laws, Gardner posted Witchcraft Today (1954), based his first coven of fans, and, with enter from its contributors, specially creator Doreen Valiente, evolved present day witchcraft into what these days is referred to as Wicca.
It unfold fast to the US withinside the overdue Sixties, while an emphasis on nature, unconventional lifestyles, and a look for spirituality divorced from conventional religions have been specially in vogue.
Covens, which preferably range 10 to fifteen contributors and are entered via an initiation ritual, someday align with one in all many coven associations.
As coven contributors grasp the exercise of magic and emerge as acquainted with the rituals, they byskip via ranges of initiation. There is a 3rd diploma for folks who desire to go into the priesthood. In Gardner’s machine precedence is given to the priestess, and leaders withinside the Gardnerian network hint their authority via a lineage of priestesses again to Gardner’s coven.
Despite variant in the Wiccan network, maximum believers proportion a wellknown set of ideals and practices. They consider withinside the Goddess, appreciate nature, and maintain each polytheistic and pantheistic views.
Most Wiccans receive the so-known as Wiccan Rede, an moral code that states “If it damage none, do what you will.” Wiccans consider in meditation and take part in rituals during the year, celebrating the brand new and complete moon, in addition to the vernal equinox, summer time season solstice, and Halloween, which they name Samhain. Wiccan rites encompass invoking the useful resource of the deities, working towards ceremonial magic, and sharing a ritual meal.
Most debatable to outsiders is that Wiccans name themselves witches, a time period which maximum Westerners pick out with Satanism. As a result, Wiccans are constantly denying any reference to Satan or satan worship. Wiccans have additionally tried to set up ties with different polytheistic (Hindu) and nature-oriented (Native American) non secular communities.
Later developments
By the Eighties there have been an anticipated 50,000 Wiccans in western Europe and North America. Although the increase price slowed with the aid of using the give up of the decade, Wicca received growing social popularity and assorted to encompass severa versions on Gardner’s unique teachings and rituals.
Moreover, new Wiccan agencies emerged impartial of the Gardnerians, which include one led with the aid of using Alexander Sanders (1926–1988), the Dianic Wiccans who noticed Wicca as a woman’s religion, and the parallel Neo-Pagan motion, which additionally worshipped the Goddess and practiced witchcraft however eschewed the designation witch.
A predominant controversy evolved withinside the United States withinside the Sixties and 1970s, while a faction of Wiccans broke with Gardner’s belief that garments inhibited magical workings and selected now no longer to observe his exercise of worshipping withinside the nude. Instead they donned ritual robes, claiming pre-Gardnerian reassets for his or her ideals, and known as themselves Traditionalists.
As Wicca and Neo-Paganism moved into their 2d generation, perception diminished withinside the belief that Gardner had inherited a hard and fast of witchcraft rituals and practices that have been exceeded on via a subculture with unbroken ties to pre-Christian paganism.
Although many Wiccans as soon as stated the paintings of Margaret Murray, which include The Witch-Cult in Western Europe (1921) and her article “Witchcraft” posted withinside the 14th version of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1929), in guide in their perception withinside the historic origins in their religion, they now normally apprehend that Wicca commenced with Gardner and his associates.
As the twenty first century commenced, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans have been located during the English-speakme global and throughout northern and western Europe. Estimates of adherents ranged dramatically, with the range of Wiccans withinside the United States believed to be among 100,000 and greater than 1.five million. The Pagan Federation, an global fellowship, serves the bigger Wiccan/Neo-Pagan network.
