Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
21. What is the Difference between Wicca and Witchcraft?
Pagan Religions in Five Minutes - Suzanne Owen
Mary Hamner [+]
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Mary Hamner is at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill specializing in religion and culture. Her research interests include religion and social media, ethnography, secularism, and contemporary witchcraft. She publishes about Wicca and witchcraft and maintains a social media presence under the name Thorn Mooney.
Description
Wicca and witchcraft can be hard to differentiate, as their traditions overlap. Wicca is a modern witchcraft with specific beliefs and practices. Created by Gerald Gardner in mid-20th century England, Wicca was no different from general witchcraft. Now, we understand that Wicca is a type of witchcraft, while other forms have their own practices and origins. Non-Wiccan practitioners use various descriptors to define their practices, highlighting diversity within the witchcraft community.