by Karen Mitchell
The two title questions are often hotly debated in Pagan circles. There really is no one ultimate definition of either Wicca or Witchcraft, only definitions that most people can agree with most of the time. I will give you my answers to these two questions. I can promise you that these answers are agreed upon most of the time by many of the Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches I associate with. Others may use the terms differently. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how you’d like to define them.
Let’s start with the easiest of the pair. Witchcraft is exactly what the word implies: the craft of Witches. This includes skills such as casting spells, healing with herbs, working with spiritual energies, divination, and a host of other things. Witchcraft is not a religion in its own right; the skills I’ve listed can be combined with lots of religious frameworks, including Christianity (provided that you don’t think the practice of Witchcraft is a sin, of course). With that definition in mind, you’ll realize something very important: not all Witches are Wiccan. For that matter, not all Witches are Pagan. Most of the people you’ll run across who call themselves Witches probably are, in fact, Pagan. And many of those will indeed be Wiccan. But it isn’t always the case, and it’s better not to assume. Are you confused yet? I hope not. Remember… this was the easy question to answer.
Read the original article at: Suite 101
Read the original article at: Suite 101
