Writings-Is Wicca a Legitimate Religion?

This is only one definition of the word 'religion.' It comes from a cheap little paperback dictionary I picked up at a dollar store. I prefer this definition to some of the others I've seen because it makes it very obvious that Wicca is a religion. At this point, maybe I should give my definition of Wicca, Witchcraft, and Paganism. Although these words are used interchangeably by some, I don't use them that way when referring to the general population. I use all three when referring to myself because my particular practice includes elements of all three.

Starting with the most specific, witchcraft is a practice that may or may not have anything to do with a religious belief. It is using the latent power of the universe to affect change in your life or the life of someone that has asked you to help. Some people believe that this power is from a divine source and some think it isn't. Witchcraft can be practiced by anyone, Pagan or not.

Wicca is an earth-based religion where a goddess, a god, and nature are revered. The terms Wicca and Witchcraft are used interchangeably by most Wiccans because Gerald Gardner's basis for the religion included information from what he called the "witch religion." Some Wiccans do not use Witchcraft in their practices, claiming that they see it as a purely religious experience. The traditional approach to connecting with the Gods was through Witchcraft so separating the two seems a bit out of line to me. (See this article for more information.)

'Pagan' and 'Paganism' are words comparable to 'Christian' and 'Christianity'. These are general terms used to categorize a variety of religious beliefs. Differing Pagan belief systems are called traditions, whereas differencing Christian belief systems are called denominations. Confused yet? Basically, 'Pagan' is a blanket term used to describe a variety of different earth-based religions. 'Wicca' is one of those religions. 'Witchcraft' is a practice used by some Pagans, some Wiccans, and some non-Pagans.

Okay, back to defining Wicca as a "legitimate" religion. By using the simple definition given earlier, anyone familiar with Wicca can immediately see that it is indeed a religion. First and foremost, to be considered a legitimate religion there must be a supernatural force or being that is recognized and revered. In Wicca and most other Pagan religions, deity is regarded as an immanent (which means ever-present, or inherently a part of) force in everyday living. In striving to revere deity by imitation of actions, Wiccans see themselves and all of humanity as part of the environment, inherently connected to the natural world in which we live. This is opposed to the view of many "mainstream" religions which see deity as imminent (which means on the verge of arriving or projecting over). In revering an imminent deity, humankind is seen as above, or separate from, the natural world.

What about an organized system of beliefs, rites, and celebrations? I'll just run through these in the order they are listed. Since there is no central, governing body in charge of making decisions for all Pagans or Wiccans, it is often mistakenly assumed that there is little to no common ground among the different traditions. There is no universally accepted Pagan or Wiccan 'Bible', so how can we prove that there are commonly held beliefs? It takes a little more digging around, but eventually it is possible to set out a list of 'dogmatic statements' that most Wiccans can agree upon. Of course, some will be interpreted a bit differently by each group, but that happens quite often in mainstream religions, too. In 1974, the Council of American Witches drafted and adopted what was called "The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief". This document represents some of the common points of Wiccan theology, but in no way is to be interpreted as the complete and final summation of the religion. (see "Doctrines" and "Philosophy" for more information.)

What about rites and celebrations? Despite the traditional variations, most of the rites and celebrations performed and observed by Pagans are organized according to nature and naturally occurring events. This makes perfect sense if you remember that deity is regarded as immanent. In Wicca, Sabbats are celebrated on the solstices, equinoxes, and mid-points between the two. Esbats are celebrated in accordance with the cycles of the moon. Rites of Passage are celebrated at important times in a person's life, whether it is a naturally occurring event like the onset of puberty or a manufactured event such as marriage. Even though the deity being celebrated or called upon may have a different name and different attributes associated with him or her, all of these celebrations have representative religious mythology which defines deity's relationship to each occurrence. Therefore, these rites and celebrations are centered around a supernatural being.

Is Wicca a religion? By using a fairly simple definition of the word to analyze the beliefs and practices of Wiccans and other Pagans, the answer is proven to be a resounding "Yes!". Coupled with legal definitions and rulings, there can be no doubt that Wiccans and other Pagans are entitled to the same considerations as any other religious group.