AllExperts > Pagan/Wiccan Religion 
Search      
Pagan/Wiccan Religion
Volunteer
Answers to thousands of questions
 Home · More Pagan/Wiccan Religion Questions · Answer Library  · Encyclopedia ·
More Pagan/Wiccan Religion Answers
Question Library

Ask a question about Pagan/Wiccan Religion
Volunteer
Experts of the Month
Expert Login

Awards

About Us
Tell friends
Link to Us
Disclaimer

 
 
 
 
About Luna
Expertise
The following are sample range of questions that I am very comfortable answering: Can a person be Christian and practice Witchcraft? How do you know if you are a witch? What are the Gods / Goddess associated with the element of fire? What is the connection between the cycle of the moon and a woman`s monthly cycle?

Experience
I have been a practicing witch for the past five years. I have studied world religions and the connection between religious practice and performing arts. I am skilled in Tarot readings and creating amulets / talismans.

Education/Credentials
Assoicate of Arts in Threatre

 
   

You are here:  Experts > Religion/Spirituality > Pagan/Wiccan Religion > Pagan/Wiccan Religion > Christianity & Witchcraft

Pagan/Wiccan Religion - Christianity & Witchcraft


Expert: Luna - 4/11/2006

Question
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Do you really believe that you can be a Christian and practise witchcraft?
Answer -
Yes, I do believe that a person can be a "Christian Witch". However, a person can not be a "Christian Wiccan". There is the difference. Wicca is a religion that honors the duality of God in the form of a God and Goddess, so of course this would be in contradiction to the Christian belief in one single God. But Witchcraft is a practice, not a faithin and of itself.. To clarify, there are Wiccans who do not practice witchcraft, (i.e., they do not cast spells or make potions). You can look at this in the same way as Christians who do not practice the Rosary. So, you could be a "Christian Witch" or even a "Hindu Witch".

I know, most people would say, 'wait a minute, the Bible clearly states that witchcraft is a sin and against God'. And if you strongly believe in that fact then there is no way to change your opinion. I have listed a couple of websites that can better explain the Bible issue.

The fact is "Christian Witches" is not some new thing. It has been around for as long as Christianity has been here. People converted to Christianity, but they never let go of the 'old ways'. They just combined the two. You see it in Voodoo and Hoodoo. You also see some small parts of it in the Catholic Church with Christian holidays that were actually- and still are- pagan holidays, such as Easter and Christmas.

Here is some really good information if you want to understand how a person can be a Christian and practice witchcraft:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcr5.htm

http://members.aol.com/RawnaMoon/

I do hope this answers your question.

Hello Luna!
Thanks for your response.  Can you explain the core beliefs & pracises of witchcraft to me. I've always understood that Witchcraft and the Wiccan faith are one and the same.


Answer
Yes, this is the part that confuses most people. The problem stems from the fact that we use the word Witchcraft as a catch-all phrase in the same way that we use the word Pagan. It makes it easier for the mind to accept certain things when we can find a nice little mental file to place it in. Here is a quick overview of the difference between Witchcraft and Wicca.

Witchcraft means the 'craft of the witch'. Witches have the ability to work magic by utilizing personal power in conjunction with the energies of stones, herbs, colors, and other natural objects. Even though it may have spiritual overtones by its very definition, Witchcraft is not a religion. There are no God and Goddess that need to be worshipped. If a witch chooses to include a God or Goddess this is a personal choice.

Wicca is a contemporary Pagan religion with spiritual roots that do date to the earliest expressions of reverence of nature. Wiccans give reverence to the God and Goddess. They have ritual observance of the Full Moon and cast circles when doing rituals. But despite its roots, Wicca is a fairly new faith that has only recently been recognized by the US as a fully legal religion entitled to all the rights therein.  

You will find families that have practiced witchcraft for generations. Many people have passed along such secret information from one generation to the next. This is where we get such things as grimories and book of shadows. But no one can claim to generations of Wiccan beliefs, because Wicca just hasn't been around long enough.

Some people who practice Wicca will use the word witchcraft to describe what they do. It's just easier this way, since most people are going to mentally think of the person as a witch and not a wiccan anyway. Again, witchcraft can be practiced by people of any faith. One can be a Wiccan witch, a Jewish witch, a Christian witch, a Muslim witch, etc.

I hope this helps.


Add to this Answer   Ask a Question


 
User Agreement | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy | Help
Copyright  © 2008 About, Inc. AllExperts, AllExperts.com, and About.com are registered trademarks of About, Inc. All rights reserved.