Origins of Wicca

Wicca is a modern pagan religion that emerged in England in the mid-twentieth century and is often described as a form of witchcraft. It was publicly introduced by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant, whose book Witchcraft Today claimed that it was the survival of an ancient witch-cult. This claim, based partly on the theories of Margaret Murray, is rejected by historians, who see Wicca as a new religion drawing on folklore, ceremonial magic and Romantic ideas. Followers honour a goddess and a god, observe seasonal festivals and practise ritual. The repeal of Britain's Witchcraft Act in 1951 made public practice easier, and Wicca spread to the United States and elsewhere.

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