Wicca - The Rise of a Western Mystery Religion Based on Witchcraft

Wicca is a Western mystery religion₂ invented and founded by Gerald Gardner in the UK in the 1950s, followed shortly by the very similar Alexandrian Wicca in the 1960s, although the two strands are now very closely intertwined₃ and Wicca is decentralized. Wiccan practices centre on ritual, nature veneration, natural cycles, and magical and spiritual learning₄. Much of it derived from pseudo-folklore. Its festivals are held on the eight yearly Sabbats. Divinity in Wicca is seen as both male and female (typically as the Horned God and Mother Goddess₄), as are the general forces of nature which emanate from the male and female principal_5,6, and these two sides complement one another_3,7. Groups of adherents are called covens and as with other mystery religions entrance to Wicca comes by way of initiation, a process which requires study and the gaining of the trust of the others. Covens aim to have thirteen members, which are then traditionally seen as "full", and growth comes by way of splintering₃. Solitary practitioners are called hedgewitches. Compared to other new religious movements in the West, adherence to Wicca takes up a surprising amount of dedication and time₃.

1. Roots
   1. Paganism and the New Age
   2. The Founding of Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca
   3. The Causes Behind the Rise of Wicca and other NRMs
2. Features
   1. An Educated Religion With No Conversion, No Proselytisation and No Childhood Indoctrination
   2. Divinity: Mother Goddess and the Horned God
   3. Environmentalism
   4. Feminism
   5. The Natural Cycle of Seasons (the Wheel of the Year)
   6. Sexuality: A Mature and Adult Religion
   7. Tolerance for Others' Beliefs
   8. An Invented Past - Where Did Wicca Really Come From?
3. The News of the World's Campaign Against Wicca